So, I want to take up running. I actually don't because I hate running but I need to do some exercise to help with the one day a week I get to ride my bike.
I need some shoes.
I could just buy any old trainers from TK Maxx but I figure I'd rather spend the money on something reasonable and have no idea what I need.
Use will be mainly off road. Basically all flat. Some field margins, hard pack, gravel tracks with a little bit of tarmac. I think I'd like them to be waterproof.
Use case would be suitable for a Rekon Race on the back with something a bit nobbly up front for the mud.
What's the running shoe equivalent?
Budget I guess upto £100 but the lower the better.
Waterproof!
Shirley knott
I run for similar reasons to you and went down the same road regarding trainers, starting with whatever I had, then on to some Sports Direct Nike running trainers for sub £50 before finally going to a proper runners shop and getting fitted. Best brand I've found for me are Saucony and they do various trail shoes. Currently have some Hoka's but prefer Saucony so will be going back. Something like these should do the job.
I am not a runner. My wife is though, and we spend a lot of time hanging with ultra dafties. For your first pair, go to a shop... for your second pair buy the same online in a sale
Brooks Pure Grit / Caldera are pretty popular, but you really need to try them on
Budgets for shoes have changed over the last year or so - some quite scary increases in prices of late. Wife bought some Altra and I am sure it was cheaper to get the car serviced
I wouldn't worry about them being waterproof. That increases your choice massively.
Probably don't worry about the waterproofedness. I have some Goretex La Sportivas that I use occasionally if it's really wet and I find that my feet all hot and boggy from sweat instead of rain, due to reduced breathability. They never stay waterproof for long, anyway.
Just go to a running shop and get them to recommend something for your foot shape and usage. It'll be more expensive, but you won't have to buy new shoes in 2 months when your feet are shredded or your toes are turning black.
Waterproof running are over rated. They keep the water in as much as out.
For your first pair, go to a shop... for your second pair buy the same online in a sale
Definitely this. A proper running shop will sort you out properly, then you can pick up the same at half price in sales. (I've done the same with cycling shoes)
If you in this part of the world, I recommend Derby Runner.
Budget I guess upto £100 but the lower the better.
Just took a look at my nearest running shops website, they have 25 trail shoes going for less than £100. You sure you don't have a reasonable shop close enough for a visit? (Run4it in my case)
I swear by Altras, go to a shop.
Ok, so waterproof is out then by the sounds of it. Merino socks instead?
There aren't many shops near me according to Google but there is one a couple of miles away so I might swing by there at the weekend. To be honest, going to a shop is probably a good idea because shoes like any other clothing item, rarely fit me properly.
Heel height, drop, offset, lug height etc are all foreign to me!
Don’t go to a shop, they’ll sell you what they have based on a fair analysis by an untrained Saturday lad. You’ll end up in a pair of Brooks Ghost or asics Kayano’s.
For your use case go to your local Nike Store and pick up a pair of Pegasus Trails. They’re do a GTX version but I’d just get the normal ones. They’re not the most glamorous shoes but they’re solid and great for easy trails and road. Plus, they’re normally cheap. Version 4 is fine, 5 is better.
Or pick up a pair on Vinted and save a couple of quid.
Don’t go to a shop, they’ll sell you what they have based on a gait analysis by an untrained Saturday lad. You’ll end up in a pair of Brooks Ghost or asics Kayano’s.
For your use case go to your local Nike Store and pick up a pair of Pegasus Trails. They’re do a GTX version but I’d just get the normal ones. They’re not the most glamorous shoes but they’re solid and great for easy trails and road. Plus, they’re normally cheap. Version 4 is fine, 5 is better.
Or pick up a pair on Vinted and save a couple of quid.
As others have said go to a shop for your first pair so you know how you run and what suit you better. I’m a fan of hoka as they are very cushioned. Speedgoats are my goto
Don’t go to a shop
Ok
For your use case go to your local Nike Store and pick up a pair of Pegasus Trails
Don't go to a shop but go to a shop.
When I started running again about 10 years ago, went to a shop in Cheltenham, had a running analysis and was recommended a few different brands and chose the ones that felt the most comfortable. Stopped running for a while, thought I knew what suited my feet, bought a pair off the web, pretty bad knee pain after a few runs. Went to a different shop in Gloucester, tried on many pairs, bought what felt best and no more knee pain.
That was last year, when these get to 500km, I'll just get another set from wherever is cheapest.
Both times. the staff were serious runners and didn't push me to a particular brand.
I also would recommend going to a proper shop for your first pair of running shoes. As above all staff should know what they’re talking about.
I never understand why so many people are against waterproof though! I wouldn’t buy anything else now, saucony peregrine trail goretex. I run off road early mornings summer and winter. At the moment especially (south west) keeping my feet dry and warm. Never sweaty. They are a no brainer for the type of terrain I’m on.
The answer to this question is "shoes which fit properly" and there's no, ahem, one size fits all answer because only you have your feet.
If you're just starting then you don't need to spend megabucks, but running in "any old trainers" can increase the risk of injury. (I started in a pair of trainers from I think Sports Direct, I had a friend there who got me a staff discount; I got lucky as they were ok, until they literally disintegrated mid run.)
A running shop is definitely worth a visit. You should get good advice and should be able to try them on. The place I went to in Clitheroe encouraged me to go jog round the block in them which I thought was a bit mad. You'll pay a premium in store over shopping online, but I figured it was worth it for the time they spent helping me. They did try to upsell custom insoles which (with my feet at least) turned out to be pointless and actually made the shoes I'd chosen less comfortable, so I said "no thanks" to that.
Ok, so waterproof is out then by the sounds of it. Merino socks instead?
That's what I do, tailor the warmth/ thickness of sock to how wet and cold I expect my feet to get. I even ran a winter trail race with water crossings wearing very thin coolmax liners underneath Sealskinz waterproof socks, although as others mentioned even the socks just ended up like bags of water 😂
I started out with Decathlon Kipstra running shoes, they were great and lasted ages (now my 'shuffling about the garage' shoes).
I will say though that the Hoka Challengers that I have now though are a genuine improvement, lighter and springier feeling 😎
I never understand why so many people are against waterproof though! I wouldn’t buy anything else now, saucony peregrine trail goretex. I run off road early mornings summer and winter. At the moment especially (south west) keeping my feet dry and warm. Never sweaty. They are a no brainer for the type of terrain I’m on.
Horses for courses innit. Running in waterproof shoes in summer for me would be an awful sweat fest. In winter my feet would just be sat in two buckets of water collected from brushing past heather and stepping through deep puddles/burns and so on. In short, they're kinda useless, even when I need warmth in severe snow conditions I'm better of dealing with that by using waterproof socks that at least aren't just below ankle height.
And, as the previous poster illustrates by the their affinity for Hokas, which I found to be dreadful... for me. What works for one doesn't for another. Which is why my default advice nowadays is first time out, try as many on as you can to at least give them half a chance of not buying the wrong shoes. Even after that, if changing brand I'll try and find some to try on a treadmill first, not always possible admittedly.
Id suspect my current running shoes would be a high injury risk to most just starting, so I'll not recommend mine either.
if you can't get to a running shop, have a look at the run repeat web site for reviews & ideas - https://runrepeat.com/guides/best-trail-running-shoes - they go into a nerdy level of detail that will probably be too much for a beginner but they do include the type of foot shapes best suited to the shoe.
A gait analysis in a running shop is never going to be a guarantee especially for trail shoes, as the uneven terrain is completely different to a treadmill. So a shop visit is a good idea, but not essential. There's a few online running shop that have reduced prices for last seasons shoes, and half the time the only difference is the colour.
Don’t go to a shop, they’ll sell you what they have based on a fair analysis by an untrained Saturday lad. You’ll end up in a pair of Brooks Ghost or asics Kayano’s.
This isn't exactly wrong - it's very dependent on what brands they stock; I ended up running 18 months in Brooks Calderas even though I wanted Asics, just because they didn't have Asics. At least helped me realise that I don't like Brooks Calderas.
But yeah, at this stage basic understanding of how you run (pronating, flat footed, dibby-dabby toe running like some sort of weird gazelle) will be very helpful, as different shoes are designed for different types of support. So check out a shop, or two, see what they recommend and why; and from there you'll at least have a better idea of what you should be going for.
Waterproofness there's probably no right or wrong answer; I wondered about it on my most recent pair. Goretex can and will wear through on running shoes, and I figure non-waterproof are usually a bit like wetsuits: the water gets in, but unless you're running in a river it will generally warm up as it sits on your feet.
Fair feedback on my shop comment. I guess, as a runner, I see how other runners vastly overcomplicate (and overspend) on things so feel a need to push against that. The OP wants to plod around a field and some trails, so just needs a solid shoe with some reasonable grip. Trail shoes rarely have any stability features so even if the shop said they do over pronate you can't really buy stability trail shoes anyway.
So I'll take back my comment of "don't go to a shop" and change it to "don't go to a proper running shop", go to SportsDirect or a Nike Store or similar and pick up a pair that feels comfy. If you end up in a proper running shop you'll do very well not to spend over £100 as that's what full price running shoes cost now.
I've been running for over 40 years. Every time I need a new pair of shoes I spend hours pouring over reviews (magazines back in time, now the internet). I end up buying something I like the look of.
In all these years I've never regretted what I bought. Maybe I've been lucky. Maybe I can't tell the difference. Maybe I'm very adaptable. Who knows. Maybe lots of people overthink running.
Regarding using a shop – I have said before, and I will say it again – when I first started running, I just bought a pair of shoes online and ran a half marathon in 1hr 45 min (as a previously 'non-runner') in them. I had more issues with injuries and general discomfort after being 'properly' fitted a few years later when I had lapsed in my running and wanted to get back into it. Ended up at a physio and she came to the conclusion that a lifetime of over-pronating that was corrected with my 'special' shoes just caused my running style to be changed and it led to injuries.
The Hi-Tec Shadow is the trainer of choice within the armed forces.
https://www.sportsdirect.com/hi-tec-silver-shadow-og-trainer-014162#colcode=01416211
I guess that it’s regarded as a ‘neutral’ shoe insofar as it does not over pronate or supinate (redistribute the runners weight to the inside or outside of the foot).
But, I’d recommend using the current crappy weather to put in some walking miles, just to make sure that all the tendons are nice and loose.
i experienced an injury to the soleus muscle, and it wasn’t pleasant.
so, if you can return from an eight mile hike, without it feeling like you’ve made the shortlist for the annual shin-kicking contest, then you’re well on your way to start running.
you won’t make any further aerobic gains once you’re able to run for 1/2 an hour.
after that, you’re building stamina.
if you want to go faster, work on improving your flexibility.
Maybe lots of people overthink running.
Maybe people have different needs when running.
Not an argument, but lots of it depends on the person, I'm 90-95kg, not skinny or a racing snake in anyone's eyes. I have hypermobility and have wrecked ankles as a result. I've also recently seen a physio to get some pretty horrible plantar f sorted in my right foot
I need a shoe with support/stability. My mate who is a better runner than me can grab an Altra, barefoot whatever and run comfortably in at a greater pace than I can, but he's ~30kg lighter and doesn't have the problems I do.
With zero info on you OP aside from you being a beginner I'd not recommend anything to you, other than say a good shop will at least film your feet and show you if your ankles collapse inwards, or if you have an unbalanced foot strike (over/under pronation). I've used them to good effect in the past. If you are light on your feet and have no injuries you may well be fine to pick something off a shelf and just go, but it's hard to know/say. I would say, build up slowly though, going out and running lots without having done it regularly can be painful!
Fair feedback on my shop comment. I guess, as a runner, I see how other runners vastly overcomplicate (and overspend) on things so feel a need to push against that. The OP wants to plod around a field and some trails, so just needs a solid shoe with some reasonable grip. Trail shoes rarely have any stability features so even if the shop said they do over pronate you can't really buy stability trail shoes anyway.
So I'll take back my comment of "don't go to a shop" and change it to "don't go to a proper running shop", go to SportsDirect or a Nike Store or similar and pick up a pair that feels comfy. If you end up in a proper running shop you'll do very well not to spend over £100 as that's what full price running shoes cost now.
For the first time and for the service you get that’s worth paying for imho. Depends what value you put on your knees or how lucky you feel
Everyone is just gonna share what shoes they like best. So I will do the same.
Asics Trabuco Max 4.
They're knobbly enough for gravelly / not-too-technical trails. They are also well cushioned and responsive for tarmac (if not a bit noisy) and longer distances. Despite them being cushioned with a big stack, they are supportive and wide-based so don't feel like you're gonna roll your ankle.
May be too much stack (sole height) for some. Sizing apparently can be funny for some. They look ridiculous. Currently £99.99 on Sportsshoes.com for a size 9.5
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Echoing all here - don't worry about waterproofing or waterproof socks etc. If you're running off road (or even on road) in the UK you're gonna get wet feet at some point. You get used to it!
Re: run4it / gait analysis etc: I have been twice and both times got recommended a shoe that I didn't get on with at all and hated running in them. They didn't upsell or point me towards the more expensive stuff, it just didn't work out in the real world. Conversely, my brother got recommended a pair that feel perfect for him. Probably gives you a good starting point.
I'm in the "go to a running shop and run round the block camp". Only do sportsdirect if you really know what will suit your feet, but even then there are better and cheaper options in online sales.
If you are a beginner, as well as buying proper shoes, do some proper prehab as well. Build up the spring in your foot, strengthen those calves, do some knee and hip stability stuff. Take it easy at the beginning and allow your tolerance and fitness to grow
The Hi-Tec Shadow is the trainer of choice within the armed forces.
https://www.sportsdirect.com/hi-tec-silver-shadow-og-trainer-014162#colcode=01416211
I guess that it’s regarded as a ‘neutral’ shoe insofar as it does not over pronate or supinate (redistribute the runners weight to the inside or outside of the foot).
But, I’d recommend using the current crappy weather to put in some walking miles, just to make sure that all the tendons are nice and loose.
i experienced an injury to the soleus muscle, and it wasn’t pleasant.
so, if you can return from an eight mile hike, without it feeling like you’ve made the shortlist for the annual shin-kicking contest, then you’re well on your way to start running.
you won’t make any further aerobic gains once you’re able to run for 1/2 an hour.
after that, you’re building stamina.
if you want to go faster, work on improving your flexibility.
I've found, to run faster, you need to train faster... That is, once you've plateaued at a given distance/time (say 6 miles at whatever your well trained pace is), I then drop the mileage and up the pace (or even do some horrible intervals) until I can build back to my nominated mileage at the new increased pace. Rinse and repeat.
That's how it goes for me but I'm not particularly fast or competing.
Oh, and now I know what shoes work on my hooves, I buy online in the sales. I started with a session in a specialist running shop and bought two different pairs. One worked and the other was miles too small for anything other than a run around the car park. I'm still in later versions of the first pair.
I recently needed a cheap set for this wet weather. After a bit of Googling .. I took a chance and bought a set of Nortive 8 running shoes. Apparently knock off HOKA`s for £35 from Amazon ... I have only used them 5-6 times so far, but comparable (although heavier) to my boutique branded shoes 4x the price.
I've been running since my teens and still going 48 years later. I've had expensive orthotics and various gait analysis done over the years, plus tried barefoot but I just find a well-cushioned neutral shoe works best for me. I have 2-3 pairs on the go at any one time and generally buy a new pair each year - in recent years I've had shoes from Hoka, Saucony, New Balance, Scott, LaSportiva and Asics. I have a pair of Asics Trabuco Max and find them a great combination of cushioning, grip, comfort and durability. All my running is off-road and have a couple of pair of LaSportivas for more technical stuff. As much of where I run is wet, muddy with tall vegetation, Gore-Tex is near essential for half the year. The Trabuco Max get used for forest tracks and trails which are usually just crushed rock.
I mostly run off road so Innov8 mudtalons for me are great, really grippy in the mud and also on the short road section I do. 6mm drop and fairly wide. imo all this pronation bs is definitely a money making scam, how is a little bit of plastic in my shoe stop me as a 100kg bloke doing exactly what my feet and ankles want to do 🤣 the mudtalons are £60 from sportsShoes.com if you fancy a look at them.
re. waterproof shoes, ime they`re a bit of a pain, if you do actually run through anywhere that soaks above your ankle, long grass or a stream crossing, the shoe is sucked to your feet and can`t drain. A pair of wp socks are a far better choice.
Good luck and enjoy your running
you’re probably venturing into your anaerobic threshold when doing intervals.
hopefully your legs don’t go twanggg!
this is a great (and essential) introduction to raising your anaerobic threshold:
Realistically for a beginner, you want to aim at being able to jog for half an hour, and be able to maintain a conversation at the same time.
it will take about two months to achieve this, as your body slowly makes the necessary vascular adjustments.
I thought the answer to all these type of questions was: Decathlon.
I want to spend as little as possible when I'm starting something, because:
a) I might not stick with it, for whatever reason
b) sometimes, not often but sometimes, the cheap option suits me just fine
c) when it does come to eventually spending the big money I want something to base my decision on - the cheap shoes were too tight, or rubbed the back of heel, or felt they had too much padding on the inside of my foot, or felt they needed more/less support, or weren't wide enough at the toe, or needed more grip, ... etc, etc.
Once I've been doing something for a month or two I feel I can judge what I need better than when I started, then I'd go to the running shop and tell them about my experiences.
Which is a long winded way of saying that if I was about to start running I'd buy these:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-jogflow-100-1-running-shoes-black-grey/337693/c382c227m8733464
My experience of 1:
As a lifelong cyclist I wanted to try running to make my exercise a bit more rounded. Bought a 'mid level' Decathlon option after trying loads of different ones in the shop. After a month I was at the physio with crippling knee pain. Went to a proper shop (shout out to Warwick Sports) who spent over an hour and a half trying to find the best fit for my flippers and watching me flop around the shop. 2 years later and zero issues with my legs, despite my inimitable running style.
It's entirely possible/likely the issues were due to starting up, rather than just shoes, but I'm returning to the shop for my second pair soon. Yes, they were more expensive, but no issue with paying for their time
My experience with Decathlon running shoes, and with other items from there.
Is to go for the most expensive range, which is usually labelled/marketed as 900.
Have had a few pairs of their running shoes and never had any issues.
I've also been fitted for trainers at a Run 4 it, likewise with no issues.
With running shoes (and bikes to be fair) there's a balance to be had between getting the cheap option as you may not like it and not liking it as the cheap option is bad. A £20 pair of shoes from Decathlon fall on the wrong side of that IMO.
The safe option is to buy a pair of old model "proper" running shoes (Nike Pegasus is the obvious example) which can be had for £60 ish. Buy in a subdued colour and if you don't like running then you've got a pair of shoes that you can walk the dog/go to the shops in.
For your first pair, go to a shop... for your second pair buy the same online in a sale
+1 on this. You want need shoes that fit your feet and pronation. My first pair I went to a shop and they stuck me in some shoes and watched me run on a running machine.
I actually did buy some waterproof shoes the same as my regular shoes (cheap, online). if it's actually raining then yes I'm sure they'll fill with water but for running in a damp park and not having puddle splashes come through the open fabric of the regular shoes they're good.
Its easy to go down the rabbit hole when asking for advise.
Therefore, when just beginning, then its best keep things simple and uncomplicated.
You may go for a run a few times and think its just not for you. Any niggles etc from those first few runs will most definitely be from not having ran for a long while .. its a lot harder than what you remembered from 20 years ago, so whatever shoes your wearing will be the least thing impacting on your bad knees/ankles/hips/back.
As some will swear by a bike fit before buying a bike - some here will swear by getting a running show fit too.
My advise would be. Once you are able to run 2-3x weekly and not be in bits between runs. Then start looking at the more boutique brands etc if you want to take it a bit more serious.
the answer is go on sportshoes.com, make sure you have a 10% off code*, and buy whatever is on sale. Im sure they have a size calculator which will match whatever size you have (say you're a definite size 11.5UK Nike) and find you the equivalent in whatever shoe you're looking at. If you're a size out then its easy to return and get the next size.
*Im sure if you ask nicely here someone will give you a 10% off code, they're always flying about in running circles
If you're just starting out I'd try to find something in the sub £50 area and, go to a shop that sells what you're interested in (you must already have some idea already) and try them on for comfort. If they are comfortable buy them and use them, but think critically about how they work and don't work for you. Toe box too tight, not enough support around the heal, don't flex properly, feel harsh, etc, and then buy your next pair with several of those things in mind and be bold in willingness to switch brand. I was a New balance guy for a long time, but in all honesty, my Nike Pegasus have been better in almost every respect.
go to a shop that sells what you're interested in (you must already have some idea already)
I have run regularly for decades and still have no interest in what I put on my feet. All of the shoes I've used over the years have worked, some more comfortably than others. The only ones that crippled me were the ones suggested after a gait analysis. For a lot of us, running kit is exceedingly boring. When I kill a pair of shoes I'm just as puzzled about what to get as the person posing the opening question.
Now, the more important question - what about the lifejacket thing that seems to be de rigeur over any distance these days?
what about the lifejacket thing that seems to be de rigeur over any distance these days?
😀Yes - its like mountain biking 20 years ago when everyone seemed to have a full 3ltr camelback on to ride their local trail centre.
Yes - its like mountain biking 20 years ago when everyone seemed to have a full 3ltr camelback on to ride their local trail centre.
Except that those were invariably full of unnecessary stuff. The running lifejackets seem to have nothing in at all, so I assume are some way of holding the runner's upper body together, like those bras that footballers wear?* I haven't actually used one (obviously - why would I want to get informed) or closely examined the upper body of a wearer, but it can't just be to carry a phone, surely?
* do they still do that?
but it can't just be to carry a phone, surely?
I often use a 5L vest. Nearly always the same combination of stuff, keys, phone, if out after work, head torch*, jacket, if out for a a 2-3 hours, water and gels. I think some of the really minimal ones will still carry a similar amount just using stretchy pockets more. There's those waist band things as well.
*And a spare hand torch if out somewhere like the Ochils at night.
Why would you want/need to carry keys, phone, jacket, water & gels if only a sub 3hr run?
If it's off the beaten track and a hot day or if you have serious health issues then I understand the phone, jacket and a water bottle .. but no idea why you'd need those if your just covering some local roads/lanes.
but no idea why you'd need those if your just covering some local roads/lanes.
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FWIW, not always but it's still winter, spring and summer I'll quite often just have a key in a key pocket my shorts have. Neither of my two local hill areas are places if drink the water from, way too many sheep. I'll usually carry less if out in the Highlands.
Do we need to do this again?
The kit carrying thing is very terrain and location dependent. I’ll run 20 miles of trails with nothing but a few gels. But, that’s because the route is always close to civilisation, has lots of water stops on the way and the weather is not extreme.
If/when I venture deeper into the hills or into an area I don’t know then I’ll take more kit. Though even then, I prefer to keep things relatively minimal.
Speaking of terrain, descended the Llairig Ghru path towards Aviemore today, I'm not sure how many times I'd have to run that before I got bored, but it'd be a lot
Er, go to a sports shop and buy a pair that fit. Pick ones with off road tread and weather proof.
IME. Adidas are narrow and small for their size and Nike are average width and are half a size too big in my experience.
Er, go to a sports shop and buy a pair that fit. Pick ones with off road tread and weather proof.
IME. Adidas are narrow and small for their size and Nike are average width and are half a size too big in my experience.
If it's off the beaten track and a hot day or if you have serious health issues then I understand the phone, jacket and a water bottle .. but no idea why you'd need those if your just covering some local roads/lanes.
Yeah, most of the runners around here stick to the flat cycle path along the seafront. The numbers dwindle as soon as you head onto the lumpier tracks around the cliffs and I'll see absolutely no-one if I head into the hills. So, I may be being unfair to the runners on the seafront, but I suspect that most of them are running the 10k route or a lesser distance, while wearing their 5L of luggage capacity. At least if they fall in the sea they'll already have a lifejacket on. 😀
For your first pair, go to a shop... for your second pair buy the same online in a sale
Definitely recommend this. It's really good to be able to try on a few different pairs back to back on a treadmill. You may find one pair reasonably comfy, and which if you'd ordered online may have been tempted to stick with, but trying them next to another pair you realise there can be subtle differences that mean others are much better.