Best outdoor running shoes? : I have read about... - Couch to 5K

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Best outdoor running shoes?

Ruby_Ru profile image
9 Replies

I have read about gait analysis - but want an idea what kind of trainers most are running in. Thanks.

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Ruby_Ru profile image
Ruby_Ru
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9 Replies
IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

This FAQ Post about buying running shoes may help healthunlocked.com/couchto5... a gait analysis done at a specialist running shop and find out what suits your running style, rather than take advice from someone else whose perfect shoe may be wholly unsuitable for you.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate

No one on here can advise you on what running shoes are best for you !Ideally have a gait analysis done at a dedicated running shop and they will then advise you.

What's good for someone else could actually cause injury to you .

Have a look through the FAQ linked to by IannodaTruffe

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

These are what I'm running in outdoors. Not sure if you'd be interested in them. 🤣

eu.vibram.com/en/shop/shop-...

Vibram V-Run
Ruby_Ru profile image
Ruby_Ru in reply to nowster

My brother uses these!!!

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate in reply to Ruby_Ru

What does he think of them? I've been wearing such shoes since late 2011, but never ran in them until I started C25K in 2020.

John_W profile image
John_WGraduateAmbassador

Go to a website such as SportsShoes.com or StartFitness and have a look at the shoes section - then look at the brands available and you'll see a huge number of them.

The 2 really big and most well-known brands are Adidas and Nike, which are also known for their fashion trainers/shoes. But they both make very popular and much-loved models of running shoes.

Apart from that, you have more specialist but also very popular brands such as Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Saucony, Hoka, On, Mizuno, 361, Karrimor etc etc. And then within each brand you have all sorts of different models ...

There's no 'best' shoe - but there'll be a range of shoes that suit you, based on your budget, your feet shape and your gait.

The key is try LOTS of brands on and see what you like.

TOP TIP: go for a size at the very minimum of 0.5 size bigger than your normal shoe. Very common to go a full size up. You want and should not be afraid of, lots of space around your toes.

Ruby_Ru profile image
Ruby_Ru in reply to John_W

Thanks for this advice!

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoGraduate

I bought my first running shoes from somewhere like Sports Direct. I asked an assistant what they'd recommend, luckily they must have known what they were talking about as the trainers did me really well and got me through C25K (having sat in a cupboard more or less unused for 10 years, oops). They were ASICS.The second pair were also ASICS, bought after a gait analysis. They were good while they lasted but lost all their oomph after only about 400km of running. I'm now wearing Brooks which I bought at the same specialist running shop as my second ASICS. The guys in there are very knowledgeable and it's worth maybe paying a bit more for that experience (although I got the Brooks for a very good price). As everyone has said, you need to buy from a shop where they know their stuff.

Cmoi profile image
CmoiGraduate

Hi Ruby_Ru , you've probably already picked this up from other posts, but the surface you run on will affect your choice as well. Hard, smooth, even roads and pavements require different shoes from fields and muddy, grassy, gravelley, stony, steep trails.

In the future you'd also want to take into account weekly mileage and distance. It's not worth worrying about that now though, and once you get to that point you'll have more experience anyway.

Feeling comfortable and staying injury-free is the aim. Happy running!

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