The Importance of Wearing the Right Pair of Running Shoes
Ask any person that runs on a daily basis what the most important part of the whole process is and you will always get the same answer: finding the right pair of running shoes…
Motivation, technique, endurance and many other factors are important but wearing the wrong shoes is almost a guarantee of failure. This should make sense since it is the most important piece of equipment in a runner’s arsenal. Since finding the right pair of running shoes is the most important step in the process, a person needs to know where to start.
A person that is new to running needs to understand the concept of pronation. Basically, this is a description of how the foot rolls when running. Some individuals roll to the inside, some to the outside and few don’t roll at all. The right pair of running shoes will help to compensate for any style of pronator. A trained shoe store employee should be able to quickly spot which type of pronator a person is. A person that overpronates will have less balance and develop more foot injuries without the proper pair of running shoes. The same is true of an underpronator, although less common.
A person also needs to be comfortable in their shoes. This may seem like common sense but is often overlooked by beginners. Many buy the newest and most expensive pair of running shoes without considering how comfortable they are. The toes should not be cramped or have too much room. There should not be a lot of movement of the foot inside the shoe either. The foot will swell, especially for a beginning runner but the shoe should still remain snug without being overly tight. Shoes that are too loose can lead to ankle injuries and shoes that are too tight may lead to unnecessary soreness.
Most individuals start their running career on city streets or parks. A person needs to keep in mind that there are trail specific running shoes for anyone that wants to head off road. Most shoe guides recognize that cushion and stability are often degraded around 300-500 foot miles. This will be completely dependent on how often and how far a person runs.