Shoe Question

[dragitoff]

I have a question regarding the types of shoes for longer distance training. I'm currently using Saucony Kinvara for all my running. I'm due for a new pair of shoes and I've been deliberating over what to buy. I love how light my Saucony are and would gladly buy another pair. They seem to have worn evenly despite most of my other shoes (dress, casual and tennis) wearing out in certain areas so I know it's designed for the type of striking my foot has. My understanding is they are more for midstriking.

I'm very limited on options to try on shoes in my area since we only have a Hibbet sports, Foot Locker, etc.. in my town so I can only try on the primary brands. Unfortunately, no one carries Brooks, Newton, and other top running brands.

I'm currently training for longer distances than my daily 5K. I'll be running my first 1/2 marathon in March 2012 and my first marathon January 2013. My question is, should I focus more on a shoe that gives me more support or stick with what I like and have been using comfortably?

I'm a bigger guy (still 205lbs) so you'd think a minimalist shoe wouldn't be good for me, but I'm only 33 and have never had any knee troubles. I noticed a big difference going from New Balance running shoes to my Saucony in my endurance. The New Balances were noticeably heavier and my legs seemed to tire quicker during my 5 mile runs.

Just looking for some advice from people with alot more experience in that area than me. I'll be looking to buy a new pair sometime in the next month or so. I've still got a few miles left in my Saucony!

Thanks!

 

[johde]

My first thought would be, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Secondly, if it's not a great distance, would be to make a road trip to a real running store. A real running store can look at how you run and suggest shoes for you to try.

 

[RunRookie]

I really like my Saucony Pro Ride 4s. They are a neutral shoe, plenty of room at the toe, and are pretty light as well. They have some cushioning but not a lot (I don't like the feel of my foot in a pillow) and they have worked very well for me since switching to them in late August.

My first show was a Pearl iZumi neutral shoe (I forget the name). But the shoe was discontinued in their new line so I decided to make the change to abnother brand. I am glad that I did. I like the Pearl iZumi shoe but I prefer the Saucony for sure!

I bought my shoes at a Dick Pond store. I liked them so much I bought a second pair from RunningWarehouse.com using the WISH discount code. It saved me over $20 from the store price.

I bought the second pair so that I could switch between them during my WDW training. Each week I switch pairs so that neither pair will have too many miles on them by race date. I didn't want to get to January only to find my shoes were worn out and needed to be replaced.

So once you know what you want to buy, definitely buy them online and save some money.

 

[dragitoff]

My first thought would be, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Secondly, if it's not a great distance, would be to make a road trip to a real running store. A real running store can look at how you run and suggest shoes for you to try.

I'm honestly not sure what is considered a real running store? Foot Locker claims their sales associates can do that same thing (if you believe the ads in Runner's World).

I live not far from Tallahassee, FL, Columbus, GA, and Macon, GA. Sadly, you'd think my town would have more to choose from since it's over 100k people. It might, I just haven't found the places yet, and I've lived here my whole life. lol

 

[dragitoff]

I really like my Saucony Pro Ride 4s. They are a neutral shoe, plenty of room at the toe, and are pretty light as well. They have some cushioning but not a lot (I don't like the feel of my foot in a pillow) and they have worked very well for me since switching to them in late August.

My first show was a Pearl iZumi neutral shoe (I forget the name). But the shoe was discontinued in their new line so I decided to make the change to abnother brand. I am glad that I did. I like the Pearl iZumi shoe but I prefer the Saucony for sure!

I bought my shoes at a Dick Pond store. I liked them so much I bought a second pair from RunningWarehouse.com using the WISH discount code. It saved me over $20 from the store price.

I bought the second pair so that I could switch between them during my WDW training. Each week I switch pairs so that neither pair will have too many miles on them by race date. I didn't want to get to January only to find my shoes were worn out and needed to be replaced.

So once you know what you want to buy, definitely buy them online and save some money.

-Rick

That was kinda one of my thoughts on staying with the Sauncony Kinvara. I know what to expect with them and know my size. I could order them online. I almost bought another pair the other day. Hibbett had a pair of the bright yellow/green ones on clearance for $69 in my size. That's about $20-$25 off regular price. In retrospect, I wish I had bought them. They had only one pair left in my size.

 

[APrunner]

I lean toward the if it aint broke mentality. If you are only doing 3 mile runs right now, gradually build up in the kinvaras. If you run into trouble and want something with more stability, then that may be a good time to experiment. You can order shoes from runningwarehouse, they have free return shipping. It is a little tedious to do it that way, but it works.

 

[dragitoff]

I lean toward the if it aint broke mentality. If you are only doing 3 mile runs right now, gradually build up in the kinvaras. If you run into trouble and want something with more stability, then that may be a good time to experiment. You can order shoes from runningwarehouse, they have free return shipping. It is a little tedious to do it that way, but it works.

I've done treadmill runs of 8-11 miles before with no problems at all. This weekend, I'm starting my longer runs on the road vs. treadmill. I'm currently logging over 60 miles per month on the road and about 20 miles per month on the treadmill.

I've seen no ill effects so far with the Kinvaras. Of course, I'm not trying to sound like I'm totally against any other shoe. I'm no different that anyone else. I'm hesitant to change because I'm afraid I won't like something as much as what I've got now, but I also realize there might be something out there I like better.

 

[APrunner]

It is also good to have a back up shoe as well. I used to run in the Nike Lunaracer 2. However, I cannot stand the rerelease of the original Lunaracer. So I had to move on and find another shoe. Companies are always making changes, so it is good to have a back up plan. There is nothing wrong with rotating shoes. The Kinvara can be your go to shoe, but you can use others on different days depending on how you feel and what you want to do. Right now, the Mizuno Precision is my go to shoe. I also do runs in the Nike Frees, Mizuno Mushas, and Mizuno Ronins as well. I have one pair of Lunaracer 2s that I still get some easy miles out of.

I like the idea behind the Kinvara. Unfortunately there is not enough room in the toe box for me. They made the problem worse with the Kinvara 2. If they make that shoe with more toe room, I would love to try them.

 

[dragitoff]

It is also good to have a back up shoe as well. I used to run in the Nike Lunaracer 2. However, I cannot stand the rerelease of the original Lunaracer. So I had to move on and find another shoe. Companies are always making changes, so it is good to have a back up plan. There is nothing wrong with rotating shoes. The Kinvara can be your go to shoe, but you can use others on different days depending on how you feel and what you want to do. Right now, the Mizuno Precision is my go to shoe. I also do runs in the Nike Frees, Mizuno Mushas, and Mizuno Ronins as well. I have one pair of Lunaracer 2s that I still get some easy miles out of.

I like the idea behind the Kinvara. Unfortunately there is not enough room in the toe box for me. They made the problem worse with the Kinvara 2. If they make that shoe with more toe room, I would love to try them.

That's been my only complaint with my Kinvaras. I got a little blister on my little toe after my last long run of 11.1 miles a few weeks ago. It wasn't bad, but I had to know it was coming. They are a little smallish on the toe area.

 

[RunRookie]

That's been my only complaint with my Kinvaras. I got a little blister on my little toe after my last long run of 11.1 miles a few weeks ago. It wasn't bad, but I had to know it was coming. They are a little smallish on the toe area.

I would highly recommend the Pro Ride 4s. They have a lot of toe box space. Next time you are at a running store or an expo that has some shoe companies, give them a try-on.

 

[paxsarah]

I'd probably stick with the Kinvaras if they're mostly working for you. I'll also mention that I've recently switched to (or added, as the case may be, as now I'm alternating with my old Karhus) the New Balance 890 - it is a neutral shoe and very lightweight yet still cushioned. I would guess they're probably fairly widely available (I got mine at a dedicated New Balance store). It was only the combination of the original version of my Karhus being discontinued and winning a free pair of shoes (yay!) that got me to switch at this point.

 

[Pinkcoureur]

If you're not too far from Tallahassee I would stop in Capital City Runners. They have great fit specialists who will watch your gait while you run on the treadmill help get you fitted for proper shoes. Also if you stop by on Monday (i think) you can join them for a group run. Everyone is really friendly on the runs.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

You do need a different shoe or support for longer distances...case in point, my Nike Lunarglide+ work fantastic for Half Marathons but when I tried it for the Marathon, it didn't work out so well. You need different support based on distances so if not a different shoe you need inserts, more supportive socks, etc.

Have you been to this place? It is in Columbus.

http://www.bigdogrunning.com/plaintext/home/home.aspx

That would be a good place to start assuming it isn't too far from you. Hard to pinpoint your location with so many locations listed!

 

[dragitoff]

I live in a little town right outside Albany, GA. I'm about 70 miles north of Tallahassee, 70 miles or se east of Columbus, GA, and about 100 miles south of Macon, GA.

I haven't tried any of those stores. Since I just started running in January, I only recently realized how much difference each shoe was. When I bought my Kinvaras, it was more or less because they were so much lighter than my New Balances. I'm trying to really educate myself so I can make a good purchase. With Christmas right around the corner, I plan on getting myself (and DW, because she's due for a new pair too), another pair of running shoes.

 

[FFigawi]

I bought the second pair so that I could switch between them during my WDW training. Each week I switch pairs so that neither pair will have too many miles on them by race date. I didn't want to get to January only to find my shoes were worn out and needed to be replaced.

Another option is to put 200-250 miles on your first pair and then start rotating a new one in. Once the old pair hits 300+, you can retire them and stick with the new ones. This is what I do, and it helps make sure I've got my race shoes with only 20-30 miles on them so they feel nice and fresh.

 

[dragitoff]

Another option is to put 200-250 miles on your first pair and then start rotating a new one in. Once the old pair hits 300+, you can retire them and stick with the new ones. This is what I do, and it helps make sure I've got my race shoes with only 20-30 miles on them so they feel nice and fresh.

I'd love to do that, but I'd be buying new shoes every 2-3 months. As a father or two that seem to constantly be needing something and married to a woman who also runs, I don't know that I can afford that. lol.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I'd love to do that, but I'd be buying new shoes every 2-3 months. As a father or two that seem to constantly be needing something and married to a woman who also runs, I don't know that I can afford that. lol.

You're only going to get 300-500 miles out of a pair of shoes. Where you fall in that range depends on the shoes themselves (I could only squeeze 300 miles max out of Nikes but my Mizunos last closer to 500 miles), how heavy you are, and how you run. So yeah, you might be needing shoes every 2-3 months, especially if you're now running most of your miles outside.

If you run in worn out shoes, you increase the risk of injury, particularly if you're running longer distances. After running for awhile, I can now feel exactly when my shoes need replacing.... they'll be fine one day, but feel "off" the next, and I know that they're done. If you rotate in a new pair of shoes while still wearing the old shoes, as suggested, you can definitely feel when the old shoes are done - the older shoes will suddenly feel a lot softer and less supportive, compared to the new ones.

 

[FFigawi]

You're only going to get 300-500 miles out of a pair of shoes. Where you fall in that range depends on the shoes themselves (I could only squeeze 300 miles max out of Nikes but my Mizunos last closer to 500 miles), how heavy you are, and how you run. So yeah, you might be needing shoes every 2-3 months, especially if you're now running most of your miles outside.

If you run in worn out shoes, you increase the risk of injury, particularly if you're running longer distances. After running for awhile, I can now feel exactly when my shoes need replacing.... they'll be fine one day, but feel "off" the next, and I know that they're done. If you rotate in a new pair of shoes while still wearing the old shoes, as suggested, you can definitely feel when the old shoes are done - the older shoes will suddenly feel a lot softer and less supportive, compared to the new ones.

Yeah, what she said. I can get about 300 miles out of my Kayanos, so yes, I'm rotating in a new pair of shoes every 2-3 months. I stock up on them at race expos to save money, but even doing that, it is fairly expensive. A small price to pay to avoid getting injured by running too far and too long on worn out shoes, though.

 

[dragitoff]

Yeah, what she said. I can get about 300 miles out of my Kayanos, so yes, I'm rotating in a new pair of shoes every 2-3 months. I stock up on them at race expos to save money, but even doing that, it is fairly expensive. A small price to pay to avoid getting injured by running too far and too long on worn out shoes, though.

Solid point. I thought of breaking out my old New Balances that I started running in. They're still in really good shape and have alot of miles left on them. Since they are designed kind of like the Nike Shox and Reezigs, I was afraid it would be a higher risk of injury since I was so accustomed to my minimalist Kinvaras.

 

[APrunner]

Another option is to put 200-250 miles on your first pair and then start rotating a new one in. Once the old pair hits 300+, you can retire them and stick with the new ones. This is what I do, and it helps make sure I've got my race shoes with only 20-30 miles on them so they feel nice and fresh.

My approach is similar. Once they hit 300, I only use them for easy runs. I start working in a newer pair and using them for the "harder" work. I do not race in shoes once they hit the 300 mile mark. I typically retire mine around 400-450 miles. Mileage varies from person to person and shoe to shoe.