How Shoes Affect Your Running

By Mariana Echeverri Alvarez, Communications Coordinator

Are Shoes Just Shoes?

At the end of the day, yes, shoes are just shoes, but if you want to get into it, you can effectively use them to increase performance and decrease injury. There are shoes for running, walking, hiking, and pretty much anything or everything. It’s being able to use the right tool for the right job. Imagine using steel-toed shoes for your long runs. That wouldn’t be great… Here, we touch on the different kinds of shoes and features they can provide you to make you a better runner!

What Shoe is the Best Shoe for You?

Proper Fit

When choosing a shoe, you want to ensure that it isn’t too tight or too big. This will lessen the possibility of future foot injuries such as bunions, numb feet, or friction problems around your feet.
A very low-tech way of making sure your shoe fits properly is placing your thumb on your big toe and the tip of the shoe. (Insert sexy thumb/foot pics here.) You want to ensure that about half of your thumbnail is from the tip of the shoe. MOST IMPORTANTLY! You need to do this while you’re standing, as your foot does spread/splay when you’re weight-bearing.
The width of your shoe can also affect its proper fit. Similar to foot length, subtle hints of improper shoe fit can include numbness, blisters, or even spilling over the sole of the shoe.
This can be measured using a footwear measuring device or simply by examining how your foot fits in your shoe.

Stability vs Neutral

Each runner has their own body mechanics when running, and depending on the shoe can possibly aid in those mechanics.
A neutral shoe, which is what most shoes on the market are, speaks for itself. It does not have any additional support for the foot.
A stability shoe is one that has additional supports that help reduce the rolling in of the foot [over pronation].
The best way to know if you need a neutral or stability shoe is to get your gait assessed. Professionals such as physiotherapists, athletic therapists, and shoe specialists can give you more insight into whether you would benefit from a stability shoe.

Heel Drop

What is heel drop? Heel drop or offset is measured in millimeters. This is the difference between the heel to the ground and the forefoot to the ground. Height can vary from none to 14mm. The higher the heel drops, the less the calf muscle will be affected, and vice versa. A higher-heel drop shoe may put more stress on the knees and hips. This may be something to take note of or take into account when purchasing shoes.
Carbon vs. Nylon plated vs. Trail shoe & etc.
As some people may know, there are a ton of different shoes out there. Some may have noticeable differences from one another, or they may all look the same. Some of the shoes that we’ll be touching on that would be handy are daily trainers, plated shoes, and trail runners. For those who are taking on running every day as a fitness venture, all you may need is a daily trainer. Those shoes have normal tread and can vary in cushion and heel drop. Those taking on a road race might want to take a look at some plated shoes. These shoes have fancier and better foam and some sort of plate/material to help with energy return for every stride you take in your race. For us who battle Canadian winters, running outside in a normal runner may be a little scary as traction may be an issue. Trail running shoes have better tread and grip if you’re running in the snow or out in the wild on the trails. Another notable mention of shoe types is gortex shoes. These shoes are tightly woven so that they are waterproof! So, if you enjoy jumping around the puddles in the rain, they may be the shoes for you.

Introduction

Running Shoe Features [specs]: stability, neutral, width, minimalist shoe, carbon vs nylon, trail.
What Type of Shoes & Their Use [examples of shoes]: daily trainers, tempo/speed, long run.

How Many Shoes a Beginner, Novice, or Invested Runner Should Have?

Beginner 2-3 pairs: usually, novice runners should have a daily trainer or long run and tempo/ speed running shoes. We want to be comfortable during our long runs and fast for our speed and threshold running days. Alternating between pairs can help keep our feet healthy and enhance our performance.
Invested Runner 3-4 pairs: for intermediate to expert runners, a daily trainer, long run, tempo, and speed running shoes are usually preferred. Alternating with a few to several pairs can help optimize training and race results.

Conclusion

“Marathon runners with bad shoes suffer the agony of de feet.” Whether you go out for walks, jog, sprint, or run marathons, the right pair of shoes will automatically give you +10 points in your abilities tree. A good pair of running shoes helps injury prevention, improves comfort, enhances performance, provides proper alignment, and foot and arch support, and reduces fatigue. Investing in the right running shoes tailored to your specific foot type, running style, and needs can make a significant difference in your overall running experience.

Personal Advice

For all new curious runners, I advise you to get a daily trainer and a speed running shoe to begin with for your workouts. One is one that you can wear to the ground, and the other is to test your speed. I focus on comfort and stability for my daily trainers and more narrow and slimmer for my speed shoes. The quality of the shoe matters, so take your time and try on as many pairs as you can to ensure the best results.
Recommendations: City Park Runners.
Shoe Brand Recommendations: Saucony, ASICS, New Balance, Brooks, Nike, Adidas, Hoka, ON.
Daily Trainer: ASICS Novablast 5.
Carbon Plated Shoe / Race Day Shoe: Saucony Endorphin 4.
Stability Shoe: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23.
Tempo Shoe / Speed Day Shoe: Adidas Boston 12.