How do I choose the right running shoes for me?

There are many factors to consider when buying running shoes and we shall cover all these factors now:

What size are you?

You may need to go up in size slightly as your feet will expand when you run – generally you should allow a thumb width of room at the front of your shoe to avoid sore toes.

How wide are your feet?

It is important that you get a shoe that fits the width of your feet properly as a well fitting shoe will perform better. Most shoes come in a D fitting, but some e.g Brooks tend to be wider and some e.g Adidas are narrower. Nike offer shoes in a 2E fitting so consider them if you have wide feet. New Balance really cater for those with wide feet and offer D, 2E and 4E for men and 2A, B and D for women.

How much do you weigh?

The heavier you are, the more pressure you are putting on your running shoes. Therefore, the cushioning and stability of the shoe will be more important for you. Brooks Beast, Saucony Stabil or the Mizuno Renegade are made with the heavier runner in mind.

Alternatively, if you are light in weight, you may want to consider a more responsive shoe like the Saucony Fastwich.

What surface do you normally run on?

Road running: a shallow tread that wears well is required. Products such as Asics Gel Kayano or Mizuno Wave Rider are popular for road running.

On and off road running shoe: typically tow paths and footpaths, with a bit of road mileage too – the typical suburban runner needs a tread that has deep enough lugs to give you grip but also a durable enough sole to not wear out on the road. A classic on and off road shoe is the Nike Air Pegasus or the Saucony Jazz 6000.

Off road running shoe: for cross country running you need deep lugs for traction and grip. A classic off road shoe is the Adidas Swoop.

Are you a natural runner or do you under or over pronate?

We have left the most important question until last! Pronation describes the lower legs way of absorbing shock and the movement of the foot. There are 3 types of pronation and you can easily check which one you are by doing the ‘wet test’ – all you need to do is have a look at your wet footprint and see what shape it makes.

Normal /Mild pronators – runners

A normal foot will leave approximately half the footprint – the outside part. This is a position between the two extremes and so requires a support shoe. Support shoes usually combine good cushioning technology with lightweight support characteristics on the inner side of the shoe in order to limit excessive inward rolling of the foot.

Great support shoes are:

New Balance M858 to view and buy click here

Asics Gel Kayano to view and buy click here

Brooks Adrenaline to view and buy click here

Saucony Grid Omni to view and buy click here

Or click here for all other support shoes

Underpronators / Supinators / Neutral runners

This print will leave a very thin band on the outside of the foot or none at all, between the heel and forefoot. This is because most underpronators have a high fixed arch often run on their toes, only using the heel when going downhill. This curved, highly arched foot does not pronate sufficiently and requires a lot of cushioning. Cushioned shoes are built on curved or semi-curved lasts to encourage foot motion. They provide little stability but are softer under foot and more cushioned.

Great cushioning shoes include:

Asics Gel Nimbus to view and buy click here

Saucony Grid Triumph to view and buy click here

Mizuno Wave Creation to view and buy click here

Or click here for all cushioning shoes

Overpronators

Overpronators will leave a footprint of the whole foot because the arch collapses through the foot motion. The foot will roll excessively and so will need a control shoe. If you are a serious overpronator and do not wear the correct shoes then you are much more likely to get injuries (especially knee and hip injuries) when running. Control shoes usually combine cushioning with serious support characteristics. They are generally heavier but provide essential protection which aids injury prevention.

Excellent control shoes include:

Brooks Beast to view and buy click here

Saucony Stabil to view and buy click here

Mizuno Renegade to view and buy click here

Or click here for all control shoes