I think that many of us tend to put too many miles on our shoes before replacement. In my experience, a shoe can look perfectly OK on the outside and even the sole may look OK, but it may have lost cushinging and support. Depending upon the shoe, I usually get between 400-600 miles. I also alternate shoes. I currently have three in a rotation. I use the newer ones for my longer runs, the next newer for shorter/faster runs, and the oldest for trails, grass or dirt runs. I also have two other models that I use for racing, treadmill and speed. So, now you know my secret---I have 5 pairs of running shoes that I am currently using.

When I find a model that I like, I usually buy 2-4 pair and stockpile them. I've learned from experience that if I like a particular shoe, it will most likely be discontinued. Right now I am wearing the Nike Zoom Hayward. The women's version has been discontinued. I still have one pair in stock, but I will soon have to find a replacement. When I do, I will buy 2-4 pair.

I have always worn Nikes. People often ask for recommendations on which brand to wear. The answer is whatever brand fits your foot and works well for you. There is no magic brand that is good for everyone.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

So... don't I have to wait until a hole appears on the sole?
I also rotate them.. sometimes I wear the left one in the right side; sometimes I wear them backward! However, they don't fit so good!
I guess I get between 400-600 miles and replace them. I just put the old ones in the car trunk just in case I forget to take my newer shoes for a race out of the city!

By the way, let me tell you something silly that happened to me during a Crescent City Classic a couple of years ago. I prepared everything the day before and then went with my family to New Orleans and stayed in a Holiday Inn in Metaire the night before. I went to the Expo, got my bib number and goodies, and went back to the hotel. After the kids went to bed, I got all my running gear "ready." But guess what! I forgot to bring my running shoes (at the time I wore some fancy $110 New Balance shoes). It was already almost 10pm. I was so mad with myself! what could I do? Everything was close at that time! Anyway, I went outside, got in the car, and started driving looking for some place. After 15 minutes of wandering the streets, I found a K-Mart that was still open. I got in there and of course there was not any kind of running shoes! I only found these 10-pounds ugly white shoes, and said: what the heck? I am already here; I have to run with something! I bought the $13 shoes and went back to the hotel.
End of the history....The next day I lined with my funny heavy shoes in the Superdome, started running, and got a PR for the distance!! - Can you believe it?

In the past, we could get close to 600 miles on our shoes. I think the running companies figured out how to make them so that they would break down faster. Now I am lucky to get 400 miles on a pair.

Do you think that those are the shoes that Nestor is still wearing? I thought you bought all your shoes at Wal-mart. I am disappointed that you chose to purchase them from K-mart. I think that whoever wins shoes at Trek the Trace shoulod donate them to Nestor Raul, especially with all this marathon training that he is doing.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

I sense that Nestor Raul is getting a bit testy with this topic of his choice in running shoes. Remember, I said that each of us should wear what works best for us. If Nestor Raul can find K-mart, Wal-mart of whatever and continue to beat me and many other Pacers, who am I to judge? By the way, Nestor Raul, were you able to wear those shoes that Hollie found at Timberton and gave to you? If so, that must have been the best deal of all.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

I've answered 500-600, but I sometimes get more....but what I get and what I should get are often two different numbers. I probably should hang up shoes long before I do in most cases.

You know, I don't know how many miles I get out of my shoes. I guess because I have been so bad at keep track of how many miles I actually run, I have no idea. I do know when my feet start bothering me that the cushion must be wearing out, so I try and change them before I start having more serious problems and can't run. I also rotate shoes a lot. When I was a highschool runner, I had some Nike waffle trainers and I wore those till the waffles wore smooth and my toe was coming out the top. I loved those shoes and I was very sad when I had to retire them. They were my first running shoes. Back then, I could run barefoot and never get injuries. Oh the good ole days!!

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Catch you on the run!! Audrey

I rotate training/running shoes and brands (read once in a Sally Edwards book that your feet 'get used to' a specific shoe model and this can lead to injuries so she advocated changing brands), so I wear Adidas and Saucony.

I don't keep track of mileage but I rarely use a pair of running shoes for an entire calendar year unless I am keeping them for special purpose (i.e., bad weather running) or they are 'racing' shoes. I reserve one pair of shoes as 'racing' shoes (which become training shoes after a season of racing). I read in Runners World that having exclusive 'racing shoes' can give you a psychological boost when racing (cannot say if it works or not although I do like the feel of new or almost new shoes).

I buy my shoes (new) on ebay so I tend to sometimes have shoes that are a model year or so old ("new old stock"). I try to stay aware of variations in models but price is really a big deciding factor for me; I've found that early in the year (between Xmas and February) is a pretty good time for deals on running shoes. So far, I've found that any Adidas sz 7 or Saucony sz 7.5 fits me.

Since I log everything else, I keep thinking that I'll start noting which shoes I wear to keep track of mileage but I never seem to get around to it.

sheryl c.

Oh my! You are getting older. That's one of the things that happens; your foot flattens out so that you have to get bigger shoes. I used to wear 7.5 and now I have to get 8 to 8.5.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

I am still looking for the odometer on my shoes.

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Later,


charles J.