Running Shoe Advice! Ditch the Clouds?

[316neil]

Hello lovely peeps.

First a bit of back story to this. I have suffered from tight calf muscles (both Gastoc and Sol) for most of the year. I'm very much on the mend now, having taken on some strength/core training. I under-pronate (supinate) and tend to heel strike, which means my 2nd pair of Cloudflows are ready for replacing now.

Bearing in mind that the sessions with my PT are slowly fixing the gait issue, and that I need new trainers now, not when I've sorted that out, what should I go for? I absolutely adore the cloud flows, they are so light, and running feels wonderful. I ove them! However, they are expensive, and for me they don't last very long. Now Strava is currently down for me, but I'm pretty sure I've done 300k or less in the current pair. I suspect they are really meant to be track shoes though I guess, and I'm doing road running with them. Oh - I also wear orthotics to correct my supination.

So what do you lovely, wise, experienced people think? The way I see it I have 3 options:

1. Buy another pair of Cloudflows

2. Buy a different, more resilient show from On, such as the Cloudflyer.

3. Jump brand (scary!)

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks everyone!

Neil

[Goforitmama Graduate10]

My method is to stick with a reputable shop, listen the the sales persons advice, don’t look at price tags, don’t get swayed by anything snazzy looking and just go with what feels good on. So far it’s worked for me.

300k seems a little short, I thought we should get closer to 500k - but I’m certainly not an expert. Are you hard wearing on your other running shoes too?

p.s. I’ve not been on here much recently, but I am delighted that you are back 😃

[316neil Graduate10 in reply to Goforitmama]

Thank you for the kind thoughts, yeah I'm back, though I tend to chat more on Strava these days than on here. But anyway, here I am!

I did purchase my first pair of Cloudflows from a running shop with advice, so I'm happy with the choice from that respect. Since I got serious about running I've only got the first pair of Cloudflows (retired) and my Cloudventure trail shoes, which are great, but a little sturdier, and have much less distance on them, so I'm not seeing any bad wear on those yet, though I can see that the areas of the heel that are really bad on my flows are noticably more worn on the trail shoes. I know I do have an issue with heel striking, hence why I'm doing plenty of stuff to try and correct it.

Hope that makes sense!

[Goforitmama Graduate10 in reply to 316neil]

Maybe stick with whatever works for you, switching to something else might work out or it might be a false economy and cost more in the long run (no pun intended).

[Coddfish Graduate10]

Distance will depend on where you run, how you run, and the shoes. 300k doesn’t seem wrong if you heel strike and run on hard surfaces. If you get on with cloudflows, stick with them.

[316neil Graduate10 in reply to Coddfish]

Thanks Coddfish , yeah I was thinking the same, and they are lovely shoes. The truth is I think I want another pair of the same, but I'm forcing myself to be open minded!! I was hoping I could hold out a few more months, but I can feel the support is going at the heel. Most of my running with them is on roads/cycle paths as I tend to use my Cloudventures for more trails/offroad.

Thanks for the input - food for thought

[Hidden]

This is a strange one for me because I am trail runner at heart, i grew up running in the countryside in Yorkshire. I have some Inov-8 trail shoes.. they're just socks with spikes, your foot can feel the ground.. no cushioning, nothing. I know the ground is softer, but I'm sceptical about all this high tech foam, remember Bill Bowerman made the first Nike shoe with a waffle iron...

BUT, I do love a comfortable road trainer... i'm a neutral runner, so i just want comfort on those long road runs.

Wow, i haven't helped at all.. sorry Neil.

[316neil Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hidden , you have helped actually, you've reminded me that comfort is important, thank you!

Socks with spikes... I laughed at that!!

[Hidden in reply to 316neil]

That's what it's all about.. what you're comfortable with, and that can sometimes mean trust in the brand, so go for whatever makes you feel 'comfortable'

[Sadie-runs Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

The book Born to Run totally put me off a heavily cushioned shoe, Clubberlang...which is why I ended up running in On shoes.

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

I love that book... that book inspired me. So if you like them, it's a good endorsement.

[Deals1 Graduate10 in reply to Sadie-runs]

I'm reading that book now.. 😊 😊 Not very far in tho yet

[Hidden in reply to Deals1]

It's great. It made flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers run the Boston Marathon.. powerful stuff.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

Hi 316neil ....I know how much you love your cloudflows...I can’t believe you’ve gone through 2 pairs already?! I would be a bit worried about switching brands too....I have cloudflyers and I do love them, I can highly recommend the flyers they do feel far more sturdy than the flows..

[Sadie-runs Graduate10]

Oooh I totally understand your dilemma, buddy! I love my On Cloudflyers, and am on my 3rd pair...but I don’t think they take as much wear as other shoes, purely because they are less “cushioned”, which is why I wear them though - there are theories out there that say more heavily cushioned shoes could have led to an increase in running injuries - read “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. However, that is controversial, so let’s not go there!

Cloudflyers (as worn by the esteemed Mummycav and I) are On’s stability shoe. I love them. Light and responsive. However, like you, I have been toying with the idea of trying another brand, but purely because On are so expensive AND don’t last as long as other brands. But I love them so! Gawd, if you find the answer to this dilemma, do fill me in!

Sadie xx

PS I do like the look of Saucony, but yet to try them out...

[Katnap Graduate10]

Hi 316neil. Echo. I also heel strike and supinate on landing but pronate on the drive phase... All worked out by looking at the wear on my old C25K running shoes!

Do you have arched feet?

I've tried loads of brands (no loyalty) but I can say with certainty that using running shoes designed for arched feet are more comfy for me.

The brand that has worked for me so far is Asics. Gel Torance (old C25K shoes that I should retire, lightweight and little cushioning) and Gel Venture (a touch more cushioning but deeper tread for trail running).

Basically, if you try on a pair of shoes and they're not comfy or move/rub when walking around the shop floor then take them off try a different size of the same shoe and if that doesn't work then ditch them.

As said earlier in the thread, ignore the price, comfort is king.

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[316neil Graduate10]

Hi guys, apolgies for not replying personally to Mummycav , Sadie-runs and Katnap , but I realised I was going to say the same thing, which is that *drumroll please* I have made my decision and I've ordered yet another pair of the Cloudflows. In the end I realised I love these shoes, my feet feel so good in them. I'm going to give them another chance, and see if I get more distance from this pair, now that I'm correcting my gait issue. How did it ever get to the point where I'm getting excited about running shoes???

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10 in reply to 316neil]

Good idea 316neil ...better the devil you know!? Shoe excitement...watch excitement...and I get runners world magazine excitement...what’s going on?!