Forums >Gears and Wears>Shoes recommendations for an older "beginner"
TL/DR; Shoe recommendations for a 65M, 6'-1", ~180lbs, wants to run a 5K. May have bad knees in the future, but doesn't want ultra cushioning.
My father is turning 65 this spring and has decided he wants to run a 5k later in the summer. He ran track in high school (440yd hurdles...yes it was the 1970s) but hasn't done any organized running/training since. He is 6'-1" and about 180 pounds with no major health issues and has been active his whole life so I'm not concerned there. However, he is concerned that he may develop arthritis in his knees in the future (but currently fine) due to the manual labor he did work for 30 years before retiring.
I think he would benefit from something with moderate cushioning, but I know he wont be happy running on the higher stack cushioned shoes with no road feel. I'm going to take him to have a gait analysis done at the local running shop, but lets assume neutral shoes for now.
I'm not as familiar with brands/models for some of the moderately cushioned shoes out there (My daily trainer is a Saucony Kinvara) so I was hoping for some suggestions to pass along that you all have had good luck with or recommend.
Hello,
These can be hard to find in most stores, but the Adidas SL is by far the most comfortable shoe I have and think it would work well as an all-around training shoe. The stack height is a bit more than a standard trainer, but on these i find the light strike foam to not be as harsh as some other models. The upper is very soft as is the inside so if support is an issue these may not work.
adidas Adizero SL Running Shoes - Black | Men's Running | adidas US
Jay
Many of the cushioned shoes have decent road feel. I would go with Brooks Glycerin or Hoka Clifton at his age and size.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
I'm a big fan of the Mizuno Wave Riders, although they keep messing with the design. I haven't tried the latest version (27s) but have multple pairs of 26s. They are probably more moderate cushion wise, I know there are cushier shoes.
I'm wearing a pair of Glycerins right now. Not a big fan of them for running, but they have become my "fancy" work shoes and are very cushioned. They feel amazing walking arouond, I didn't find them as amazing while running.
Village people
I think you’ll find a solid selection at your LRS. The Mach version of Hoka’s aren’t too cushioned but are comfortable. I think shoe selection is very personal. What works for one doesn’t always work for another. Good luck.
The most popular mid-priced shoe models are popular for a reason
New Balance 1080
Hoka Clifton
Brooks Launch
Asics Novablast
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying