12 replies to this topic

[42.195]

I like to wear shoes for 8 or so weeks before a marathon.
I'll do 6 - 8 runs of 10 km in them, then four or so 21 km runs and 2 -3 31 km runs.
Obviously I don't wear them everyday for the 8 weeks, they become part of the rotation.
Be careful not to put too many km on them - nothing worse than looking at a pair of shoes 3 weeks before a marathon and realising they're too worn - and rapidly having to break in another pair.
Only happened once - never again!!

[shark]

truckie

I like to have 200k - 600k in shoes for a marathon. Nothing scientific but I feel over 600k they lose a bit of bounce and under 200k they are not run in. I buy a wider fit for my longer runs (runs over 25k) so the marathon shoes have done a handful of shorter runs to check for the rare blister then several longer runs including the socks I'll wear on the day.

S

[Dazza K]

I have seen numerous threads and comments on how long shoes last and how many kn you should do in them. I have also heard that you should never do a long run, or especially a race a long race, in new shoes.

My question is, how much should you have used your shoes before it would be 'safe' to use them in the following types of races:
1. marathon

2. ultra-marathon

3. long bush run such as Willy to Billy or six foot track

I appreciate that this would be different for everybody and it would be dependent on how comfortable they feel, but what have others experienced? :unsure:

I'm looking at getting new shoes before the next big race and want to make sure that I don't cause myself another injury from wearing shoes that aren't 'worn in'

Cheers,
truckie

[miss_skarmel]

So what was the verdict Truckie?

What did you end up doing?

I'm kinda in this predicament now and not sure what to do.

[Derek]

It probably isn't answerable here.

Too many issues would need too be addressed, weight, stride, milage (or should that be kilometreage) etc.

You need to find a shoe supplier that is prepared to work with you, not one that will try to sell you new shoes.

A good relationship with a supplier will provide you with the right shoe and you'll get the right k'age out of them. Then you'll go and buy your next shoes and running gear from him, wont you?

Supermarket type shoe stores may provide cheap shoes but they may do nothing for your running.

If you can afford it buy two pairs and you'll get more than twice the distance as resting a pair of shoes will definitely increase its life.

eg: if one pair is good for 500k's then 2 pair is good for 1000k's but if rested you could get up to 1400k's out of the two pairs or almost 1 free pair of shoes.

And a good dealer will give you a discount on two pairs.

P.S. The obvious answer to the obvious question is: No, I don't have any interest in selling shoes.

[Horrie]

I am quite familiar with your predicament Truckie.

3 weeks before Gold Coast last year, I decided to get new shoes as the ones I was wearing for long training runs weren't offering enough support and my knees were being hammered on long runs. This caused a few problems on race day as my feet were burning on the soles. Although that may have been something to do with the very hot weather during the race.

Now after running 6 Foot Track, I have realised that the shoes I've been wearing have been battered into submission. 6 Foot Track provided the knockout blow. I bought a new pair of shoes last week and wore them on my long run yesterday and they felt fine. Hopefully I won't have the problems from Gold Coast in the cooler climate of Canberra.

I guess I'll find out on race day.

[superflake]

Truckie,
I just walked into the running shop in Edgecliff(Strider but have forgotten the name) and said I was training for Canberra Marathon and was doing 70-80ks a week.
They told me the shoes I bought would last for the training and the Marathon, bought them early January. They still feel good and are not warn at all.
I didn't do Six Foot in them though. <_<

[BDC]

Truckie,
I notice that many people seem to do a lot of kms in their shoes prior to doing long races in them. Just to balance the ledger, I try to wear mine only a couple of times in the lead up to check that they are ok on my feet. Prior to Gold Coast Marathon 2004, I ran a 10km road race in them brand new, then a half marathon and my 3rd run was the marathon - no problems with any of them.

I think you get a feel over time as to whether you have feet that are very sensitive to new shoes and therefore need many more runs or feet that don't seem to mind brand new (or near new) shoes. The point is, try to find out where your feet lie - it is ok to only need a couple of trial runs before race day if your feet seem to tolerate that.

I like to run in newish shoes for marathons because the legs get a hiding over that distance and I figure they need all the cushioning and support they can get. I only run about one per year so would be different if it was one per month. I work on the idea that shoes have the most cushioning when new and it gradually reduces over time - I would have thought that after a couple of hundred kms, the cushioning would be somewhat reduced. But try to find what works for you.

I don't run over marathon distance but I would have thought that if you can run 42kms in a pair of shoes, you could probably run any distance in them as long as they are not light weight racing flats. But others who run further could confirm or refute this. All the best.

[Colac]

Shoes are guaranteed for 600 kms. The experts don't recommend you use them for longer, because the feet are no longer being adequated cushioned.

Of course, most people can't afford to replace expensive shoes that often, so will tend to push them out to 1,000-1,500 kms.

If you are training for ultras, then you need about 300 kms of breaking in for each shoe. You need 6 pairs for a multi-day race, so you can rotate them every 4 hours to minimise blisters.

Old shoes are well stretched, and are more suitable for long runs where your feet swell, but you have to watch that the shoes are still protecting you feet okay.

There have been elite runners who went DNF in a marathon because of blisters - the shoes were not properly broken in.

If you run 200 kms a week, your shoes should theoretically be replaced after 3 weeks.

Funny how the price of tyres keeps falling, and how they keep getting more reliable and lasting longer.

I would like to see a Grand Prix where runners race in relays to push leading brands of shoes to their dizzy LIMITS, and then publish the results.

Now, if we could get all runners to donate $5, we could get the first Grand Prix underway.

Wouldn't be long before shoe companies would be begging us to test their shoes, so that they could make genuine improvements.

Only shoes that survived the Grand Prix would be allowed to display the Coolrunning symbol of quality.

$50 shoes lasting 5,000 kms with the comfort and ride of a Rolls Royce, that lets almost anyone run 200 kms a week without injuries. What a mega endorphin release that would be.

[Colin]

Truckie,

I think it depends on your propensity for getting blisters etc from new shoes.

I run without socks and don't usually get blisters.
In 1990 when I did my last Two Oceans (56km) prior to heading out here, I bought a pair of new shoes on the Monday before the race, walked in it a few times and my first run was the race itself. Absolutely no problems at all.

My latest pair's first run was also a Sunday long run.
I can usually feel the fit of a shoe when trying it on, and it won't be like this for any shoe in the shop of course. If it's a shoe type you usually are comfortable with, it will require little running in.

cheers


ps Bellthorpe, most 'good' shoe stores will replace shoes that have obviously failed.

[Kelvin]

I'd have to say it depends on whether you run in the same model (or similar) all the time and, as Colin says, your propensity to blisters.
Having only had 3 lot's of blisters in 100s of runs (as well as 2 incredibly bad sets from 2 Race Walks :angry: ), i find i can basically run a K or 2 and be fine.
For Instance at the 100K run as part of Sri Chinmoy Ultra Tri, a few years ago bought a pair of shows at their Expo, basically did a lap of the block and then went off that night and did the 100K and had no problems.
Same last year bought my racing flats at Leo Russell on the Saturday walked around Preston Market (got a few strange looks at my orange shoes :D ) and ran Melbourne Marathon the next time, i'd love to be able to blame the shoes for the slow time i ran but really can't !
I think in the ideal world a couple of weeks prior to the race is preferable, say 3 to 6 10K runs if it's a marathon.
As for how long they last think that depends a bit on the surface and distances involved, as after all the "Nike Blue Slippers" i have used for the last 3 Six Foot Tracks are still in good shape (basically having only been used for Trail runs bar the Gold Coast Marathon 2003 and a couple of Half's)
Hope that helps,
Kelvin

[Colac]

Blisters are also correlated with age. Young kids have 80% water content in their bodies, so they blister much easier.

The older you are, the drier your skin, so you should have reducing risk of blisters as you age.

Shoes and sox that don't breathe easily, will heat your feet up in the same way a really hot bath can soften and whiten your skin if you stay in too long.

The gun ultra runners like to have their feet washed every few hours, quick foot massage, fresh sox, rotate their shoes.

Of course in short races, you can't change your shoes, but you can leave your race shoes and socks off until the last minute to minimise buildup of moisture before the race even begins.

Socks need to be broken in also, otherwise they can cause feet swelling from being a tad too tight.

Socks need to be washed several times to age them and let the fibres stretch a bit before you use them in a race. I often leave socks on the line for 3-4 days to give them a good airing, and a chance for rain to give them extra rinses, and the sunlight to kill any remaining bugs that the washing powder dosen't deal with.

Some male runners have worn the feet part of pantihose over or under their socks, so that they have two friction rub layers that may allow the feet to slip a little in the shoes, but not cause a blister so easily.

They sometimes cut out the toe box to cool the feet down and reduce friction rub points.

A good support crew can have their runner back on the track in under two minutes, which allows some refuelling, as well as giving the muscles a chance to clear some lactate and rest the nervous system briefly.....it can be overloaded from continuous running at the same speed.

[Bellthorpe]

Hmm. I've never seen a guarantee of distance on any running shoes I've bought.