I guess as a runner of only 18 months, I'm a relative newbie here, particularly when it comes to replacement shoes. When I graduated C25K summer last year, I treated myself to a gait analysis and fab new running shoes. And really, I haven't looked back, a brilliant purchase and no injuries since. Recently though, my feet have been feeling a bit sore post run, so a few feet exercises and massage was my therapy. However, I did a 10k this week and boy did my feet feel it by the end. What on earth is the matter? I looked up my running gear stats on Garmin and realised too late really, what the issue was. My runners had run 800k! They were past it. Now fortunately, I had already bought the replacement pair in a lovely sale a little while ago. So today I tried them out...well what a revelation, lovely cushioning and no sore feet. Must remember from now on, to check my shoe mileage if I'm having sore feet. Oh, and the added bonus, my pace was faster even though I thought I was pegging it back a little! Must be the extra bounce. Happy running 🏃♀️
When to retire your running shoes: I guess as... - Bridge to 10K
When to retire your running shoes
Glad you sorted out your feet issues 
(gotta love running in new shoes)
When I started running I assumed that as long as there was tread and no holes in my shoes they'd be OK. Did C25K in a pair that had been in a cupboard for 10 years, all good until my first Parkrun when I really overdid it. Carried away by the excitement I strained a tendon and had to take weeks off. I showed the physio my (still respectable looking) shoes. He folded them in half and said that it was time for new ones.
These days I log how many km the shoes have done and once it gets to the hundreds I check them regularly. Don't want any repeats of all that pain!!
I had a similar revelation, did a few calculations and mine had done about 1,500k since I bought them in 2020 just after I graduated. I did C25K on grass, so wore trail shoes. Admittedly I didn’t do a lot of running in 2022 and 2023. My feet were fine, but on inspection of the road shoes the treads were worn flat in places. They must have lost their cushioning but I didn’t notice! So towards the end of last year I had a gait analysis and replaced them - and my ‘new’ ones have already done almost 500k, (I now log their mileage on Strava) well, I have been running a lot this year! It’s the long runs. They seem fine, but I’ll be getting some more soon! 😊
I can't believe that Stats herself got caught out! And I very much CAN believe that numbers are now logged! 👏🙇🏅😄
🍏👍 👟 I learned my lesson the hard way!! I was busy with the 10k plan on NRC & it was time for speed runs. My feet were SO uncomfortable during the run & then a few days later heel pain! I consulted a physio & was diagnosed with a mild Plantars Fasciitis & had to take a week off running. She told me to buy new trainers as mine had done too much mileage. I went straight back into the 10k plan with my new trainers and never looked back.
We do need to listen to and take care of our feet don't we? I hope not to make the same mistake with this pair of shoes.
Terrific post and discussion.
I've got two weeks of the NRC 10K plan left. I was really pleased that the store where I purchased my first trainers replaced them with a new second pair after my toe poked a hole in my originals after just a few months of use.
This reminds me that I need to note the change in my Garmin!!
That's interesting! I made the mistake of buying two pairs - one a month into running when I started to take it seriously, the next a couple of months later. So I am something like 16 months into running and I put on whichever pair I fancy running in, but I keep no check on how far each pair takes me. I may well switch now and use one pair exclusively for the gym and the other for running.
800k sounds like an awful lot, but I have just worked it out and even if I only count a year and and say I have done (say) 12k a week, then I'm over 600...
This is clearly something I need to keep an eye on!
Doesn’t sound like a mistake to rotate between 2 pairs, sounds like good practice!
I thought I was being clever having two different brands and two slightly different fits, but the expert in store said unless I'm running long distances I'd not really feel the difference between them. I don't really care: emotionally I DO FEEL the difference; the blue pair are more serious and steady, the orange pair got me through C25K feeling awesome about myself & running and are my "run to feel good" shoes.
As long as both pairs fit you and are comfortable to run in, then the difference is what you say it is!😊
Experts in store are not experts in you.
I can't fault the welcome I got, but the worst pair of running shoes I've ever had were fitted by an 'expert' (crucially perhaps, not someone who liked off road running)
I also find it useful to have a couple of different pairs. I switch between road and trail shoes at the moment . It puts the strain different parts of me and seems ro reduce my injury risk. As a bonus the trail shoes don't get torn to shreds by brambles so cheaper than just using road shoes.
Yeah, I've got trail shoes too, but don't run in them that often as the road surface really wears out the soles. I guess that's why they're trail shoes!
I've posted about this before. When I started running ten years ago he advise was 400 - 600 miles from a pair of shoes, now it's 300 - 500, for those who work in KM that equates to roughly 450 - 750 KM.
I never get that much, around 400 KM is about as much as I get. I don't get sore feet, but the shoes feel stiff and I begin to get vague ankle or knee niggles. A couple of ways to test is to try and fold the upper towards the laces, or put your thumb in the sole, if you can press in they are knackered.
Shoes are expensive but we are worth it!
That is a super reply. And I'm going to use the expert "these are knackered" term to my wife as an eminently sensible reason to spend £100+ on a new pair of running shoes ... 🙃😂
Good advice, thanks
I track my running shoes on Garmin connect and I retire them from running at about 800K. That works out as a new pair of shoes every year. However I don’t fully retire them, they become my walking shoes and general about the house shoes. After that they become my mowing and gardening shoes. After about 4 years they retire properly to the bin. Some shoes can go on for a lot longer. I wear Brooks GTS. The new ASICS shoes are estimated to be good for 1,200-1,500 kilometres. Marketing hype from some companies would have you changing running shoes every 300k. Don’t believe the hype.
a timely reminder, I could feel every step this morning and I’ve now got an excuse for shoe shopping 😊😊
Oh, happy shopping, will look out for your pics soon. I've since tried Curlygurly2's folding shoe exercise on my old runners, and it confirmed they were well and truly past their run by date.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Farewell to my favourite running shoes...☹️❤️
Magic shoes?
Time for gait analysis and new shoes!
More holiday running
Hedgehog delayed play, and new shoes truly broken in
New shoes, running errands and an ‘all day’ 10k
Do you mix up your shoes?
New shoes
New shoes!
