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15 Tips For Buying Running Shoes

Out with the old and in with the New. New Balance, that is.

A few days ago, I was still too enamored with my NB 807′s to even think of letting them go. I loved their fit and design. Deep inside though, I knew that our relationship had been slowly turning sour since last year. Around December, due to my constant abuse, I noticed small tears on its sides near the laces. In March, as I was staring at it lovingly, I suddenly became aware of how it had gotten older than its years. My love remained unconditional though. Decrepit and dirty as my shoes were, I could not find a suitable replacement despite the many many times I shopped and surfed for other shoes (well, mainly because my 807s have a B width while local New Balance stores only sell D width.)

Then, over the past weekend, heaven intervened (perhaps our relationship wasn’t good for either of us?) Heading towards the cinemas, I decided to pass by New Balance, Festival Mall to take a quick peek. Hallelujah, they were on sale! Before entering, I hesitated as I remembered my 807s, but I felt that it was the right time to move on and let them go. I thought the sale was a sign and God was whispering in my ear saying “Come in, child. It is time for you to buy new running shoes.” When God speaks, I certainly listen. So, I went on in and came out with a new sleek pair of 1222′s.

- My new running buddy -

– My new running buddy -

The following day, as I was reading my favorite running book, I learn that there must be a thumb-width gap between my toe and the shoe. You know that feeling when you just ran about 2k and realize you’ve forgotten to wear your underwear? Oh, you don’t, do you? Well, neither do I so let’s just get back to the story. Anyway, sirens were ringing in my ears. I knew the tips of my toes touched the end of the shoe. Oh god, I was cringeing at the thought of more blisters and more dead toenails. Immediately, I call New Balance and ask if I can get a bigger shoe size. I fly to the store and get the shoe that fits me perfectly well. End of story.

Now, out of my good heart, I’ve decided to compile running shoe tips to save you from committing the same stupid silly mistakes I did:

Running Shoe Tips:

  1. Buy new running shoes every 3 to 6 months regardless of its use. Your shoe will lose its shock absorbing qualities in about 80 to 1000 kilometers of running.
  2. Do your research. Search for the best running shoes online, read reviews about a particular shoe you’ve been eyeing, and ask your running friends about what they recommend. (Although a shoe may not fit as well on you as it does for a friend.)
  3. Choose a running shoe based on your needs: do you need stability? or motion control? or cushioning? (perhaps a drink before you go insane with all these choices?) If you are unsure, select a more stable shoe rather than a more cushioned one.
  4. Evaluate the wear on the sole of your old shoe and ask your shoe dealer what brand or model they would recommend that would last better and longer for you.
  5. Do not buy lightweight shoes for training; these should only be used for races.
  6. Consider buying two pairs of shoes if you expect to get one wet and dirty under the rain. Buy the 2nd pair only after you’ve tested the first…and when you know you’ve got the extra money.
  7. When buying shoes, make sure you leave a gap as wide as your thumb between your big toe and the end of the shoe. You should be able to wiggle your toes up there. Remember: your feet expand while running.
  8. Make sure the shape of your foot (long and narrow or short and wide) matches the shape of the shoe.
  9. If one foot is larger than the other, fit the shoe on the larger foot.
  10. Shop for shoes in the afternoon or evening when your feet are bigger than it was in the morning.
  11. Bring your favorite socks.
  12. Run inside the store if you must. Just don’t bump into the glass door.
  13. You don’t have to buy the top-of-the-line shoe but do not buy the cheapest non-running shoe either.
  14. Wait for a sale. Running shoes can burn a hole in your pocket. Be patient and eventually your favorite shoe store will have to place some of its stocks on sale. (Now this is one tip I followed!)
  15. After buying the shoe, use them for walking first. It is not advisable to train in them immediately. Ditto for races.

Oh, are you wondering how my 807′s reacted to my new 1222′s? They took it well. I told them they would never be replaced in my heart. First love never dies, right? Naah, maybe that holds true only in the shoe world.

NB shoes

– the old and the new happily co-exist -

Reference: Gloria Averbuch, New York Road Runners Complete Book of Running and Fitness, 4th Edition, New York, Random House, 2004

 

Posted on 05.30.07 to 04 Gear & Product Reviews. Tags: , , , . Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 20 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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20 Responses to “15 Tips For Buying Running Shoes”

  1. are we on some kind of wavelength? or is the broadband connection just as good in your area as it is in mine?

    you just posted about running shoes, and so did i…this is not some kind of mystic intervention is it?

    creepy ain’t it…hahahaha :D

    btw, very nice choice on the shoes…see you on the 10th!

    hitme64 said on May 30 07 at 12:28 PM Reply

  2. hahaha… oh god, i love reading your blog. pretty shoes, btw.

    regarding tip#1, check out breakingthetape.com. it’s a cool site that allows you, among other things, to easily log in the number of miles you put on your shoes. you can even add a script to your blog so you can see your pr’s, your weekly/monthly/ytd mileage, your last 3 workouts, etc., etc., etc. right on your home page. better still, it’s free.

    about #7, i buy my running shoes about 1 whole size bigger than regular street shoes. i wish i knew that back then. hopefully that will keep you from doing another obit for another one of your little piggies. :)

    thanks for the other tips too. i’ll try not to run into the glass door next time.

    seeing your 807s made me nostalgic for my old pair… she’ll be sorely missed.

    E-Rod said on May 30 07 at 12:39 PM Reply

  3. have i told you i actually have five pair of Nike running shoes? here’s a breakdown and the number of years in use…

    1. Nike Jet Streams (silver and black) 3 years
    2. Nike Air Pegasus (silver and gold) 6 months
    3. Nike Air Max 360 (silver and blue) 1 year
    4. Nike Trail Runner (black and gold) 1 year 2 months
    5. Nike Air Moire (black and red) last week
    :D i think i forgot about #14…hehehe

    hitme64 said on May 30 07 at 12:57 PM Reply

  4. E-Rod, and I thought you used to compute those miles yourself! Haha! thanks for sharing. Now i have more reason to get my polar :)

    bullrunner said on May 30 07 at 1:25 PM Reply

  5. Cool shush miss jaymie! and thanks for the tips! i didn’t know that the shush size needs that much allowance. :)

    Polar oh polar! i’ll be waiting for your blog entry for this one.

    ~ben

    Ben said on May 30 07 at 3:47 PM Reply

  6. Hitme64, phew those are more than enough for two pairs of feet! :) Seems like you take good care of them. You even know their ages :)

    Ben, haaay, most prob i’ll blog about that on christmas day! haha. I’ll wait for you to blog about your garmin too :)

    bullrunner said on May 30 07 at 4:20 PM Reply

  7. ha… me compute all those miles, yeah right. i’m a picture guy not a numbers guys :) garmin does that for me and breakingthetape.com figures out the rest.

    ok is this weird or what, but my OCTR running mate, Jess also put a post up about new running shoes on the same date as you and hitme did. maybe i should put one up too?
    http://socalrunnergirl.typepad.com/

    E-Rod said on May 31 07 at 12:55 AM Reply

  8. Hi there,

    I thought you might want to add two more items to your list of factors for selecting running shoes.
    1) Whether you buy them there or not, it’s a good idea to go to a specialty running store and have yourself fitted for shoes. It’s important to realize that there is a bit of a science that goes into getting the right pair of shoes – and the people in the typical big-box retailers don’t know much about that. A store that sells shoes exclusively to runners, usually has people on staff that will watch you run and help you get shoes that help with your specific issues.
    2) There are differences between the shoes sold in chain stores (like Sport’s Authority, G.I. Joe’s and others) and running stores. Look for slight differences in model numbers (e.g. 2101 vs. 2102). Each shoe company has shoes made for “core runners” – people that run a lot – and more fitness oriented runners. The basic shoes may look very much the same, but they are often cost-reduced in places like the in-soles. Again another good reason to go to running shoe specialists.

    Most shoe lines denote their “core” shoes – as for example Nike with it’s “Bowerman” line. They aren’t always the most expensive shoes in their line, but they are typically going to be around awhile and have been tailored for people that run alot.

    Happy Running.
    Coach Joe English
    http://coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com

    coachjoeenglish said on May 31 07 at 1:31 AM Reply

  9. nag-eenjoy talaga ako reading your blog :) #12 is the best tip, hehe. so, is new balance the best shoe brand for running?

    MrsPartyGirl said on May 31 07 at 2:58 AM Reply

  10. we talk about running shoes but i realize maybe it might not be the shoes at all…during the national milo marathon finals last year, there was this guy who ran the 10k sans shoes and finished well ahead of me…picture his feet, big, big ones with rubbery soles, humongous in size compared to us lesser mortals :D

    i can only think what he stepped on during the run…dead frogs perhaps?

    hitme64 said on May 31 07 at 9:24 AM Reply

  11. Hi coach joe, thanks for the tips. You’re right, the people at New Balance couldn’t really give any clear recommendations for running shoes except that one shoe was the best because it was top of the line :O No fittings were done which in hindsight I should’ve done before falling prey to the red tag sale! whoops. Oh well, I’m crossing my fingers and hoping my new purchase will fit me well.

    MrsPartyGirl, I would say New Balance is the best for me but other runners will of course have their own recommendations like Asics and Mizuno and of course the usual Adidas and Nike which are more popular here in Manila.

    Hitme64, yeah I’ve seen one shoeless runner too…he’s probably the same guy you saw last year! Eeew, I don’t even want to imagine what he’s ran over :P

    bullrunner said on May 31 07 at 9:52 AM Reply

  12. Those are good running tips. But 1000 km on a pair of shoes? Yikes I don’t think any could last that long!

    Jessica said on May 31 07 at 10:05 AM Reply

  13. That shuless running man is mon’s friend. We met him during our usual after race breakfast last Champion run. Sadly i can’t remember his name again. hehehe anyway…. will ask mon. :)

    Ben said on May 31 07 at 11:54 AM Reply

  14. just got my race bib for the run for peace jaymie…jove usana dropped by the office and over bent knees proffered the numbers :D sayang, if i knew he’d come i should have asked for your receipt number and got yours and bang’s race numbers…that way you wouldn’t have to wait in line on race day…

    but i’ll see what i can do…

    why don’t we meet on june 10…i’m always an early bird so it wont be a hoot finding me…that’s what cellphones are for…

    hitme64 said on May 31 07 at 1:06 PM Reply

  15. Great tips! Awesome writing! It makes me feel like running along :) You’ve sparked something, enough for me to become more curious and aware of my feet. As summer vacation just begins for me, I will be reading more about what type of shoes best fit my activities and am certainly going to dust that treadmill in the living room for a start.
    I came across this website for runners and their shoes,
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-326-7152-0,00.html
    and will probably try to figure out my foot type tomorrow. Then, I may find myself window shopping for a good pair of running shoes :) Ciao!

    The Bee said on May 31 07 at 1:47 PM Reply

  16. Btw, Love the pictures with the articles as well!

    The Bee said on May 31 07 at 1:49 PM Reply

  17. wow! this really is an info overload for me! :) when i bought my running shoes last month, i did not even bother to compare its performance to other brands. i’m such a neophite in this whole running thing.

    nice shoes btw. :-)

    banggigay said on May 31 07 at 5:58 PM Reply

  18. Banggigay, as long as your happy with your shoes then that’s fine! Just keep them in mind when it’s time to shop for new ones :)

    bullrunner said on May 31 07 at 9:18 PM Reply

  19. speaking of shoeless running, there’s an oldtimer out here who i’ve seen on races speeding through the course without any shoes on. apparently there’s a camp that argues for barefoot running. the logic is that because you can feel the road, you’re more apt to correct your stride and your form, and you’ll be lighter on your feet.

    i’ve thought about “learning” to run barefoot but was concerned about cuts and the yucky stuff on the road until i saw this… http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

    they look goofy, don’t they, but might be worth a try. i can’t believe they came out with a high top version too.

    E-Rod said on May 31 07 at 11:58 PM Reply

  20. Thanks for the nice 15 tips. They are worth reading :)

    Fitness Shoes Lover said on Dec 26 08 at 7:02 AM Reply

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