RUNNING 4 LIFE: How to choose the right running shoes?

18 de octubre de 2010

How to choose the right running shoes?

How to choose the right running shoes?

Today I ran 5 miles at the beach, I was running good; Mile 4, I felt sand on my shoes, I kept running, then I felt water on my shoes;

I had to stop....

I have been almost 16 months with the same shoes....

TIME FOR A CHANGE!

The question is HOW DO I CHOOSE MY NEXT RUNNING SHOES?

Before I start this article take a look to this quote:

"No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes."

Don Kardong

Now I`ll get you to the basics:

Choosing your next pair of shoes isn´t an easy work, running shoes can make the difference between having a good or bad experience, running in comfort or pain, and, most importantly, whether you stay healthy or get injured.

First of all you have to choose your foot type:

You have a normal arch (neutral pronation) if:

There's a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe.(Choose Stability Running Shoes)

You have a low arch (flat feet/overpronator) if:

There's not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries.(Choose Motion-Control Running Shoes)

You have a high arch (underpronator) if:

There's a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don't pronate enough. (Choose Cushioned Running Shoes)

Typically, running shoes come in three shapes (straight, semi-curved and curved) which correspond to the three types of prints revealed by the wet test. Most experts believe that:

Overpronators should choose a running shoe with a Straightshape.

Underpronators should choose a running shoe with a Curvedshape.

Normal/Neutral pronators should choose a running shoe with aSemi-Curved shape.

If you have flat feet and overpronate, choose a Motion-Control running shoe.
If you have high-arched feet and underpronate, you should choose aCushioned
If you have normal arches and pronate normally, choose a Stabilityrunning shoe.

Personally I had try a lot of brands, Adidas, Asics, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, etc...I can now tell that it depends more on your foot shape, and of course the field you are get use to run, than the brand, but it helps to know that there are brands like ASICS, that are more specialized for Runners (guarantee) the best shoes I have ever had are this brand, but in my case I like to try different ones, now I am going for Newton´s....