Footwear and running go hand in hand, it’s our feet that strike the ground first and last. Choosing the correct footwear for your running gait and your terrain is very important. The correct stability in road running footwear will help prevent injury, improve comfort and in turn help us perform to the best of our ability. With so many different makes and models on the market, finding a new pair of trainers can be a daunting task. We asked our friends at Alton Sports for their advice on choosing the right pair of running shoes.
Trainers don’t last forever; running footwear has a life expectancy of roughly 500 miles and rubber is so advanced these days that the tread on the sole of running shoes may not fade or wear away as you clock up those miles, it’s the inside of the shoe that falls apart and stops protecting us. If you are questioning the cushioning or stability of your footwear the best thing to do is pop into a shop and try on a fresh pair of your exact model, this way you’ll feel the difference and know straight away if your trainers need changing up. Alton Sports are specialists in fitting footwear for all sports however the highest percentage of customers looking for gait analysis are those who run on roads. Gait analysis is an assessment to find the correct amount of stability you might need while you run or walk, the test is either preformed on a tread mill or up and down a flat pavement. It’s a really simple test that isn’t scary at all and benefits all ages and abilities.
Top Tip: Gait analysis is best performed while you have a slight fatigue in your leg muscles, this way we see what happens mid or end run/walk when you’re are most likely to get an injury.
Alton Sport’s Top 5 Tips for choosing new running shoes
1 – Options
The best thing to do is go into a specialist retailer for advice and analysis, this way your options will be the correct ones for you, not just the correct colour!
2- Time
Make sure you have time to test a few different models out, either walking around the shop or a quick run on a treadmill.
3 – Open mind
Don’t go shopping with ‘Jenny runs a 35min 10k in her Asics, Asics must be the best’ be open to options and colour, after all they are only going to get dirty at some point!
4 – Questions
Ask your fitter questions and make sure you fill them in with previous footwear options and what you thought of them. We love to hear all about previous issues, future plans etc, all this information really helps footwear fitters find your perfect match!
5 – Comfort
At the end of the day it’s all down to the most important factor, which pair feel the most comfortable!
Happy Shopping!
