shoe

[Deleted User]

how do i choose what shoe to use

[Deleted User]

Hi Peter.

The best advice I can offer is this.

Find your nearest specialist running shop by buying a copy of Runner's World and checking the stores directory towards the back. Go along to it and ask them the same question as you ask above. They should then ask you a bit about what sort of running you do/plan to do and then should analyse your gait (ie. running style) by watching you run (normally on a treadmill). They should then be able to recommend a type of shoe (ie. cushioned, stability, motion control, etc. to suit your running style).

Two CRUCIAL things to remember...

1) NEVER GO TO A HIGH STREET SPORTS SHOP (eg. JJB Sports, JD Sports, All Sports, First Sport, etc.) The staff are neither knowledgable enough or caring enough to get you the right shoe. They will try and sell you whatever they fancy and more than likely, it will be the wrong shoe and will end up injuring you (it happens more than you'd believe!) ALWAYS USE A SPECIALIST RUNNING STORE!!!

2) If you are new to running, make sure you get your gait analysed as described above or, at worst, by one of the footscan machines that some stores, esp. Sweatshop have (incidentally, Sweatshop are generally pretty good and count as a specialist running shop and not as a High Street sports store). If you are a beginner and they cannot offer you gait analysis or similiar, then walk away and go elsewhere.

Hope this helps. Post here again if you have any further questions.

Good luck

DW

[Deleted User]

Further to response above, if you click on the 'Gear' tab at the top of this website, there is an article (second one down) which answers your very question exactly!