So, it’s a new year. Does that mean I need new women’s running shoes? How often should I buy new shoes? What’s the right type? Dang, this is harder than buying a new car. I looked around and found out some interesting stuff. I love new info!!! Fills my brain up with more than just air, lol.
First, walking shoes or running shoes? I don’t know about you but walking shoes look funny… kinda like old lady shoes. And they are always plain white. Blah. Well, one article I found claimed that “it’s a well known fact that running shoes cannot substitute as walking shoes and vice versa” (1). Uh… I beg to differ since I didn’t know this fact. Supposedly running shoes have thicker soles and are more high tech. I can only agree with the more high tech portion. Running shoes nowadays are so thin and light, such as these shoes below, which weigh only 8.4 ounces (just a tad heavier than my Droid).
Another article says a runner should never wear walking shoes because that shoe lacks the support and cushion needed to prevent injury when running (2). Hmmm, sounds to me like it is pretty important to choose the right shoe. The way you stride when walking and running is completely different. When walking, you land on your heel and roll to your toe. Running causes you to land mid-sole or on the toes.
Ok, got it. I am gonna buy women’s running shoes. I don’t run per say, but I walk hard. And that brings me to my next question. How often should I buy running shoes? I have had my current pair for 3 years now. Is it time for them to go? It would seem obvious to me that if the threads were worn out, replace the shoe (such as a tire). However, there are more important way to tell when to buy new shoes and they are not so noticeable. If you are experiencing shin splints (raising my hand here), have joint paint (other than what may be normal if you have a joint issue such as arthritis) or feel muscle fatigue at the end of your run, then you’re shoes are shot and the cushioning in them is not good anymore. A rule of thumb is to replace shoes every 300 to 400 miles, but that also depends on many factors such as your weight, running style and more.
Now, I need a running shoe, and apparently need a new one. What kind should I get? Have you seen the options in women’s running shoes? It’s as scary as buying a pair of jeans. I think I might need help now. Let’s hit up the experts and see what they say (3). Hopefully the salesperson will ask me lots of questions about my needs and uses for the shoes. It is a must that he/she checks my foot shape and arch. A suggestion when buying a running shoe is to buy it ½ to full size larger to accommodate foot swelling. Depending on where our running shoe expert is, they might be able to do a running analysis to check my running style, i.e., does my foot turn in or out when it hits the ground. And last but not least, don’t buy the shoes just because they are pink (and pink is your favorite color, lol). Well, I am off to buy a new pair of shoes. I haven’t walked since shortly after New Year’s Day (and yes, it was a beautiful 75 degrees that day). I will be back to share my purchase. If you buy a new pair, show me, ok!!
Resouces used in this article:
(1) http://tinyurl.com/replaceshoes
