Forums >Gears and Wears>When do you retire shoes?
When is the right time to retire a running shoe in your current stable?
5K: 18:43 (12/13) 10K: 42:50 (12/12) HM: 1:30:10 (3/14) M: 3:34:46 (5/14)
When my wife complains sufficiently forcefully that there are too many pairs of running shoes in the house. I reluctantly select the pair that are in the worst state and chuck them...
Feeling the growl again
Highly personal depending on a number of factors (weight, biomechanics, shoe type, how fast you put miles on them, etc).
For me, 700 miles for outdoor shoes and 1000 miles for treadmill shoes. Lots of people here will swear by numbers half that and I don't think either is necessarily wrong.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
old woman w/hobby
When they stop feeling good.
mta: Or they fall apart.
steph
levitation specialist
When my legs or body tells me so. I tried to put an extra 50 miles(one more week....just one more until my shoes came!) and I got a calf injury. But my feet and legs had started to feel unusually sore and icky a week before that even. Next time, I listen.
So when my legs tell me to.
I retired my last pair of shoes when the upper ripped enough on a long run that it bruised one of my toe nails. This was at ~1200 miles.
I have a currently pair that I'm considering retiring because the sole has gotten really, really thin in the spots that are just foam, not Vibram (a pair of Mimimus Roads). However, the thinnest spots are where I don't really bear weight. I only notice it on gravel, which I rarely run on.
For some people, when the cushion breaks down, they may start to get achy/dead legs--that's a good sign to go on, too.
"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." Emil Zatopek
Black-Toe-Nailed
Normally when the big toe begins to show out of the toe box.
The 500 mile advice is B*lls*t, This is neoprene rubber. If rubber had any issue after 500 miles we wouldn't have cars or the car wheels would still be made of iron and wood.
I am currently trying to reach 1000 miles with my K-Swiss Ultra Natural Run II (167 miles to go). The only reason I haven't done it yet is that I now favour the MT10 and my new flats... and I'm too lazy to attach and remove the foot pod as I only have 2 holders (I'm currently working in resolving that).
--
"If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then will power is no longer a problem. It's raining? That doesn't matter. I am tired? That's besides the point. It's simply that I just have to."Emil Zatopek
The 500 mile advice is B*lls*t, This is neoprene rubber. If rubber ...
I don't think it's "rubber" or "neoprene". As I understand it the bouncy bit is normally EVA foam - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene-Vinyl_Acetate
Interval Junkie --Nobby
My shoes don't so much retire, as leave primary service.
1-350 : primary service (every day runs in dry conditions)
351-600: backup service - wet days, trail running, trunk of my car-service, cross-training, dog for a walk
601-???: yard shoes - mowing lawn, etc
The trouble with actually knowing when they are shot is that the only way to really tell is getting an injury or prelude to an injury -- and then it might be too late.
Also, it really depends if you use support shoes (I do), or neutrals, or minimalist.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
When I only had one model but 3 pairs in rotation, I could tell when the older one didn't feel good next to newer one. Might still get used for short runs.
After having trouble replacing those when they were discontinued, plus foot getting bigger, I've tried numerous models. I don't think any have actually been retired for too many miles, but rather a better shoe pops up and I tend to run more in that. That said, I think I may have found a model that works for me (wide in forefoot, heel reasonably tight, good forefoot protection), but only have about 200 miles on them.
When the only shoes that worked for me were discontinued, I think I got over 500 miles from them - just because the alternatives were worse.
Mmmmm...beer
I'm a solid midfoot striker, and I can tell my shoes are on the way out when the balls of my feet start to get sore. Then I'll take a look at the bottom of the shoe and sure enough the outsole will be worn either all the way through, or just about to the midsole, right under the ball of my foot. I envy people that can get a ton of miles out of their shoes, most I've gotten so far is 400, one of my current pairs is already on it's way out at 350 miles.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
Cool Jump Suit
I agree that it's a individual decision. I wear mine a relatively long time. Last year I had a pair with over 1,800 miles that I ran a race in. They were really shot by then. I don't think I realized how much they had degraded. It happens so gradually. I reeeeeaaaallllyy love new shoes though! Make the smartest choice for you.
So bittersweet,This tragedyWon't ask for absolution;This melody,Inside of me,Still searches for solution.A twist of faith,A change of heart Cures my infatuation.A broken heart, Provides the sparkFor my determination.
My shoes don't so much retire, as leave primary service. 1-350 : primary service (every day runs in dry conditions) 351-600: backup service - wet days, trail running, trunk of my car-service, cross-training, dog for a walk 601-???: yard shoes - mowing lawn, etc
I like this standard. My only amendment would be
1-300 : primary service(every day runs
301-??? non-running shoes
I base this on the Skechers GoRuns I bought. The soles showed a lot of wear at 300 miles, and I started to feel pains in my legs.
I hung onto them as walking shoes.
Now, I have a pair of Skechers GoRun Rides with 290 miles. The soles are holding up well, so I'll definitely run more than 300 miles in them.
Everyone, and every shoe, is different. I go mostly on visible wear. I tend to get holes in the heel liner after ~350 miles (yeah, I have great form), but have gotten as many as 500 or as few at 150 with other shoes. I'd love to get double that, but once there's a hole in the upper, or heavy wear on the outsole, you gotta make the call.
Normally when the big toe begins to show out of the toe box. The 500 mile advice is B*lls*t, This is neoprene rubber. If rubber had any issue after 500 miles we wouldn't have cars or the car wheels would still be made of iron and wood. I am currently trying to reach 1000 miles with my K-Swiss Ultra Natural Run II (167 miles to go). The only reason I haven't done it yet is that I now favour the MT10 and my new flats... and I'm too lazy to attach and remove the foot pod as I only have 2 holders (I'm currently working in resolving that).
Agree.