“How do I know whether or not the shoes I am using will have enough life to get me through my next half or full marathon?”

“How close to race day should I purchase the shoes I am planning on using for my half or full marathon?”

The two previous questions are the most common questions that runners and triathletes ask running shoe store owners concerning the topic of shoes. Luckily, the answer to these two questions is fairly simple and logical. Runners and triathletes should run their half to full ironman distance events in the running shoes’ “prime,” which is typically between 50 and 150 miles.

Running shoes are made of very supple materials in comparison to leather boots or dress shoes. As a result, they don’t need to be broken in very much. Conceivably, if a runner is familiar with a certain shoe, he or she could pull a brand new pair out of the box and run the race. This practice is not recommended, but is better than running on a shoe that has too many miles on it.

The typical life of a shoe is 300-400 miles. Thus, a running shoe is obviously still good after the 150 mile mark. However, after a shoe reaches approximately 150 miles, it starts to lose its capacity to cushion and support towards the end of longer runs. As a result, on race day a marathoner runs the risk of having the shoe fail towards the end of the race when the foot and body need the most protection and support. Aside from being uncomfortable, if the shoe fails at say mile 18, 20, or 25, it can contribute to longer recovery time after the marathon and may cause the triathlete to slow the pace significantly, possibly costing the triathlete that valuable Kona slot.

In order to keep a running shoe in its prime leading into a marathon, a triathlete should use the planned racing shoe during several short runs and at least one long run. It is not recommended that he or she wait until the last long training run because, there is not another long run to correct any shoe problems that may arise.

If we look at a time frame counting backwards from the event, the last long run should be no closer than three weeks before the race. The second to last long run should be two to three weeks before that. The race day shoe should be purchased a week before the second to last long run. That puts the purchase time for the marathon shoe at 4 to 6 weeks before the event.

Purchasing a shoe at the recommended time and testing it with a few short runs and a long run should get the shoe near the 50-mile point. After that, the best thing to do is to box the shoe back up until race day. This will ensure that the shoe used on race day is proven to work for the runner and is still in its “prime.”
If you have to buy your shoe closer to race day than you’d like, don’t worry. Again, it is better to run on a shoe that has fewer than 50 miles than a shoe that has more than 150. If you only have a few weeks before race day, try to get a shoe that’s very similar to the one that you have used for the majority of your training. A specialty shoe sales person should be able to help you find a shoe that closely matches the one you have been training in.

Listed below are a few tips on finding the right shoe for you.

Step 1: Match Your Foot Type to the Correct Category

Cushion – Under-pronation to neutral
Stability – Neutral to moderate pronation
Motion Control – Moderate to severe pronation

Your specialty shoe sales person can help you identify what category you match.

Step 2: Find the Proper Fitting Shoe

• Buy according to comfort and fit, not brand or style.
• Proper length is a full thumbs width from the end of the longest toe to the end of the shoe
• Proper width allows your foot to move freely in the ball of the foot without slipping on the heel

Step 3: Find the Proper Inserts

• Inserts can help to provide a better fit
• Inserts are less costly than custom orthodics

Orthotics: Orthopedic inserts designed to support cushion the heel joint and reduce over-pronation, foot fatigue, and provide more efficient energy transfer to the ground (Power).

Cushion Inserts: Provide an additional layer of protection to help absorb shock. This not only protects the body, but it also protects the shoe, adding durability.

Step 4: Look for specialty shoes made for triathletes

For example, this Adidas ClimaCool Kona triathlon specific shoe provides:

• A laceless “hug” system for a quicker T2
• Soft lined inside to go sans socks, and holes throughout the bottom of the shoe for water drainage
• ClimaCool 360 degree cooling and GeoFit construction for anatomical fit and comfort
• Male and female specific shoes/sizing.

Ryan Dolan is a local shop manager and former national account manager for a leading swim/multisport company. Ryan can be contacted by email at ryan@saltlakerunningco.com.

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