How to Buy Running Shoes

“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” –Anonymous I certainly felt a little like Cinderella as the sales associate delicately slipped my new running shoes on. It was love at first touch. Not with the sales associate, but my new Asics. A few weeks ago, I ventured into the Charlotte Running Company to find a new pair of running shoes. I had retired my old Nikes and purchased the Nike Air Max 2009. However, I wasn’t happy. So, I decided it was time to get properly fitted for running shoes. Here’s what I learned during the process: 1. Gait Analysis – This is the first step in getting properly fitted. A gait analysis determines how you run - whether you overpronate, underpronate, or are neutral. The picture is of me having my gait analyzed. There was a camera behind me recording my run, and the sales associate was able to watch how my foot rolls when it hits the ground. 2. Each running shoe has a different type of shock absorption. The Asics Ibought are gel, Nike’s are air and Brooks uses HydroFlow, which is silicone based. I highly recommend that you try on several different shoes to see which one works the best for you. 3. Try the shoes first…You don’t buy a car without test driving it. The same principle applies to running shoes. Most shoe stores have a return policy that allows you to try the shoes out for a set period of time and return them if they are clean. My sales guy advised me to take them home and try them out on a treadmill, then decide if I want to stick with Asics. 4. 400 miles – That’s the lifespan of a pair of running shoes. I thought that you needed new shoes when your old one started to tear up or look bad. Now I realize the life of a shoe is 400 miles. What other tips do you guys have for buying running shoes?

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