how long on a pair of shoes? (Read 1142 times)

So, for those of you who rotate, are your rotation shoes all the same model? At what point do you add a new pair in (ie, do you add a new pair as soon as your latest pair has a couple hundred miles on them, or what)? k

I tend to buy running shoes when I see the models I like on sale. Right now I have 4 pairs, two of which are Nike Free - I seem to do most running in those.

There is an intensive discussion on this issue also in the German runners community and I read a lot of opinions and experiences during the last two years. The main conclusions I can draw from what I read are: The lifetime cannot be well defined, it may vary between 300 km and 2000 km depending on different factors. Herbert Steffny - a German elite runner - reported on training shoes he used for 2.500 km (now they are not on the market any more, he assumes due to economical interests of the company ...). The average lifetime of training shoes is about 1000 km, that of racing shoes about 500 km. The main factors influencing lifetime are: - the weight of the runner - the (mean) speed - the running style (incl. bad movements) - the surface (harder surfaces as asphalt lead to lower lifetime) - the purpose of the shoe (light running shoes last shorter than solid training shoes) - materials, construction, manufacture etc. of the shoe The treatment of the shoes plays also a role: - shoes should only be washed if absolutely necessary - never in a washing machine - they should have time to dry if wet - they should not be kept in warm places (e.g. near a heater) - they should have time to recover after training (who runs more than 25-30 km per week should rotate shoes, preferentially different models or brands) So lifetime depends much on the runner. Personally I have no problems using my shoes for about 1500 km. I'm not very heavy and I run slow. And when I say pain it doesn't mean that it really hurts. But I start feeling uncomfortable, my legs are more tired, things like that. I have never been injured until now, so maybe I'm also not very delicate ... I'm however considering to rotate 3-4 pairs - as Trent does. I use always different brands (in this moment Nike and Asics, but I was using also Mizuno).

What benefit do you find to using 4 different shoes in rotation?

Terry, the guy who sells me my shoes, leaves me alone No, they are different shoes. The Hurricanes offer me too much support and are too big. They feel great when lounging around the house and I ran a kick butt 5 mile training run in them yesterday, but they are just generally too much shoe for me. I plan not to buy them again. The Omni and the Guides offer exactly the stability I need, no more and no less. They are comfortable, have good endurance and are well constructed. They are good day to day shoes. The Triumphs are outrageous Black and Gold, the same colors as Vanderbilt They have a bit less stability but more arch support, so that more or less cancels out and they are good on my feet. I have just started using them and like them. I need to see how I feel after a few months on them and how they tolerate my pounding. If they hold up (and I do), I may tranisiton to Omni and Triumphs only. I have my shoes lined up in my closet. I take them sequentially from left to right. Or is it right to left? That is my method for rotating them

I read something interesting recently written by a guy who rotates 2-3 different models that he likes. He finds that it helps keep any minor aches "rotating," as well, since each shoe will control motion/stabilize a bit differently. It made sense to my newbie brain.

That's an interesting theory worth considering. I'm a big believer in rotating shoes. Not only to give them a chance to air out and dry out, but also because I've read that when you compress the material, it needs time to re-expand ... and if you give your shoes time between runs, they'll last longer. Might explain why my Asics are still in pretty good shape. But I like the theory that different types might wear differently, and lead to less stress in specific places. For a machine, that might not make sense ... but maybe it does for a biological organism. Meaning us. And did I really just say "biological organism?" Everyone tends to go with the "find a shoe and wear that one" theory ... maybe mixing it up would be better? Or maybe not - maybe it's a quick way to get hurt. I dunno. Since I now have four different shoes, two of which are neutral and two that are more stability based, maybe I'll find out. Good post.