|
i would describe "good running shoe" as "a running shoe which you would not find at a modell's."
i'm being a bit harsh, i suppose, as i'm sure they may carry some good running shoes, i guess, if purely by accident. i walked into a modell's once, wandered through the wasteland of fitnessish apparel and yankees jerseys, found the footwear section along the back wall, gazed upon the wall of sadness they had identified for running, and stifled a wicked, cruel laugh.
and i don't think i'm being all too unfair.
though, in rereading that paragraph above, i might be coming off a little bit, um, elitist, i guess you would call it. but really i'm not. well, maybe i have the world's worst modells near me - certainly a possibility - but i've always considered them to be on the level of a champs sports. i wouldn't mind going there, if there were nothing else within a day's drive, for cheap cross trainers or basketball shoes, i suppose, but for running shoes, it's simply not worth it.
i also would not have you go to a walmart, target, kohl's, jamesway, or any other discount, bargainy place.
i would maintain quite strongly that you cannot get a good running shoe for $55. what you have at that point is most likely a running-style shoe, no matter what the box tries to tell you. fine for infrequently jogging a mile or two in your color-coordinated track suit to the point of a slight glistening on your brow, then cooling down with a latte, but not for running in.
the good news is that above a certain floor, which i'll set at about $80-$90, paying more does not necessarily mean that you are getting a more betterer shoe for you. indeed, for me, my preferred shoe is at the bottom of the pricing ladder, with the current model typically retailing at about $90. it's crept up from about $75 ten years ago or so, but it's price remains coincident with the floor of the market. spending $100-$120 is not an unreasonable expectation. OE: spending ocnsiderably less may quite literally end up hurting you.
the top of hte line shoes are probably not worth the extra cost, especially for a beggining or somewhat inexerienced runner, whereas jumping up from the bargain shoes into the $90-$120 range is worth every penny and more. it's like, sure, you could go to the local shoprite and pick up the colby blu-ray player on the top shelf of that one mixed-bag aisle for $40, but it's a piece of shit compared to the $60 sony blu-ray player you could get at a real electronics store.
the best place to buy running shoes is at a running store. especially if you don't know exactly the brand, model, and type of shoe you need.
the type of shoe i wear (asics gel 1000 series, typically, for the record) is not the type of shoe you should wear, nor is the type of shoe metfairy wears the type of shoe you should wear. as every foot and body and stride is different, running shoes are different and different types, brands and models are better suited to each person. you are best served going to a running store and letting their sherpas guide you to the best shoe for you.
in the general north jersey area, i like hte running company stores - ridgewood running company, and their other sister stores in morristown and some other places. road runner sports up in paramus is also a great place to get running shoes. if i were closer than a terribly inconvenient hour to them, i would go there more. road runner sports even carries, iirc, more of the models at the floor of the market than most running stores.
indeed, my greatest frustration is that the best shoe for me in particular (because i'm an odd duck) is a shoe that's low enough on the running shoe spectrum that many specialized running stores don't carry it. the next step up from it is better for most runners, but worse for me. yay, uniqueness! yay, digression!
my issues aside, i would strongly recommend going to a local running store or road runner sports. someplace where they focus on runners and can fit a shoe to your needs, and ideally where they will have a treadmill, as mf mentioned, to analyze your gait, and footstrike, and pronation, and all that jazz. i, too, tried that once, and got confirmation that my running shoes are indeed right for me.
the important terms that you'd be looking at, are pronation and stability. pronation is the amount that your foot rolls inward when you walk or run. if you overpronate, your foot rolls inward too much, and you end up pushing off primarily with your big and index toe. if you underpronate, you end up pushing off with your littler toes.
if you have high arches, you're likely an underpronator, which means you want a cushioned shoe, which offers no stability features. if you have low arches or flat feet, you're probably an overpronator, whcih means you likely need stability shoes or possibly even motion control shoes. if you have normal arches, then you may be best with shoes that offer slight stability features. more if you're a bigger runner, less if you're lighter. if youre a heavier runner, and a heel striker, you'll probably want shoes with more heel cushioning (although you might want to evntually work to being amidfoot striker, as it's more efficient)
me, i'm a fairly big, flat-footed forefoot-striking neutral-pronator. i wear a running shoe with slight stability features but a relatively low arch, as high arches built into the shoe causes me great pain and unhappiness. too much stability features causes me to roll too much to the outside and stresses my shins and knees. heel cushioning is wasted on me because my heel generally doesn't touch hte ground when i'm running well. since most added expense is put into increasing the heel cushioning and stability of running shoes, i don't need more expensive shoes. i do benefit from increased forefoot cushioning, but the shoes that tend to offer this also expect higher arches.
asics, and to a lesser extent saucony, have a good feel for me, and always have a natural-feeling toe-off for me. meaning, as i start to push off with my foot, the shoe rolls rather nicely and evenly to the point where my toes push off hte ground, nicely, evenly, and naturally. i've tried boroks, and for me, the toe-off felt more angular, with less of a smooth transition. but this is for me.
it all may sound like a lot of mumbo-jumbo, and you may never find the subtle nuances between different brands, but give a shot, and don't be afraid to go into a running store and seek guidance. road runner sports will even allow trade-ins if you get a shoe, run in it for a month, and decide it's not right. other running stores may offer the same. it's definitely worth asking if they do, and seeking out a store that does allow it.
"hi, i'm new to running (or have been running for a while), but i'm not sure if i have the best shoe for me"
you may end up trying on ten different shoes, but it's worth the investment in time. i've been in my line of shoes for the greater part of 17(?!) years.
...
tl; dr: go to a running store, ask for help, spend $90-$120.
|
