Best Running Shoes

So I just picked up a copy of Jeff Galloway’s book on running and found that there is a chapter (two full sections) on best running shoes.  He starts off a little dramatic comparing the search for the perfect or best running shoes to a quest for the Holy Grail.  What he suggests is that runners tend to think that there is a perfect shoe that will prevent all injuries, make you faster, etc.

Well, he quickly snubs that idea and goes into a history of running shoes.  I can’t believe that people actually used to run in All Star Converse, but they did.  It was standard issue, rubber glued right to the canvas bottom of the shoe.  Hardly the best running shoes, but they have sure progressed in recent years.

As he continues his history, he talks about his first pair of Adidas and then a Japanese import running shoe.  As it turns out, Bill Bowerman got his hands on a Tiger-brand running shoe from Japan and tore the thing apart.  His interest in those shoes and some personal experimentation with his wife’s waffle iron led him to the first Nike running shoe.  A short while later Nike was established and quickly became the leading producer of running shoes in the United States.

Part of the evolution toward the best running shoes was to begin taking individual shape, physiology, biomechanics, etc. into account.  This is a daunting task due to the huge variety of people in the world.  Along with this fine tuning and accommodating of individual feet came various attempts to score shoes and manufacturers.  Jeff points out that this is inherently tricky and often fails.  Either the analysis is too technical or attempts to talk to the mythical “average” runner, as he states it.

So, back to the same old thing: Choose the best running shoes based on your own personal needs and how they feel while running in them.  Don’t get swayed by the look, or what everyone else wears or what Consumer Reports says.  That doesn’t mean you can’t use them as reference points, but just because a magazine suggests that Nike makes the best shoe, doesn’t mean that Nike will be best for your feet.

Ultimately he suggests that the most fool proof way to get the best running shoes is to consult with a sales person who is also a runner and who knows running first-hand, is up-to-date on all the available shoes, understands fitting techniques and biomechanics of the running foot.  He should also be able to listen to your problems and make a sound decision.

That’s Jeff Galloway’s advice, but he admits that finding that knowledgeable person may be more difficult that he makes it sound.  For that reason he goes into a little more detail about how to understand your foot best and make the right choice.  I’ll write another post summarizing some of that in the next couple days, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, if you want to get your hands on his book, here it is Jeff Galloway book on running.

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Posted on September 3rd, 2008 under best running shoes • Tags: adidas running shoes, best running shoes, nike running shoes. •  Print This Post •  Email This Post • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback