Shoe Selection

There are a lot of considerations in choosing the most appropriate running shoe. Some of those considerations are very important and others not so important. We all like to look good when we run, so shoe appearance is definitely a consideration, but it's one of the least important. Some may say it's better to look good than be good, but I think it's more important to run well and run safely rather than look stylish. So my advice is to choose function over form. If you find more than one shoe that meets your physical and running needs, then by all means, pick the pair that looks the best. But appearance should be lower on your list of priorities.

The most important consideration in shoe selection involves  the biomechanics of your foot. One of the natural motions of your foot is pronation. Pronation of your foot is a natural and normal motion during footstrike. Pronation is simply the natural rolling inward of your foot. During a normal footstrike the foot rolls forward and to the inside, which provides cushioning and decreases the stress on your foot, ankle, knee and hip joints. A small amount of pronation is normal and necessary. Pronation only becomes a problem when it is excessive.

Many runners have excessive pronation, in which the foot rolls more to the inside than it should. If you do not know if you pronate or not, ask your sports physician, a running coach or a knowledgeable running specialty store salesperson to analyze your stride. They should be able to determine if you pronate excessively by watching your stride. Some running stores will even be able to video tape your running form and analyze it for you. There are a couple of ways you can determine this for yourself. Look closely at a pair of old running shoes. If the shoes have collapsed to the inside and the sole is heavliy worn on the inside you are probably pronating excessively. You could also try wetting the bottom of your barefeet and taking a few strides over dry concrete. Look at the resulting foot prints. If you see a half moom cutout where your arch is you most likely have a normal amount of pronation. If your foot prints are flatter with the full print of your foot visible you may be pronating excessively. Supination is the excessive rolling of the foot to the outside. This is much more rare than pronation, but is still something you want to watch for.

The next step in finding your perfect shoe is what type of running you're doing. Are you running mostly on city or town roads? Do you run on mountain trails? Are you training for a marathon? Be sure you pick a shoe that is appropriate for your needs. If you are running on mountain trails you will want a trail shoe that has a bit more stability to keep you from rolling an ankle. Trail shoes will also have a more aggressive tread to grip the loose surface of mountain trails. If you're training for a marathon you may want a shoe with a lot of cushioning to help absorb the stress of high milege. That is especially important if you're a new runner that hasn't quite perfected your stride yet. A more efficient, highly experienced running may want a light shoes with less cushioning because their stride is efficient enough to eliminate the need for a lot of cushioning. If you're buying the shoe for road racing you will probably want a very lightweight racing flat that will help run your fastest. Whatever your goal is make sure you pick a shoe that meets that specific goal. For general training you best bet is either a lightweight training or cushioned trainer depending upon your experience level and how efficiently you run.