40 replies to this topic

[Running Nicho]

Hey Everyone,


I was formerly Happy to Run. My query is I was wondering how long I should use a pair of running shoes. I currently have a pair of Brooks Vapours which are great but I'm a little concerned that after 12 months of usually 25-30 kms a week before upping to closer to 40 over the last 8 weeks they may have come to the end of their tether.

While I have been running for well over 2 yrs I am inexpereienced in the sense that I haven't run with many people or participated in any major events so want some advice from those with more expereience than me.

[plu]

Hi Running Nicho,

I tried to find a few old thread on this and there are probably a few buried in the shoes/ gear section.

I have heard the number 600-700 km mentioned a few times but much depends also on how you run and the wearing rate of your own shoes.

I normally change when the soles go and this is probably too late. Often if I get niggles I think it is time for the shoes to go and the niggles go away.

All the best

Plu

PS: Welcome to blogging

[Grandpa]

I think its a good idea to get another pair of trainers before you wear the present ones out. The reason is: styles keep changing. You prabably won't be able to get the same ones again. And, in case the new ones fit differently (and perhaps give you a blister), you can alternate the new pair with the old until you have worn the newies in a bit.

I've got about 6 pairs at the moment and I reckon that you'd need a minimum of three anyway: your old trainers, the new ones you are breaking in and your racers. Racers are for when you go in an event - they are lighter and make you go faster!

Grandpa

[Virtual]

Some of us are just hoarders.

But really, please, just dispose of your old runners to the op shop.

Shoes have great sentimental value. I hang onto the old Kyanos that i ran the 2000 host city in.

But bottom line, life gets difficult if we accumulate worn out possessions..

Be brutal. Dump it...

Brendan

[Grandpa]

P.S. When the black bit on the bottom of the sole is worn through, they're stuffed. Cheapskates replace this bit but its a waste of time because by the time the black bit's gone the white, soft, cushioning part is not doing its job a well as it used to.

Take heart! Running is still the cheapest sport! If a pair of shoes lasts you a year, it's only a couple of bucks a week :D

Grandpa

[Bellthorpe]

I dump my shoes at 500 miles. The hard black rubber might not be worn through, but they start to lose their shock absorbing qualites.

At any given time, I'm usually rotating 3 pairs.

[Colac]

I will never forget the dozens of shoes that Cliff Young had on his veranda near his backdoor.

Cliff had worn the fat pads down under his feet from so much running, so he had to change them before they got too worn.

I think one of the shoe companies used to give them to him, but they weren't top-of-the-range.

Running shoes provide maximum shock absorption for 200 kms (about 150,000 strides), then they slowly breakdown until by 600 kms they can no longer provide adequate protection.

Sometimes, you can keep wearing them up to 2,000 kms, but if you are easily injured, then you should have a backup pair to break in from about the 400 km mark, to allow a smooth transition.

If you have problems with sore knees, it can sometimes be caused by your eyes or a stiff neck altering your balance and the angle your feet land. There are a number of exercises to reset the eyes and neck.

[tim]

The problem is when you only have one pair. They wear out gradually and it would be easy to miss when your shoes has become old and tired. Then before you know it you are getting some knee pain etc.

If you have a few pairs with different miles on them it is easy to pick when the old ones need to be retired.

When it is time to lay them to rest I give them a wash and tie them together, then I have a little think about all the races they have done and all the training. Then I put them in one of the clothes bins. Unless they are KT 26’s then they just get chucked I figure not even the poor want my old KT’s.

[Whippet Man]

One pair to wear in, one pair wearing out, one pair under the bed ready to go (purchased as old model on special), one pair for training on trails, one pair for "racing" on trails, one pair under the bed for trails (purchased as old model on special). You soon know when they are tired if you have a comparison. Then it's time to go looking for a new pair to go under the bed ;) It's too hard to track k's on each pair so just compare the feel to the newer pair.

Tim, I can't believe they still make KT 26's yet alone someone actually runs in them. Ever thought of donating the old pairs to a museum? :D

[Derek]

I wonder what Abebe Bikila would have thought of all of this shoe talk.
see http://www.infopleas.../mm-bikila.html

[tim]

[indent]quote:

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Tim, I can't believe they still make KT 26's yet alone someone actually runs in them. Ever thought of donating the old pairs to a museum?

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[/indent]mate!!

you should read my blog. There has been a nation wide shortage of KT's for the last few months. I happily picked up 2 pair the other day though. Even though they are not as popular there are still some of us out there training and racing in them. I saw a couple of pair at the 6 foot and a pair at Canberra. The guy at Canberra was quite fast and strengthened my faith in the beloved shoe.

[Steve 'The Footman']

Actually, Bikila started with shoes but they did not fit well being brand new. He took them off at about 10miles. He always trained in shoes and all his other races were with shoes. In later years he lamented the fact that everyone thought of him as the barefoot runner when it was really only true in one race.

[Running Nicho]

[indent]quote:

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Tim, I can't believe they still make KT 26's yet alone someone actually runs in them. Ever thought of donating the old pairs to a museum?

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[/indent]Yeah even though I have little knowledge of how long shoes last, as a physio student K-mart brand shoes that you can get for $25 on special are unlikely to give your feet the support you need. In most cases you are better going bare foot than wearing cheap shoes. Besides the technology in today's shoes is so much more advanced than they were even 5 years back making it wise to buy more expensive shoes that are designed better for your feet

[tim]

but when I run barefoot on the Six Foot Track my feet hurt.

and they were $28 on special.

but thanks for the tip <_<

[Fats]

Depends on the shoe and your running style but 750km seems to be about the most I can get out of a regular pair of trainers. As already suggested it is much easier to judge if you have a relatively fresh pair to compare.

This might sound a bit OTT but if you keep a running log then it's fairly easy to track the kms you do in each pair. Take a thick marker pen and number each shoe inside the heel (on the insole) then include a column for your shoe number in your records. Do it in excel and you can set it all up nicely to add up the totals for each shoe.

[Dom]

Fats- that's exactly what i do. My weekly mileage is worked out from the total of what i have run in each pair of shoes. I normally have set shoes for set days (part of the rotation process) so its fairly easy to keep track of what has been run in each.

I'm actually coming up for some new shoes - found that Stringer had 2090s for $159.50 (including P&P) - my current 2090s have gone well so thought this was too good to refuse!

[EatEm]

I have done 586 kms in Kayano X's and 327 kms in Kayano XI's - I suspect that the X's will get me to 700 kms and not much more.

I also spreadshet my runs so I can keep track of how the shoes are performing - once you have a spreadshest set up in is easy...... :D

[Gronk]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by Fats:
This might sound a bit OTT but if you keep a running log then it's fairly easy to track the kms you do in each pair. Take a thick marker pen and number each shoe inside the heel (on the insole) then include a column for your shoe number in your records. Do it in excel and you can set it all up nicely to add up the totals for each shoe.

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[/indent]I use a spreadsheet called longrun.xls downloaded from a link that appeared in a CR thread last year. It keeps tabs on up to 5 pairs of shoes. Very cool.

Gronk

[SoLucky]

Granpa, the only way that I could keep myself in shoes for "a couple of dollars a week", would be if I was to cut my training by about 90%.
Last shoes that I bought were $220 discounted to $160. Nine weeks for 800k gives a cost of ~$18 per week.
Having three pairs on the go doesn't change the economics, it just means $480 for 27 weeks, cost~$18 per week.
I'm happy to spend the money, but I don't think I'm a cheapskate when I touch them up with Spredsole now and then.
Don't you do much running?

[Welshy]

Having sold shoes in retail for 3 years, basically like anything, you get what you pay for. For example, you might get 500k out of Asics 1090, and 800k out of Kayano's. It depends on how heavy you are, what surfaces you run on and what your foot does through the gait.

Some brands stand up better than others. Don't want to bag some brands out, but just remember, the big gun athletes sponsored by the big gun companies can afford to replace their shoes after every run and believe me, some of the returns we got it was not surprising.

Testing shoes that Brooks have the highest qualty parts in terms of density in their EVA (stuff used to make soles) and hold up better to wear than any other brand.

A good tip for when to replace shoes. The midsole usually gets creases after a few km's. After you've had your shoes for a while, take them into a shop and compare them to new ones. If yours has too many creases on the innersole, try the new ones on and see if they deel heaps better.

Oh, one more tip, if $ are tight, put new inner soles in the shoes, should help you get a few more km's out for a $15 investment.

[Bellthorpe]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by Welshy:
Oh, one more tip, if $ are tight, put new inner soles in the shoes, should help you get a few more km's out for a $15 investment.

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[/indent]If you can get them. I used to replace the insoles in my Brooks shoes at 250 miles. Then the retailer said that the Australian Brooks distributor said he wouldn't supply them, as it would rob him of sales! Well it did, as I haven't bought Brooks since.

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by SoLucky:
Granpa, the only way that I could keep myself in shoes for "a couple of dollars a week", would be if I was to cut my training by about 90%.
Last shoes that I bought were $220 discounted to $160. Nine weeks for 800k gives a cost of ~$18 per week.

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[/indent]That's why I now buy all my shoes on eBay, and spend less than half what you've quoted. My last pair (Mizuno) cost me around AUD70, including postage

[Whippet Man]

Nicho said [indent]quote:

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In most cases you are better going bare foot than wearing cheap shoes.

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[/indent]Nicho, don't be too hard on the lad, he's saving for a new fandagled headlight :D

And guys, what's with the textas and spreadsheets? I thought I was anal but you guys are starting to scare me. :P

[try2runfaster]

Am I the only person who has only 1 pair of runners? I only have 2 feet! I guess I'm still new at this running to know better. But as I am a woman and LOVE buying shoes I'll by a second pair tomorrow and mix it up a bit. Thanx everybody for the great tips!! :D

[Chelle]

I've just worked out how long my shoes should last (in theory) based on the above, and brings me out to a week after my first (GC) half marathon. As a new runner, I only have the one pair of real runners (the rest are saved for the gym etc) with the intention of buying another pair before their life finishes anyway.
So my dilemma is, do I buy another pair now and start rotating them or hold off - how long on average (I realise there are variables) does it take to break in a pair of shoes?
Thanks

[Running Science]

This is a very interesting topic. I have just looked up some research under taken in this area.

In 2000 Hennig and Milani measured pressure and force in new shoes they then had subjects run a stanadised 10km loop daily over grass, gravel, concrete and bitumen. After 220km there was a 10% increase in heel pressures.

In 1985 Cook and others used a mechanical loading devices to measure a decrease cushioning properties. They found an expenantial decrease in shoe cushioning. After 250-500 miles shoes retained 60% of there initialcushioning properties.

[KJ Bandit]

Does anyone else have the problem with the inside heel of their runners wearing away faster than any other part of the shoe? Am I the only one with this "freakish" problem? I don't wear orthotics.

Try2runfaster, not sure if they make shoes to fit those big ugly clobbers of yours. LOL.

[Fats]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by Chelle:
So my dilemma is, do I buy another pair now and start rotating them or hold off - how long on average (I realise there are variables) does it take to break in a pair of shoes?
Thanks

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[/indent]Chelle - you want the shoes to be worn-in but still as new as possible so they retain their maximum cushioning and that new shoe "spring". So buy a pair, take them out for a few runs (including some long ones), make sure they don't rub or give you blisters, and then once you're happy set them aside for the big day. I like to have done at least 150km in a pair before a big race.

[clairie]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by how2runfaster Am I the only person who has only 1 pair of runners? I only have 2 feet!

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[/indent]LOL. I used to think the same but after some initial niggles I went to see the Footman.

He advised that with different running (speed work vs long runs) it was best to have AT LEAST two pairs of shoes. When you run fast you wear your shoe out differently than when you just plod along on the long runs.

For the past 4 months I have had two pairs and it was worked great. I think it actually gives you more mileage from each pair as well.

[ourimbar]

IF YOU RUNNING 160KM A WEEK,THAY SHOULD LAST 2MONTHS...AFTER THAT JUST USE THEM FOR WET DAYS,OR MOWING THE LAWN.........

[Chelle]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by Fats:
Chelle - you want the shoes to be worn-in but still as new as possible so they retain their maximum cushioning and that new shoe "spring". So buy a pair, take them out for a few runs (including some long ones), make sure they don't rub or give you blisters, and then once you're happy set them aside for the big day. I like to have done at least 150km in a pair before a big race. [/qb]

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[/indent]Thanks Fats... trip to the running shop on my way home tomorrow morning I think is needed :)

[Whippet Man]

[indent]quote:

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KJ said: Does anyone else have the problem with the inside heel of their runners wearing away faster than any other part of the shoe?

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[/indent]Me too. I even do it in my work shoes. Very annoying but doesn't stop me from wearing out the rest of the shoe before they mow lawns. My problem is that I have so many shoes to mow lawns in I seem to be forever mowing lawns :D

Maybe I should try some KT 26's? Pitty about the drought. ;)

[anampofepistat]

Do most people who are rotating several pairs maintain the same model or next generation of same shoe, or do you have different brands going at the same time.

This thread has convinced me to buy a second pair - but the outlet sport shoe shop dont have my size in 2090's - not sure if I should change to a different brand but similar stability/cushioning, or fork out a bit more for the same ones elsewhere.

Any opinions - consistency or variety? :)

[Whippet Man]

My understanding is that it is preferential to have a different model to alternate with to avoid the potential of injuries due to repetitiveness. Having said that for the last 9 years I have only run in Brooks Addictions when on the road (have tried several different trail runners). I have tried other models in store and even taken them home but always change my mind (if you haven't worn them outside they take them back). Of course they are not perfect (I still have a toenail problem) but I can't beat the Addiction :)

[tim]

I like the idea of having a range of shoes to run in. The idea being I can choose the shoe depending on what I am doing and how I feel. But at the moment I find I am always running in my favorites so the whole shoe rotation is not working well at the moment. So I believe it is best to buy 2 or more pairs of the shoe you love to run in.

I think I remember seeing a 7 on Uncle Dave’s shoes at a 6 Foot training run. So maybe he has a pair for everyday of the week.

[Whippet Man]

Tim don't spoil all my illusions. I picture your collection of running shoes to be all KT 26's lined up and ready to go. Oh yeh, and that extra special pair of Dunlop Volley racing flats :P .

[tim]

it is almost like that

:)

[miners]

3 pairs for me. Generally they last me about 600kms - love the idea of the spreadsheet - appeals to my anally-retentive side.

The other advice I had received many years ago was that it was important for the feet's muscles not to adapt to a single shoe structure. The theory was to keep them guessing with different shoes so that the muscles are continually working and thereby getting stronger. With this in mind, I try to ensure the shoes are rotated for each run

[karisma]

about shoes...
I have a bit of a problem at the moment and have been wondering what to do?

My two pair of long distance shoes(Adidas Ozweego and Saucony Grid Trigon) even though rotated quite a lot, are both now pretty well worn <_<

I actually have a few pairs of newer shoes, even another pair of Ozweego bought at the end of last year! which all can handle a speed work session(8k) and about 10 to 12k road running pretty well...but it was the Ozweego that I wore last weekend at the Brisbane Half, up to 15k they were fine but after that the rubbing just became severe and bisters on burst blisters resulted in a bit of a mess, which took a couple of days for my feet to recover from.

Nervously I wore these same shoes yesterday for a 14k road race and I got through...just!! that painful hot rubbing threatened to cause blisters again towards the end!

so now..despite trying to do the right thing, I have even tried American blister resistant socks to no prevail!!(obviously a gimmick!!) I just want to know how I can minimize foot damage whilst I try to wear in my temperamental shoes!!?

I just can't remember having so much of a problem in the past!? maybe my feet have become soft?

:unsure:

Please any advice would be welcome, thank you.

[Whippet Man]

Karisma, I have experienced this even just changing to same model new shoes, and I've been wearing the same model (apart from the update changes) since 1995. I even went to my podiatrist at one point in desperation over one spot I couldn't stop blistering. And socks, I've tried them all including $40 special x-socks (the name should have been enough for me!). Don't despair, there will be a combination of shoes and socks or sizing that solves your problem. I ended up coming back down 1/2 size (I had gone bigger for more room to stop rubbing) but found a wider fit of the same model. I now wear Injinji toe socks which feel weird at first but are great. On long runs I sometims wear thick Thorlos over these to provide cushioning and friction barrier. I'm presuming you've tried tape over the area or applying Bodyglide? There is heaps of info on different sites to stop blister formation aimed at ultras but all the same principles apply. A lot of it I find is trial and error. Unfortunately with hot spots and blisters you have to break that cycle first. If someone else has a quick fix I'd love to hear it.

[plu]

Hi All,

This thread has got me thinking about how I have been running and walking around in old shoes. I reckon it can contribute to a few feet/leg issues. Thanks everyone. I just threw out 4 old pairs of running shoes.

Cheers

Plu

Edit: Sorry I did it Monday night and the bin went yesterday morning.

[CoolRunning Admin]

For people about to throw out old running shoes, can you please send them to us.

CoolRunning is just on the verge of announcing www.recycledrunners.com.au