One of the attractions of improving your fitness by running is that it is a simple, natural process of putting one foot in front of the other. When it comes to buying your first pair of running shoes, however, the novice may be forgiven for thinking that the process is far from simple. There is a bewildering array of shoes available: in different makes, styles and colours, along with confusing technical descriptions and an enormous range of prices.
When you are starting out as a runner, you are usually looking for a shoe that will protect you from the pounding that your body, especially your joints, receives from hard surfaces: on the road or in the gym. Unless you are doing most of your running off-road, you can ignore shoes that offer extra grip and traction, but that still leaves issues of comfort, cushioning and support.
Everyone’s foot is different; running shoes are made in different sizes and width fittings to reflect this fact. However, there is more to choosing a running shoe than finding the correct size and fit. Each runner has a unique combination of posture, weight and running style that need to be taken into account. For this reason, the wise novice runner will go to a specialist running shop to buy their first pair of running shoes. Such shops have specialist staff who have been trained to observe and assess a runner’s style. The runner’s weight is also a factor: in broad terms, the heavier the runner, the more stress is put on the body, especially the joints, so the more cushioning your running shoe will require. In the end you should expect to receive impartial advice on your requirements in terms of flexibility, stability and cushioning.
Having had the benefit of the assistant’s expert advice, you may feel that the shoe recommended is more expensive than you expected. As in many other walks of life; with running shoes you tend to get what you pay for. Buying cheaper shoes may prove to be a false economy, as the less expensive pair may not give the level of support or cushioning required, thus bringing on fatigue earlier in a run than expected or, indeed, causing injury. It may be prudent to stretch your budget to the more expensive pair. What you need to remember is that shoes are your most important – and probably most expensive – piece of equipment and it is worth paying extra if that means better ‘fit’ and less chance of injury.
That said, fashion does come into the world of running shoes and you can often buy last year’s style or colour, at a considerable discount on the up-to-date version of the same shoe.
