Picking Your Right Running Shoe

Many public schools and boarding high schools, offer track and cross country teams for students to participate on. Whether you take advantage of those programs, or you just run for fun, the most important part of your running gear is your shoes. Selecting the right running shoes for your needs can make or break your run and can even prevent injuries in the long run – literally.

 

What Kind Of Running?

 

The first thing you have to consider is what kind of running you are going to be doing. If you are running as a member of the track team at one of the numerous public or private boarding high schools across the country, you will need different shoes than if you were trail running. There are two basic kinds of running shoes: road running and trail running. Road running shoes are used when you are going to run on pavement or a track, and are made specifically to stabilize feet on even surfaces. Trail running shoes are for those who run off-road and usually feature more aggressive tread, these shoes offer better stability for uneven surfaces.

 

How You Run

 

The next step is to consider how you run. If you are on the track team at one of your local public schools or boarding high schools, you probably already know if you pronate or supinate and how your foot strikes the ground. If you do not, you can check the bottom of your old running shoes to get an idea. If you over-pronate (turn your foot inward) or supinate (turn your foot outward) you are going to want a shoe with more stability and motion control to prevent knee injuries. The same goes if you strike your heel while running.

 

Buy Quality

 

There are a few other considerations to make when buying running shoes. If you participate in track or cross country at one of your local public or private boarding high schools, or if you run daily, you are going to want a shoe that will last a long time. Buying a high quality shoe will help with this. You'll also want to consider sizing up a half size so your toes have room to expand. Trying on several different styles of running shoes (stability shoes, neutral shoes, zero drop shoes, and barefoot shoes) will help you find a pair that fill your needs.

 

Usually, employees at a specialized running store can help you find the exact right shoe, and will assist you in trying out a few pairs, so you ensure you find ones that will work for you. At some stores, they will take a video of you running and analyze your form to see what kind of shoe works best for you. 

Ryan Muir is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.