Recommendations: Running Shoes

[Galant]

Hi guys, I've been out of the running scene for a while. I'm going to be starting up again soon and need some decent shoes. Whilst running hasn't changed I was wondering if any of you might have some insight on any recent developments/recommendations in the shoe department?

It'll be almost entirely road-running since there aren't any large grassy areas in Gibraltar. Which is a shame. I love cross-country.

Thanks,

Aenon.

[Lucio]

Best advice is to find a specialist running shop that offers gait analysis, that way you can find a pair that suits your particular style. I wasn't convinced at first, but just invested a little over £100 on a pair and even with blisters from the last ones I had, I was still able to get through my class tonight and run home too.

[Million]

I'll second that. I went to the Nike shop and got my gait analysed, bought the appropriate shoes to correct my pronation, and I no longer get peroneal pain after running

[pardal51]

I will "third" that. Find out whether you are neutral, over or underpronator. The wet sole test might give you a hint. Do not feel pressured to buy from the shop which you do your gait analysis. If you join parkrun you should get a £15 voucher from sweatshop (not the cheapest though).

Hope you have fun

[csgohan4]

Fourth that, easiest is to look at the soles of shoes and see where it's worn down the most and you will see whether your a pronator or supinator. IF your shoes are worn on the outside than inside your more liekly to be a pronator. If its on the inside, your a supinator. I didn't realise untill My feet were feeling sore after every running session that I reasearched this. Don't skimp on cheap shoes and avoid shoes which give you bounce/ height they wear out the most as they have the least soles and wear down to the plastic spring sytem quickly.

[OilSheikh]

ASICS GEL Innovate trainers ... £40ish at Sportsdirect

[pmcx9]

barefoot running is all the rage at the minute so surely this goes against the prinicple of buying expensive trainers after having your gait analysed. I would suggest buying the cheapest flattest trainers you can and doing a little research on a decent running style.

[b0redom]

This is very poor advice. If you're used to running with padding and go straight for flats you stand a high chance of injuring yourself. Barefoot running relies on a particular technique which might not suit your current style, and opinion is not universal on whether it's better.

I realise that this is a thread bump and the OP will have bought some trainers, but if you're doing any sort of distance, you need something that suits you.

[pmcx9]

I think we developed as a race running and hunting barefoot. It is highly likely mother nature has developed our feet best to run without trainers. If we took the time to retrain ourselves I am sure there would be much benefit to running barefoot over shoed or at least with flat minimal trainers.

[b0redom]

We developed as a race without penicillin doesn't mean we're better off without it. We also developed without access to isotonic drinks and power gels, again I doubt you'd find many endurance athletes who don't use them.

As I said, I'm not saying that barefoot is necessarily better or worse, just if you've never tried it before, going straight off on cheap, flat trainers could lead to injury.

[fuddam]

~IF you haven't been running for some time, there isn't a big deal about going for something flattish (tech term: low pitch), with minimal padding, since the problems people encounter when changing to a more forefoot approach is exactly that: a change. Takes around 3 months for the ligaments/muscles/tendons to adapt, but if one isn't used to running, there isn't anything to change in the first place. *Starting* with something low-padded is actually an excellent idea, since it will prevent the adoption of a crap running style - you won't be able to heel strike much etc, since it will hurt too much

You could go running in plimsoles, to be frank, and be fine forever after.

Re isotonic drinks and gels: I am an endurance peep, and while they are convenient, they are hardly necessary. 'Normal' food with water is as beneficial to the body (the dilution of the food makes it 'isotonic', and gels are no better than honey). FWIW, am currently training for a 100 miler in the Lake District.

[b0redom]

But honey tastes grim! Not that most gels taste any better though. I've found Torq cherry yoghurt are slightly less like sucking down slightly flavored warm lard though.

What would you recommend instead of sports drinks? I'm currently doing Olympic distance tris, moving up to half iron - and the electrolytes are pretty important - especially when it's hot. Carrying around a bacon butty, some coconut milk and some water isn't really practical.

[fuddam]

Agreed, honey can be a tad too SWEEEEET after a while. Simply for flavour variety, I use gels too - have found the Gu ones to be pretty cool, eg espresso.

Sports drink? If just electrolytes, I use something like Nuun tablets, or if wanting energy from it too, an *endurance* powder added to my water, maltodextrin-based.

I did a 12hr adventure race this past weekend in the Welsh Black Mountains. Was pretty tough by all standards, and in my 4 man team, there was one stubborn git who insisted beforehand on carrying 6 bottles of lucozade sport and 10 caramel wafer bars. There are no food stations, only a few water points. That's it. Managed to convince him to carry my secret-blend-of-herbs-and-spices trail mix that I concoct, which saw him last the first 8hrs, then the wheels fell off, lol. He had to drop out, completely wasted. The irony is that he is studying medicine at Cambridge (i.e. knows something about the body, wot) and is an accomplished cross country runner (sub 7min miles in his half) - he just lacked the experience for what happens over longer distances/time frames.

If you need a proper meal replacement (ie too heavy to carry 'real' food), there's nothing better that I've found than Peronin. Only 100gm in powder form, absorption is a massive 90+% (regular food around 60%), and drinks like a milk shake. Have used it for races lasting 48hrs non-stop, and is amazing. I just drop it into a 500ml bottle and give it a shake. Only worth it, of course, if you're doing 6hr+ racing.

HTH