Choosing Running Shoes

For beginner runners, choosing a running shoe can be a daunting process. Try not to become overwhelmed or swayed by pushy salespeople. Instead, perform a little research and then decide upon the appropriate running shoe for your needs. Here are some tips for choosing running shoes:

1. Place a sheet of newspaper on a hard floor.
2. Wet your feet and then stand on the paper, allowing the weight of your body to rest equally on both legs, and then step off of the paper.
3. With a marker, trace your footprints and study the imprints. If there is little indication of an arch, then you have flat feet and are considered an over-pronator. A medium arch is indicative of neutral pronation and high-arched feet are termed supination or under-pronation. You need to know which term applies to your feet before you can choose an appropriate running shoe. Pronation can also be determined by looking at the shoes you wear each day. If the outside is more worn than the inside, you have under-pronation.
4. Before you visit a shoe store, determine if you will run on pavement, grass, or a track, and visit the store late in the day or after a run, wearing the socks you normally wear during a run.
5. Have the salesperson measure your feet, and choose the shoe size that fits your larger foot. Discuss with the salesperson the terrain on which you run, your pronation, and then try on several pair of shoes.
6. When trying on shoes, press a finger to the top of the shoe, just above your great toe. Your fingertip should fit easily into the spot between the end of the shoe and your toe.
7. Choose a shoe with a large toe box, with wiggle room for your toes, an arch bump that hits your arch at the back of your arch, and a heel with a snug fit.

Test the shoes by running in the store. If the heel slides up and down as you run, then the shoe does not fit properly. It may take time and several stores to find the proper running shoe, but it is time well spent if you find the perfect fit. If you find that you've bought running shoes that hurt your feet or create blisters, return them for a refund or exchange. Always determine the store's return policy prior to buying your running shoes.