Don't Put Off Buying New Shoes

My dad has a saying, "don't put off buying new tires." It's not worth the potential wear and tear on your car, or even a possible safety risk, of delaying this important purchase. I'd say this wisdom extends to running shoes as well. Good running shoes help support your body and reduce the chance of injury.

Conventional wisdom says to replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles. I'm diligent about tracking my running miles - my silver/purple/coral Saucony Guide 7s have 225.2 miles on them. Which would suggest they still have some life in them. What I'm NOT good about, however, is refraining from wearing my running shoes when not running. I try to wear my older shoes when I'm not running, but sometimes I'm wearing something that matches the silver/purple/coral better. And those times, I let fashion overrule my better judgement.

Back in August these were brand new!

In late December, I noticed the numbness in my feet seemed to be getting worse again. I've had it under control for a while with the switch to wider shoes, Lock Laces, Superfeet inserts, and run/walk intervals. I wondered if my neuromas were getting worse. I worried about what to do. And then it occurred to me that I might just need new shoes. Is it possible these shoes were really over 300 miles with the unlogged walking around? Yes. Is it possible that I'm hard enough on my shoes that I need to replace them closer to 300 miles than 500? Yes.

Coach Shannon special-ordered the new Saucony Guide 8s for me in size 6 wide. I've learned I need to size up a whole size & width to accommodate my swelling & neuromas (I wear size 5 medium-width street shoes). The wide shoes usually only come in one or two color combinations, unlike the medium width shoes. I selected the white/twilight/pink color because: 

1. I like them better than the grey/sunset/citron option that also comes in wide, and 
2. They are similar enough to my old white/teal/citron shoes so I should be able to avoid the fashion urge to wear my active running shoes while walking around, which diminishes their running life.

my new Saucony Guide 8s with pink Lock Laces

I finally got to put my 13.1 BeeCause Charm
on my shoes! This came in a RunnerBox last year.

Since I was buying new shoes, I also bought new Superfeet inserts. I've been wearing the berry Superfeet. But I suspected that my high arches and pronation would benefit from the extra support of the green Superfeet, and decided to try them out this time. 

berry vs. green, top view
(berry has been worn for 6 months)

berry vs. green, side view
Here you can see the additional support in the green

I tested out my new shoes on a short run earlier this week, and today was the long run test. I ran 6.2 miles with no numbness or discomfort. It was such a relief to feel my feet for the whole run again! 

Having the right shoes to support your runs is so important! I recommend getting professional help at a running store to have your gait analyzed and your needs assessed. Saving money is nice, but when it comes to shoes, don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Know what you need, and when you need it. Don't put off buying new shoes!