So I went to Up&Running Huddersfield today. I was a tad disappointed when leaving as for 1 I was empty handed and 2 I felt I got nowhere with advice etc...
I had a look at the shoes and found a very nice pair in my size and in my price range.
I was then approached by a sales assistant who was, don't get me wrong, very pleasant but in saying that I felt that all he was concerned about was his commission which as a sales person is obvs his no.1 priority.
I explained to him that I had no idea what I was looking out for as I am very new to this running business and I was only just rounding up my second week of couch to 5k. He asked me what kind of running I was going to be doing like road or off road so I said atm it's a bit mixed with me living in a village... He immediately said that the shoe I had in my hand would be no good to me and the only thing I was going to get in my budget was a basic trainer like what I could get from sports direct etc...
He then came out of the store room with 3 pairs of trainers, 1 of which I really liked which was a basic pair of Asics but they were a bit tight. On my way back through kingsgate I had a look in sports direct to find that they sell the Asics range and a shoe exactly the same as the 1 I liked just in a different colour for half the price... I didn't buy them I have decided to look further within the next few weeks...
Thinking Meadowhall or Leeds??
Written by
Jade1988
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Did the shop assistant video you running on a treadmill? If not, walk away. For a first pair of shoes you need to know if you are an over pronator, under pronator or neutral runner. Once you know this a good shop will guide you to the most suitable type of shoe in terms of support. It's important to get this right as the wrong shoe will significantly increase the risk of injury. It's worth investing in a good shoe (the right shoe isn't the most expensive though). Different brands suit different foot widths. Again a good shop will advise. If you don't think you were getting this advice, leave. The shop I bought my first proper pair of running shoes initially refused to sell me some because they didn't have suitable ones in stock - they made me come back 3 weeks later.
If you are on week 2 now, you can probably wait a couple of weeks. If you are mixing up your running, I would go for a pair of light trail shoes. They are a general compromise for a first pair of shoes. In time, when you know what type of running you really want to do, you can specialise (says the guy who currently has 5 different pairs in regular use...).
Ahhhhh thank you so much for your reply AdamB. That's exactly what I thought... Now as far as I have been made aware (not by the shop i went to today) the "treadmill test" is about 25 quid if you don't buy their shoes but free of you do!!! I have absolutely no idea what kind of runner I am and living where I live there is a good mixture of grounds that I cover... Lanes, roads, gravel etc... what would YOU say is a good pair of lightweight trail shoes?? Brand etc...
Sounds like you went to the wrong shop. Don't feel down, best to leave with nothing than the wrong shoe and then feel you've wasted money. It's important to get a gait analysis and know how you run. For me, I know I have dodgy knees and need extra padding under and I found out I pronated quite a lot so got recommended a pair of shoes and have been very pleased with the investment (it was!).
Have a look in the pinned posts as there is one about shoes, which is interesting.
Now I may be wrong but I think trail shoes only have neutral because they are thinner under and the idea is that you land how your foot lands naturally. This means that if you are running on tarmac (which I would avoid if possible) then you might not have enough cushioning under. Maybe AdamB light trail shoes are something different?
As soon as I put my running shoes on they felt like slippers and I knew they were right.
It's a good idea to go in the evening when your feet are tired and any little niggle, do not buy, it will only get amplified when you use them.
Jade, I went to Up & Running in Leeds city centre and they were great. They have just moved into a new, larger store, so their stock is pretty good. I was not told I would need to pay for the treadmill and Emma who looked after me was really knowledgeable, kept within my budget but brought out shoes in the sale first. I did buy, so not 100% sure about paying if I hadn’t, but as I said she never mentioned it. I have heard that Runners Need in Leeds are also good: inside Snow & Rock. I am fairly sure you pay for the treadmill there. It’s a shame you had a bad experience: I think it’s all down to the individual you deal with. They should be a runner to understand your needs but understand that as new to the sport you won’t want to pay top dollar. I hope you get the right help: perhaps if you go in and don’t browse but ask for help and explain your previous experience? They’ll surely bend over backwards to serve you well and therefore keep your custom.
I got my shoes from the Runners Needs in Snow & Ice in Leeds. They put me on the treadmill and I could clearly see that I needed support as my ankle was leaning inwards more so on one foot than the other. They actually went onto the internet in front of me and looked for the best price in the shoe, I felt most comfortable in (I tried on 3 pairs) then they did a price match. I didn't pay for the gait test and there was never any mention of it. They knew I was only on week 4 of C25K at the time and were really helpful.
By light trail shoes, I wasn't meaning light weight. Rather I was meaning something with a bit of grip to go on a light trail (as opposed to something like the Salomon Speedcross which are like the running equivalent of tractor tyres - deep grips that will get you through 6" deep mud, but aren't very practical for the road sections).
I'm hesitant to recommend brands as what suits me may be built on totally the wrong last for you. I quite like Addidas Energy Boost for road shoes, for example, but they are far too narrow for many people.
I've never had to pay for a gait test. I've made it clear that I'm a genuine customer who would buy from a shop as long as they had something suitable (rather than having an evaluation and then buying from the internet) and I've not had a problem. Sometimes I've bought and sometimes I haven't. A good shop wants you to get the right shoes because you will keep on coming back. Because they want you to get the right ones they should automatically offer a gait test if they think you are a genuine potential customer. If they are prepared to sell you a first pair but charge extra for the gait test, look for somewhere else. Also, be aware that you may want to move up or down a size from your regular shoe to get the right fit. Take your running socks with you when you try shoes on.
I'm a neutral runner so can't comment about good brands for support. I've also no particular allegiance to any one brand. My road shoes for 10K to HM are Addidas Energy Boost 3. My light trail shoes for messing around on longer runs on mixed terrain are Saucony Echalon 5. My cross country shoes for heavy mud are Salomon Speedcross and my shoes for runs up to 10K or so are Xeroshoes Prio (road) and Terraflex (trail) i.e. I go for what feels comfortable and does the job. I've built this collection up over a number of years though. The Xeroshoes are a special and I would be wary about recommending them generally. I have arthritis in both knees and these shoes have very thin soles with no padding. The lack of padding stops me heel striking (it's too damn painful). Not heel striking reduces the impact on my knees and I love them because of this. It's not for everyone though. I also end up running more slowly in them, but speed isn't everything.
In summary, don't get stuck on brand, but go for shoes that feel right for you. A good running shop may charge £20 more than the discount outlet for the same shoe, but at least you will have shoes that won't end up being thrown to the back of the cupboard because you end up on the injury bench after using them. Once you've found a style that suits, you can always buy the same from the discount warehouse next time.
Hi Jade. That’s really disappointing especially when you made the effort to get your footwear sorted.
I went to runners need in Sheffield and was fitted up with a pair of Asics which began to badly irritate a bunion I have, they are very small fitting & advice online is to go up a size which I didn’t know until after, they felt fine in the shop but I couldn’t wear them in the end. I managed to sell them on so then I went to Up & Running in Leeds and received great service. I have life insurance with Vitality who are partnered with Up & Running and are offering 50% discount on one pair of trainers a year which means I didn’t have to worry too much over the price really happy with the ones I bought (which are Brooks) and a little bit wiser 👀
Definitely don’t go to Meadowhall, there isn’t a dedicated running shop there anymore. I went to Accelerate on Attercliffe Road, about 10 minutes from Meadowhall and they were great. I ended up with a lovely pair of bright red trail shoes that are really comfy. Best of luck!
Thank you everyone for your comments and support it's really highly appreciated 😀 I'm gonna go to Leeds in a couple of weeks and I really can't wait... I have my last run of week 2 today. Starting with week 3 tomorrow!! I know I should have a days rest but skipped yesterday due to the weather so making up today... hope you all have a fabulous Sunday xx
Make sure you have your rest day it's really important for your body to prevent injury (particularly as your shoes may not be perfect at the moment). Good luck with the programme. 😁
Pretty sure I read on here a couple of days ago that all trail shoes are neutral, so if you're not, that will be an issue, and money wasted.
I think that you should have gait analysis, to be fair I used Up and Running in Chester, they offer gait analysis as a matter of course, and they were very knowledgeable.
I had my gait assessed by a sports physio , but that is a different issue.
If you Google gait analysis near me you should find somewhere else.
I think runnersneed can be a bit hit and miss and depending on the staff. I would recommend trying an independent running shop in your local area if you have one. You can ask at parkrun or running clubs for recommendations. A gait analysis will be done for your 1st pair of shoes to see how you run. Good luck with your search.
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