by Ujena Fit Club Coach Barry Anderson  By far, the most important piece of equipment for a runner is a good pair of shoes that are designed for running. That seems so obvious but I am often surprised to see runners on the trails and roads around town in a variety of tennis, basketball, or other types of sports shoes that are going to eventually be a problem. Many running injuries are related to improper foot wear or shoes that have been worn past the point of providing proper support and foot strike placement. With all of the excellent brands of shoes built specifically for running today, and the advent of retailers who can fit shoes more precisely to your body size and running form, there is every opportunity for you to use shoes the will work well for you. Just make sure to frequently check for wear patterns on the soles and replace when needed.

Your defiently on track with this article. Seems everytime I get a new pair of shoes I get a PB time in some distance or another. I am still experamenting with shoes at the time and have found my racing shoes but still playing around with diffrent trainers.
Steven Richardson 5/30/12 5:49 am

I am doing most of my training in racing shoes. I try to not wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. I am rotating about six pairs now...
Bob Anderson 6/8/12 12:19 am

I don't have enough space in my house for six pairs of shoes. :)
Richard Stiller 6/8/12 7:49 am

At your low weight (145) and weekly mileage Bob, I would think that training shoes would work fine. If you were pounding out 100 mile weeks that would be a different story. Do you have a pair or two that you save just for races?
Barry Anderson 6/8/12 10:44 am

I do have one pair only for racing and adidas no longer makes it...
Bob Anderson 6/8/12 12:31 pm

I like trainers because they are alittle heavier then my racing shoes. Seems to help with my build up for the race. Then on race day I ware lighter shoes and its seems like I'm running on air.
Steven Richardson 6/8/12 8:50 pm

Good point Steven
Barry Anderson 6/12/12 9:28 am

I found an old pair of New Balance 320's from the 1970's. One of my favorite trainers. But now, looking at them, it is hard to believe I ever could have run in them.
Richard Stiller 6/14/12 7:17 am

I agree with you Rich...I too can not I believed I ran any distance in some of my old shoes...
Bob Anderson 6/14/12 11:03 am

For a year in college we got to try out some Lydiard shoes. He spent several days in Manhattan for some reason and I think he brought a bunch for us to try out. Liked them a lot but they wore out fast...of course that was at a time when we were doing 150 a week for months in a row. Not real sure how long they were made.
Barry Anderson 6/14/12 12:10 pm

I remember my 1st pair of running shoes were Nike Waffle Trainers, blue with yellow swoosh. Remember those?
Bill Dunn 6/14/12 2:57 pm

I remember those well. The Lydiards too. I remember when Nike started to go hog wild on making the soles wider and wider. Sort of like the tail fins on 1957 caddies. I had one pair and the inside of the sole would slash across the inside of my other leg. After that I stuck with NB.
Richard Stiller 6/14/12 4:14 pm

My first pair of running shoes were converse...they were so bad...then I got a pair of adidas that were just as bad...Lydiard, Nike Waffle Trainers, the original New Balance, etc. Now it is adidas in the bright colors that's working for me...
Bob Anderson 6/15/12 6:45 am

My first year or two I ran in Keds.
Richard Stiller 6/15/12 7:02 am

I had coverse also Bob...think they were black with white stripes...very narrow soles.
Barry Anderson 6/15/12 8:44 am

I remember racing in Tiger Jayhawks way back when. Not much sole thickness.
Bill Dunn 6/15/12 3:37 pm

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One thing about new shoes that many don’t realize is the psychological boost that they can provide. A look through the Fit Club site will reveal that people even post comments about their new shoes—and usually about how well their first run went in these shoes. While this boost will fade after a few workouts, racing can be another story.

For those who are planning to participate in races, at some point it would be a good idea to get a pair of shoes designed for racing. These racing shoes are often lighter than training shoes and are generally not designed to handle the wear and tear of your training program. This is where even a greater psychological boost can occur. Race day is just like game day is for a football or basketball player—so put on your racing shoes, your “game day” shorts and singlet, and you will have an edge when the gun goes off.

Finding a good running shoe store can be very helpful.  In Los Gatos, CA Athletic Performance is one of the best around.  Co-owner Christine Kennedy (top master runner) will give you excellent advice.