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How to choose the perfect pair of running shoes

A jogger runs through a park - Alamy
A jogger runs through a park - Alamy

Does the phrase ‘heel strike’ fill your head with question marks? Do you worry that you don’t know your pronation from your supination? Does 'rocker bottom sole' sound more like a compilation CD free with Uncut magazine than it does a feature of a running shoe?

Well you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to consider before buying a shiny new pair.

Invest in quality

Buying cheap running shoes is a false economy, says Toren Hirshfield at ProFeet. “Generally the cheaper shoes don’t work. There is a real benefit to buying from at least the middle of the manufacturers’ ranges”, he advises.

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Know when your old pair is finished

Running shoes should cover between four and five hundred miles before they wear out, but if you're experiencing joint pain after easy runs, it could be that they've worn out already. You can also track longevity by logging your shoe on various apps such as Strava, Nike+ Run Club and MapMyRun.

Emma Kirk-Odunubi is a biomechanics expert at ProFeet. “Grab the forefoot of a shoe”, she suggests. “If it just folds in and doesn’t give you anything back, you need to think about how long that shoe’s life is.”

Thinking of buying an old pair second hand? Think twice. “The bulk of the shoes still use UVA as the plastic foam of the midsole”, Toren explains. “It ages, losing its elasticity even if it’s not used.”

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. . #barefootrunning #trailrunning #mountainlife

A post shared by John Horsfall (@johnhorsfall) on Jan 4, 2017 at 10:53pm PST

Comfort is top priority

“All the research at the moment seems to be pointing to the idea that the most comfortable shoe is probably the best one for you”, says Anthony Fletcher, a biomechanics coach and leader of the ‘Precision Running’ class at Equinox. “The more comfortable it is, the more it seems to work with the body.”

Running shoes are a contentious topic, and there are numerous debates about the type of shoe that should be paired with overpronating or underpronating feet, for example. There are general rules to abide by, but it's best to take them as guidelines because every foot is different. If in doubt, get fitted at a local running shop that knows what it's talking about. Gait analysis and 3D foot scans are widely available.

About | Pronation

Barefoot and minimal running shoes

Most running shoes have a drop of at least 8mm between the cushioning on the heel and the cushioning on the toe, but barefoot shoes reduce this to what’s called a zero drop. In theory, it helps you run naturally, striking the floor with the ball of your foot rather than the heel.

barefoot jogging - Credit: TMI/Alamy
A runner jogs along the beach in barefoot Credit: TMI/Alamy

The barefoot religion was propagated by journalist Christopher McDougall in his book Born To Run. It's had many converts since – though there's also been a backlash, with one barefoot shoe company forced into an embarrassing payout over false advertising. Hence Emma advises runners with weaker joints, such as some older runners, against running barefoot or with barefoot trainers, though she does say the technique can be useful for strengthening the foot. “Barefoot running is a tool to help you get stronger, rather than the only way you should run.”

Toren points out that no medical proofs, surveys or studies have conclusively demonstrated that it has any major benefits.

Anthony is also sceptical. “The biggest problem with [barefoot trainers] is we’re not supposed to be running barefoot on concrete", he says. "If we have the chance to run on the beach, or marshland or soft grass, then the risk is severely reduced, but to run on concrete in minimalist or barefoot shoes can cause a lot of problems for people, especially if they’re not adapted to it.”

Examples of good quality minimalist shoes include Newton's MV and Vivobarefoot's Motus.

Vibram barefoot shoe
Vibram's EL-X is considered to be a good introductory barefoot running shoe.

Free motion shoes

“The reason behind the trend for very flexible footwear is to give the foot the freedom to move in the way it wants to move," says Anthony. "The foot pronates [rolls and absorbs shock], and that got labelled as a kind of disease but the fact is actually we need pronation, it’s an essential part of the foot. To try and stop that from happening goes against nature a little bit.

"I think some of the manufacturers have realised this and they’ve started labeling their shoes as a neutral shoe or a motion control shoe."

As a general rule of thumb, the stiffer your foot, the more flexible you want your shoe, to encourage movement. The more flexible your foot, the more rigid you want your shoe, to create stability.

One good free motion shoe is Nike's FlyKnit model.

Nike Free Motion Shoe
Nike's Free RN Motion FlyKnit provides flexibility for the foot.

Low heel drop

“When I first started out in the industry about 8 or 9 years ago, you wouldn’t see anything lower than a 12mm drop difference”, says Emma, referring to the difference in height between the heel and the toe.

A lower drop is good for speed and track work because the transition from heel to toe takes place quickly; it can help with shorter, sharper and faster movements. “It’s more than likely going to be a bit lighter, and the foot and the body roll through a bit quicker”, says Emma.

Shoes with a low heel drop are less appropriate for runners with previous problems regarding their Achilles or calves. As the heel comes close to the ground, tension can run through the foot.

High heel drop

“There are some traditional brands that still stick with the 12mm heel drop — Brooks and Asics stick around 10-12mm”, says Emma.

Asics DynaFlyte
Asics recommend the DynaFlyte shoe for neutral pronators.

Neutral shoes

Neutral shoes are designed to keep the foot aligned — they are concerned with the level of pronation in the foot.

“From Saucony there’s a shoe called the Ride", says Emma. "It’s an 8mm drop in terms of heel to toe height. From a biomechanical point of view, it’s performing really well. It controls the foot well, even if there is that little bit of overpronation in there.”

"Another one would be from Mizuno, the Wave Rider. That shoe is in it’s 20th year, so it’s a groundbreaking shoe for them. It’s a 10mm drop, but they do really well with making their footwear super lightweight."

Wave Rider shoe
Mizuno's Wave Rider shoe

Stability shoes

Toren cautiously speculates that new supportive and stabilising technologies in running shoes may be responsible for the ability of today’s runners to continue running later in life, where this was less common for previous generations.

When it comes to pointing out specific models on the market, there are many good examples to choose from. “From the more supportive angle, I'd point to Asics with the 2000", says Emma. "It’s quite nice and cushioned. The forefoot is slightly stiffer, slightly firmer, so that when you’re driving off the ground it’s more responsive. As soon as you get on to the toe it helps to stabilise the forefoot more, rather than the big toe twisting off the foot, it helps them to come up a lot straighter.”

"Hoka's shoes are shaped with a massive curve underneath. They help to emphasize that transition to rolling off the forefoot a bit more."

Hoka's Clifton 3 is the latest iteration of their award-winning Clifton range, while the Speed Instinct uses Pro2Lite technology to build on their trademark style: soft cushioning on the heel with a firm and responsive forefoot.

"That’s what Boost material from Adidas is trying to do, it gives that responsiveness off the toes."

Adidas Boost
Adidas Boost ST

Of course, stability shoes are not the solution for every foot.

People with flat feet can sometimes assume that any joint pain they may experience can be solved by increasing the level of support in their shoes, but this is not necessarily the case. “For some people, they’re getting knee pain because the shoe they’re in is too strong for them”, says Emma.

Often, what’s required instead is a neutral shoe that’s able to stabilise the foot.

Hoka Clifton 3
Hoka Clifton 3 is the latest update in the Clifton range

Run your way

Once you've chosen a shoe that's tailored to you, you should run in a way that suits you too.

“A lot of people are going for forefoot running, toe-running or chi running styles, but the problem is that no one style will suit everyone", Anthony suggests.

“Not everyone should run on their forefoot, not everyone should run heel strike, not everyone should run trailing back leg, not everyone should run with a high knee. It’s so personal. It’s a bit like saying everyone’s handwriting should be exactly the same. It can’t be”.

It seems that what goes for running shoes goes for running writ large: choose what's most natural and comfortable for you. Sound advice, it seems, and the best way to look after your health and fitness in the long run.