How to choose shoes in a shop?

HelenAnne

Just wondering does anyone have any advice about choosing runners -- it's so hard to know just from trying them on
I think I'll need a new pair by this spring / summer, but the ones I'm currently wearing have been phased out.

And anyway, I have a bit of an issue with heel fit in my current pair, so maybe I should try something new. But I'm afraid to try something new in case they don't suit my feet. It's so hard to tell running around the shop how something will feel after a few miles.

The last pair I got were fine in the shop, and felt fine while I was running on the roads, but I kept a note of which shoes I was wearing on runs, and it became clear after a few weeks that I had pain along the outside of one foot and up my ankle the day after wearing my new shoes. I certainly wouldn't have known something like from just wearing them in the shop.

Any advice on how to tell something will suit your feet, avoid common shoe niggles?

runrabbit

I'm no expert and wouldn't know what to pick out myself so the best advice I can give is go to a decent shop and get gait analysis and explain the problem with the last pair of runners. Someone who knows their stuff should be able to recognise what it is about the runners that caused your ankle problems. Also bring in your old pair and they'll be able to check where they're worn down; that will also give clues about your feet/running style.

I know in Amphibian King they tell you to try the runners for a couple of runs on a treadmill to be sure they suit - if not you can bring them back and change them. So that could help.

Good luck with it - I hope you find your perfect runners! I loved the first pair I had and then they discontinued them - it's a bummer

HelenAnne

Thanks very much! I've done the gait analysis in Amphibian King, and found them really good, but you're right, telling them exactly what the problem with the old pair was will probably help them to steer me in the right direction.

Thanks!