Running is one of the most popular activities among those who want to keep fit. But how do you choose the right shoe?
Running shoes I like to stop and watch how people run, there would be a lot to say, but this is not the right arctic; then I look at people how they dress, how they breathe, what shoes they use.
It is incredible to note that even the less professional and more neophyte person wears technical clothing that is sometimes very expensive, mp3 with a stratospheric value but and here comes the bad unsuitable shoes. If you wear a Calvin Clain T-shirt or pick it up in the most remote corner of your home, your body reacts the same way, your performance will not change, and the harm or good of running will be the same.
There are many models of running shoes and the latest one is always called revolutionary. The consumer is confused (especially if he is a neophyte). Each new model is always presented as better than the previous ones, manufactured with materials, processes and / or ergonomics capable of guaranteeing comfort and effectiveness for runners. And advertising is likely to make the choice even more difficult. But if you miss the shoe, you can't run well and, moreover, you put your joints and back at risk. Some experts, confidentially, admit that around 130 or 150 dollars per pair, all models are the same. However, you need to know which one best suits your expectations, even if you choose among the cheap running shoes. Beyond the tastes and colors, which are not discussed, the choice of a shoe depends on very specific criteria that correspond to the morphological profile of the runner, his level of practice and the chosen terrain.
What are the criteria by which you must choose?
Basic rule: your running shoe must be suitable for your type of support. Whether you have a neutral support or a more or less slight pronation support (translated in a nutshell with the foot falling inside) there are many models on the market perfectly suited to your way of running. How to understand the way you place your foot? Specialized stores have treadmills, special platforms and above all a very long experience of feet and footwear: very simply I suggest when you change shoes to bring your used shoe with you because you just have to observe the sole to understand where it is most worn and consequently how you rest your feet.
Is it true that it also depends on the morphology of the foot and the weight of the runner?
There are models more suitable for a large plant or a narrow plant, a high neck or a narrow neck or the shape of the toes of one's feet. Without forgetting that the most sophisticated running shoes have tires with different densities for male and female models, models that already differ in the weight and width of the plant. And proposed weight: it is clear that ultralight shoes are perfect for performing athletes but are absolutely harmful for beginners, perhaps even overweight. I always suggest as a first running shoe a very cushioned shoe as if it were an accident insurance policy, then the time will come for the lighter and more flexible models.
Does the choice also depend on the terrain on which you run? Because?
On the market there are trail running models (and brands specialized in this sector), shoes designed to run on unpaved terrain, with a often very sculpted sole and with strong grip and with a series of reinforcements to repair your feet that in case of climbs and descents need even more protection. In general, instead, to run in city parks with unpaved but well-beaten sections, classic running shoes are fine.
After how long is it good to change shoes and why?
In recent years, the manufacturing companies have chosen the path of lighter, softer materials for shoes that are immediately ready for use: all this has led to a shorter product life. Going beyond 1000km of full reliability with a modern running shoe is now almost impossible except in the case of very light athletes or efficient biomechanics. Many take their mileage into account thanks to their loyal training companions or their GPS watches. If in doubt, you can easily do some empirical tests to understand where your shoe is. You can place it on the table and see if it hangs to one side (imagine the stresses your foot is subjected to in that crooked shoe ...). Or you can check the forefoot: if by pressing with the thumb in the area where there are notches for flexing the foot, the material yields as if it were 'deflated', it means that the shoe is now empty.
To run efficiently, do socks also count?
Definitely. That's why it's always better to have at least a few running socks in your drawer. There are a thousand types (for height, weight, material and obviously color) and they are often a real concentrate of technology specifically for your foot. The right sock of the right size, better if differentiated right and left, with reinforced heel and toe working in synergy with the right shoe can preserve from blisters, sores and mycoses. And forget about the cotton tubulars, a material that absorbs and retains sweat and humidity. It is better to choose technical and synthetic materials that make the foot breathe, expelling sweat outside and always keeping it cool and dry.
How to adjust with the measure? Does the shoe have to be perfectly right, a little narrower or on the contrary wider?
The running shoe is always to be purchased half a point larger than the models you use every day. Because it is true that thanks to the new uppers often without seams, the shoe quickly takes the shape of its foot. But it does so by expanding by not stretching. And with the wrong number, the hated marathon runner's black nail is lurking.
