Everyone has that old pair of running shoes with their soles warn down, lining ripped out, and arches gone but they just wont throw away. Although you may be sentimental about an old pair of shoes there comes a point where you need to throw in the towel and buying a new pair of running shoes. Trust me, your feet and back will thank you when you realize how much more support you are getting with a new shoe pair of running shoes. Although it may seem like all running shoes seem basically the same, this is not the case. There are many factors that go into making a shoe that every runner should know in order to figure out what shoe is best for their feet. The following is a list of things to look for when buying a new pair of running shoes.
1. When you run you want to be able to easily bend your forefoot while keeping the rest of your foot stabilized. An easy way to check for this is to try and bend the shoe. If the shoe easily bends in half at the middle of the sole then this is not a stabilizing shoe. However, if the shoe bends at the forefoot then the shoe passes the first test.
2. It is important that a running shoe is able to maximally support your foot in order to prevent ankle sprains. A quick test to check this is to grasp the shoe at the front and back and then try at twist the ends in opposite directions. There should be a fairly good amount of resistance to twisting or the shoe will not help prevent you from twisting an ankle.
3. To test the support of your heel a quick test is to try and push in on the left and right walls of the back of the shoe, above the heel. You should not be able to push in much because this part of the shoe should be able to resist these forces in order to stabilize your foot.
When you finally decide to get rid of that old pair of running shoes, remember to perform these simple tests in order to see which shoe is going to provide you the most support. If you have questions about which shoe will be best for your foot type then you will want to consult with a podiatrist. Most podiatrists keep a list in their office of which shoes are quality and which shoes are good for people with varying foot types and mechanics. A podiatrist can be a helpful tool in helping choose a shoe that is going to maximally support your feet in order to prevent injury.
You have trained consistently for months, achieved your season's goals and now your sights are set on winter training and next season. By this point, your running shoes (a loyal training buddy throughout the summer) should be looking fairly well-worn. They are super comfortable, they fit beautifully, but they just don't provide the levels of cushioning and support they did fresh out of the box. It's time for a change!Choosing the best running shoes can be a tricky task though, even for the most experienced of athletes. Most likely, the manufacturers of your current shoes will have brought out a new version of your current model, possibly with vastly different characteristics. So, while it is not quite straight back to square one for the task of choosing a new pair, it is important to be discerning when choosing your winter pair.
In this article we will attempt to set out, in simple terms, the key factors to consider when choosing your new pair of shoes. If you choose the right pair, your shoes will help you to stay injury free over winter and lay the foundations for a successful season next year. However, if you make the wrong choice, you may suffer rubbing, black toenails or,
Levis Belts, worse still, long-term injury which will allay any hopes of a successful season next year.FACTOR 1: COMFORT
A running shoe should feel comfortable the moment you try it on.....the running shoe should feel 'right'. If the shoes feel uncomfortable, you should reject them. It doesn't matter whether the particular brand/shoe is endorsed by Chrissie Wellington, Paula Radcliffe or Alistair Brownlee, they will not 'wear-in' and feel better.