Buying Running Shoes can be intimidating
If you are a first time running shoe buyer it can get confusing. Each brand claims to be the best and to have the latest, and of course best, technology. Reading reviews can often lead to more confusion as the shoe wonks go into the minutia of engineering, foot strike, running style and many other details.
Running shoes are a highly engineered product with a lot of science and research behind them. Many people get distracted by the pretty colors and cool looking designs of running shoes. Runners need to focus on what they need and buy the right shoe regardless of the color.
Your local running shoe store associate is the expert that you want to consult. These people are running shoe experts. At a good store, they know all of the details and most associates can explain what the technology means to you. Sometimes they can give you too much information which is no more helpful than reading too many reviews on-line.
Tip: always buy your very first pair of running shoes at a running store
All of the “Shoe Talk” can get confusing. A good sales person will know when you have reached information over load and get right to having you try on some shoes.
Tip: always try on several pairs of shoes from several brands
There are several categories of shoes such as “neutral support”, “flats”, etc. A good sales associate will ask you about your running and do a basic assessment of your feet and running gait. Then they will bring out a few pairs of shoes for you to try on.
Most stores will let you go for a short run in the shoes before you buy them. This is the shoe test drive. Don’t skip this step!
This “Shoe Talk” article will help you
Shoe Talk Decoded is an article from “Women’s Running” written by Kara Deschenes. She explains some of the details that the running store sales associate will probably discuss with you. The more you know before you go into the store the less likely you are to get confused with all of the details.
A little knowledge will also help you ask better questions and make a better choice for your feet.
Run well my friends!
Andy