The Scoop on Shoes - Pt. 1

Get yourself more than one pair of shoes to train in. Don't let the cost scare you. This can be accomplished with no extra expense if you rotate your purchases. Buy your second pair of shoes when your first ones are at their half-life.

Having two pairs of shoes allows you to address different training needs. Purchase a heavier pair with more cushioning for longer distance runs. Buy a lighter shoe for those shorter, faster runs.

If your training doesn't vary that much, get two pairs of the same shoes. With two pairs of shoes, it's easier to tell when the older pair is worn out and needs to be replaced.

You can decrease the likelihood of injury if you have more than one pair of shoes. It's hard to find a shoe that meets all your needs - like cushioning, stability, pronation. Maybe one of your shoes causes a certain kind of stress. Wearing that shoe every other day cuts the stress in half. You also have a chance to recover from that stress on the off-day.

Maybe you feel you'd like to try a new line of shoes. It's nice to break in a new pair of shoes slowly, especially a brand you've never worn. With two shoes you can slowly bring the new pair of shoes into the rotation by wearing them for shorter runs and only wearing them every three or four days initially.

Variety is the spice of life. Altering your training can make your runs more interesting. Getting that second pair of shoes might just add a little extra kick to your exercise regimen, with little or no extra cost.

The price isn't always right

Bill Bowerman began creating running shoes from a waffle iron back in the 70's. His concept blossomed into a new company called Nike, which prospered in the wake of the new running craze.

The running shoe has evolved steadily and considerably since then. Most cheap running shoes now-a-days are vastly superior to the best running shoes from back then. Features likes support, stability, and cushioning have been well-refined and are found in every shoe.

I have noticed for the last ten years now, that within a line of shoes, there is often little (or no) difference between the cheap shoes and the expensive ones. There is also scientific evidence that bears this conclusion out.

In a recent study, runners were asked to try shoes of varying costs that had the outside features covered up. After trying them out on a tread mill they were asked to guess the price of the shoes. The runners did very poorly at predicting the price of the shoe based on comfort and performance. This would lead one to believe that within a line of shoes you don't get more features for the money. They just look cooler.