I have to admit, even I would describe myself as a frugal person.  I always shop for a deal and will spend less money where I can if I don’t think it is worth paying a premium for luxury. I have also learned the hard way that this mindset should not apply to purchasing running shoes.  If there is one thing now that I am always willing to pay a premium for, it is a quality pair of running shoes designed for me.

Why the focus on running shoes?

There are certain things in life we seem to compromise on to save a little money.  Take for example maintenance on your car.  Do you change your oil every 3,000 miles?  I average 4K-5K.  Flush that coolant every 30K?  I push an extra 5 or 10K if everything is running OK.  But one thing my father always taught me is you never push the limits when it comes to tires or brakes.  Tires are the only thing between you and the road. And being able to stop one second sooner may be the difference between a major accident and near miss.  These are items you don’t want to put off maintaining – and you definitely do not want to buy cheap tires or brakes to save a buck.

I believe the same holds true for running shoes.  So often we make our decision based on color, brand or price when it comes to running shoes.  Many people do not even know what type of runner they are, and that’s critical before making a decision.

Do you have high arches? 

Are you a heavy heel striker?

Do you overpronate or underpronate?  

Resources & Tools to utilize

If you don’t know – it’s time to find out. Runnersworld has an outstanding section of their site to help you uncover your ideal running shoe. There you will learn if you need to be looking at a high stability shoe or if you’re better suited for a motion control shoe. By choosing the right shoe, you will be getting the optimum cushioning and support you need to help protect your knees, hips and joints from unnecessary wear and tear.

If you already did your homework and know the shoe you need, it’s also important to watch for the warning signs of when it’s time to replace them.  General rule of thumb is that shoes should be replaced between 300-500 miles – that averages about 8 months – 1 year for most runners who run about 10-15 miles per week.

This should not be your only guide.  We all run differently – some of us are very hard heel strikers. Others prefer to run outside on the road instead of a treadmill.  In both cases, your shoes will wear down even faster.  What are some of the other physical warning signs to look for?

• Shin splints

• Knee or hip pain

• Lower back pain

• Tired/dead legs

It’s true any of these symptoms can be a sign of injury that you need to treat, but the first place you should always look is your shoes.

I started off only wanting to lift weights like most teenage boys when I began working out.  I then came to value the importance of endurance training and learned to love incorporating running into my workouts. Running is one of the easiest and least expensive workouts you can start right away.  There are no classes you need to register for. No expensive equipment you need to purchase. Except for that quality pair of shoes designed for your feet. And motivation to keep on using them.