how do you know when your running shoes are done for?

According to Runners World, 300-500 miles is the average shoe life. However, even if they sit in your closet, the soles will "rot" (lose their spring) after 3 years - and be pretty much worthless.

I wear minimalist shoes. I wear them until they get holes in the 2mm soles.

Here is a thread on it: http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/training/training-essentials-workouts/re-many-miles-pair-of-running-shoes

I'm starting to think that my normal running shoes *may* be losing a bit of their spring - but how do you know when it's time to bin them and get a new pair? Is there something I should look for, or can a running shop tell you, or do you just go by feeling?
I've had the shoes since last July but I wouldn't have thought I've put in enough miles to wear them out yet. Plus I have trail shoes which I wear too (they're newer and I don't have the same feeling about them, which is what's made me think).
All advice welcomed - these are my first pair of proper running shoes so no experience to go on!
Cheers!
F4

The cloth on the inside of the heel in my ones usually wears out leaving a gaping hole where the "stiffener" thingy sticks out, rubs on my heel and I end up with a blister that is bleeding by the time I get off my treadmill.

That is when I consider buying a new pair

I knew I needed a new pair when I started noticing my feet aching after jogging or stairmastering for a few weeks in a row. I had no idea how bad my old sneakers were until I laced up my new pair and took them for a run, wow, so much nicer and my feet don't ache at all.

500 miles, 300 if they get wet. Water breaks down the rubber very quickly. As the tops and soles lose form your running form with suffer.

How do you know when you've done 500 miles? Is there a hidden speedo? Hahaha

Lol. Well I hate to be that guy but you should always be tracking I all of your exercise either through here or through a notebook. This is important to keep challenging yourself and getting better. Say for example I run three miles a day. If I do this forever that isn't bad, it I should be getting stronger and improving my stamina so I should after a month change half those days to 5 miles or move up to very high miles and switch some days go sprints and throw in a rest day. This just makes sure you aren't just letting your body and fitness get stagnant. As you see your miles come up in the log add up the month or weeks and when you hit 500 retire those shoes for house or yard work or donate them to any number of the great charities that send them to poor villages throughout the world. Also with shoes how you store them makes a huge difference. They should always be stored at room temperature with moving air. Keeping them in a bag or in the garage during the winter will greatly shorten the lifespan of your shoes.

[How do you know when you've done 500 miles? Is there a hidden speedo? Hahaha

Log your training?

Seriously though, keeping a training log is a great way to track your program and, like to food diary here, introduces a level of accountability (even if it's just to yourself). One of the beauties of logging your workouts is tracking your progress, whether it's comparing average HR from a year ago, how much you can lift etc.....your log, your goals.

500 miles! That means I will need new shoes in 2035.

Went for a 45 minute walk this arvo, and half way through i felt a pain under my foot. Blister seems to be forming. Thats my sign that its time for a new pair of shoes.

Like others have said, you will start to feel the shoe performing less and feet/knees/hips in more pain or have soreness.

For tracking, if you use Runkeeper (free), there is an add-in app called ShoeTracker that will allow you to setup multiple pairs of shoes (running/trail/minimalist) that you can track runs against. That way you have a better idea of when your shoes have about 300-400 miles on them.

Do the mimimilst shoes wear out quicker for the same amount of running?

Minimalist shoes have nothing to break down. They only have a sole that will eventually wear through. I have over 1400 miles running on asphalt on my vibrams and have extended their life several times by putting shoe goo on the bottom. They are still going strong and I expect to have over 2000 miles on them before they need to be replaced.

Thats the best news I have heard all day. Vibrams are in my reward plan.

Back to the running shop and yes, the cushioning was beginning to go. New pair: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12. Round the block in them to test and I've got my bounce back! :happy:

Awesome! Woo hoo!