Which shoes do you wear for running?

Hello, I am a "sneakerologist" and run my own shoe review website, www.solereview.com where I review different types of sports shoes and sneakers which are available in India. I am also very active on many Orkut communities and help many members with their questions on shoes, and their different questions have been very helpful to increase my knowledge.

No run is fun without a good pair of shoes; and whether you are running for keeping fit or preparing for a 21k, the shoes you wear might be the difference between an injury free run or frequent visits to the doctor. What I want to do here is to start a discussion on what running shoes do you wear while running, what kind of experiences you had with your present/past running shoes and general tips on the how, what and why of running shoes.
I might be able to answer some of your questions, but I'm sure there will be scores of runners here who might be able to help each other with their experiences...

Bring it on! - Sneakerologist

Tags: adidas, asics, balance, brooks, footwear, mizuno, new, nike, puma, reebok

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Permalink Reply by Sneakerologist on July 27, 2008 at 4:19pm: zico said:
I have been running the last 2 yrs on Rbk DMX 100 and found it works for me. However, after doing a lot of reading, I am convinced that if you are a "normal" runner (ie no gait abnormalities, need for orthotics etc) then its best not to "spoil your feet". I recently started running in a standard pair of Rbk runners shoes (no frills) and found that it worked for me as well as it did 10 yrs back. I had some how done the transition to more and more expensive shoes but I now realize that its not the best thing to do. You end up saving a lot of money especially of you need more than 2 pairs a year.

Well, all I can say to that is what we need is different from what we want :) People can get around in a basic car, but they need something more luxurious. We can travel in economy but we want business if we can afford it. The same with shoes - run around in a ultra cushioned shoe like the Asics Gel Nimbus/Kinsei, Adidas Adistar Cushion or the Nike Air Zoom Vomero, and you will find it hard to get back to a lesser shoe...
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Samir on July 29, 2008 at 8:59am: I run in the US, but was just curious to see this site. I run in ASCIS which are great, Nike running shoes are good too. My coach suggested that I throw out the insole the the shoe comes in and insert a good one. The shoes will last a lot longer. Select 1/2 ot one size larger than your normal running shoe size, your feet will swell after running for a mile.

Change your shoes every 350-400 miles. Your body should indicate when its time for a change.

Samir; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Swati Pathak on July 29, 2008 at 12:15pm: My feet are with high arch and I use Asics-GEL CUMULUS 10, Is thesr are right shoes for me?
I run about 5 Km twice or thrice a week on treadmill.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shantanu Singh (evilshantanu) on July 29, 2008 at 2:04pm: @Swati

Apart from High arched / normal arched foot, I think you should also observe the type of feet you have: over pronating / under pronating / normal. Asics are one of the best shoes a running feet can get.

As you said that you are using Asics Gel Cumulus, these shoes suit best for an under pronating to neutral feet (http://www.asicsamerica.com/products/product.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=240009...) see the pronating range in the link.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sneakerologist on July 29, 2008 at 6:04pm: Swati Pathak said:
My feet are with high arch and I use Asics-GEL CUMULUS 10, Is thesr are right shoes for me?
I run about 5 Km twice or thrice a week on treadmill.

Yes, the Gel Cumulus 10 is the right shoe for you. In case of foot with high arch, the shoes you wear should help the foot roll inside(pronate) properly and cushioned shoes (like the Cumulus) do that job well :)
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Swati Pathak on August 4, 2008 at 6:48pm: Thanks Sneaks...
One more doubt: What is the difference between 'the arch on the feet' and 'the pronation'?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sneakerologist on August 4, 2008 at 7:13pm: Swati Pathak said:
Thanks Sneaks...
One more doubt: What is the difference between 'the arch on the feet' and 'the pronation'?

Swati, place your foot (barefoot) on the floor and you will notice that on the inside of the foot (toe side), there is the 'arch' which is basically the hollow area of your foot which does not make direct contact with the ground. Here's an illustration of a foot arch:

Pronation is a normal foot motion - when you land on the ground, the weight is initially on the heel, but that weight gradually transfers from the heel area to midfoot (the arch flattens out during this process) and then finally to the toe area, where you push off for the next stride. If you observe a person's foot during this process, you will notice that the foot 'rolls' in as the weight transfers from heel- arch/midfoot- forefoot/toe.
Overpronation occurs when the arch is low (or flat foot, where the arch actually touches the ground even when you're just standing in a stationary position). In this case, the foot rolls in a bit more than it should, since the arch is very low, hence it is called 'Over' - pronation.
In such cases, a shoe which has a stability device (usually a harder density foam midsole on the arch/medial side) is suitable, which limits the degree of pronation.

Underpronation is the reverse - the arch is high, so the foot does not roll in as much as it should, which means one needs a shoe which is well cushioned, so the foot can roll in better.

Hope this helps!
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gautam Mahtani on August 12, 2008 at 11:48am: Hi.. just bought a pair of Reebok Road Plus DMX III.. my current pair (Reebok EZ Runner) is not worn out and i think still has 2-300 miles on it.. is it a good idea to alternate wearing the new and old shoe for running? new shoe for the shorter runs and the old one for the longer run? or wait till the old one is worn out? both the shoes are pretty similar.. the road plus has a bit more flexibility on the forefoot as well as bit more motion control...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Anand HS on August 13, 2008 at 12:01pm: Hey Sneakerologist (Crazy term you have there - liked the name! :p)
I have two pairs. I use a Nike Running shoes (those lowest end ones which you get here in India for about INR 1875.00) and I also have an Reebok DMX MAX.
I kind of feel more comfortable running in the Nikes because they are very light and are absolutely low-tech. The RBKs are much more cushioned but I somehow never feel 'in-control' when I run in them since they are supposed to adjust to my style of walking, most of the time they feel extremely wobbly while running and I have had a couple of very close calls in twisting my ankles (Saved by a whisker most of the times). So I stopped wearing the RBKs and am now looking to replace my wornout Nikes.

This time I will checkout Adidas. I have used them in the past and am a satisfied customer, I;d say.

Would you suggest any specific make/model in the 3000-4000 range?
FYI- I run on the Road.

Cheers!
-Anand; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sneakerologist on August 13, 2008 at 7:58pm: Hmm... I would recommend using the EZ Runner for shorter runs and the Road Plus for the longer ones. The Road Plus seems to be better cushioned than the EZ runner which is somewhat of an entry level running shoe, so running longer miles in the better shoe(Road Plus) should make sense.
By the way, when did you buy the Road Plus III? The latest is the Premier Road Plus KFS V, so the shoe you have was launched some while ago...
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com

Gautam Mahtani said:
Hi.. just bought a pair of Reebok Road Plus DMX III.. my current pair (Reebok EZ Runner) is not worn out and i think still has 2-300 miles on it.. is it a good idea to alternate wearing the new and old shoe for running? new shoe for the shorter runs and the old one for the longer run? or wait till the old one is worn out? both the shoes are pretty similar.. the road plus has a bit more flexibility on the forefoot as well as bit more motion control...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sneakerologist on August 13, 2008 at 8:10pm: You could try models like the Adidas Ignite 2008, Allegra or the Merumo. I haven't had a chance to review any of these shoes, so my recommendation is only based on what seems to be available at the prices you have mentioned. I have noticed that some of the Adidas shoes (especially below Rs.4000) have very very hard midsoles, you might want to keep that in mind when you're trying them in the store. Some of the brands would still probably be on sale, so this is good a chance as any to pick up a good deal.
Reebok does not (except some in their 'premier' line) make great running shoes, so I would stay away from their budget running shoes. Nike falls somewhere in between - their budget running shoes fluctuate between good and average. The only exception was the Nike Dart at Rs.2900, which I found to be a very competent shoe. I also liked the Nike Shouri, which is kind of a semi-racing running shoe and is priced between Rs.3000-4000
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com

Anand HS said:
Hey Sneakerologist (Crazy term you have there - liked the name! :p)
I have two pairs. I use a Nike Running shoes (those lowest end ones which you get here in India for about INR 1875.00) and I also have an Reebok DMX MAX. I kind of feel more comfortable running in the Nikes because they are very light and are absolutely low-tech. The RBKs are much more cushioned but I somehow never feel 'in-control' when I run in them since they are supposed to adjust to my style of walking, most of the time they feel extremely wobbly while running and I have had a couple of very close calls in twisting my ankles (Saved by a whisker most of the times). So I stopped wearing the RBKs and am now looking to replace my wornout Nikes. This time I will checkout Adidas. I have used them in the past and am a satisfied customer, I;d say.
Would you suggest any specific make/model in the 3000-4000 range?
FYI- I run on the Road.

Cheers!
-Anand; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gautam Mahtani on August 14, 2008 at 11:52am: u are right they are the KFS V.. :)

was undecided on wearing the KFS on the longer runs as they are new and i thought it would be a good idea to use it for a couple of months on the shorter runs and put on 80-100 miles before wearing them for the longer runs..

I have put on about 350 - 400 (6 months) miles on the EZ runner and find them very comfortable.. the soles pretty much intact except a bit of wear on the outside of the heel.. the mid sole is sill very supportive and not spongy..

i tried the smooth fit hex ride.. found them a bit too soft for my liking but they are lighter than the KFS..

i tend not to repeat the same / similar shoes in sucession.. good or bad idea?

Sneakerologist said:
Hmm... I would recommend using the EZ Runner for shorter runs and the Road Plus for the longer ones. The Road Plus seems to be better cushioned than the EZ runner which is somewhat of an entry level running shoe, so running longer miles in the better shoe(Road Plus) should make sense.
By the way, when did you buy the Road Plus III? The latest is the Premier Road Plus KFS V, so the shoe you have was launched some while ago...
Best,
Sneakerologist
www.solereview.com

Gautam Mahtani said:
Hi.. just bought a pair of Reebok Road Plus DMX III.. my current pair (Reebok EZ Runner) is not worn out and i think still has 2-300 miles on it.. is it a good idea to alternate wearing the new and old shoe for running? new shoe for the shorter runs and the old one for the longer run? or wait till the old one is worn out? both the shoes are pretty similar.. the road plus has a bit more flexibility on the forefoot as well as bit more motion control...; ▶ Reply to This