Forums >Gears and Wears>Running shoes for kids
My 11 YO son has caught the bug. After several years of being the fastest kid on his baseball team, he has started hitting the roads for 2-4 mile runs.
What suggestions would you have for kids' running shoes? I hate how much I spend on running shoes, but consider it a necessary evil. And I get several hundred miles out of them before I need a new pair, and the old pair becomes "lawn mowing shoes". My 11 YO is more apt to grow out of them before he wears them out, and there is a good change they will get lost somewhere as well.
Thanks in advance
not bad for mile 25
I wonder if kids who aren't training at 60+ miles per week can just get by with well-fit discount store sneakers. Kids are highly adaptable.
My 10 YO currently wears my retired running shoes for his 1-2 mile-runs (I'm trying to get him hooked ). He likes them a lot. They are a junior model (Nike Pegasus 29) - and I have the same model in the same color now, so we basically wear the same shoes and he likes that too. Junior models are usually cheaper than adult's and since I'm really short and not heavy I always go to the junior section in the running store to buy my shoes. My last pair (the aforementioned Nike Pegasus 29) cost 40€ (=42 dollars) on clearance.
That's why I have no problem giving my boy my retired shoes. I've stopped buying girly running shoes because I have three boys and they can wear them for running around the house when I retire them, if nothing else.
My middle school son started track last year and loved it, so has been running now for a year - ran USATF age group track once his school season was over, XC in the fall, and even a couple USATF indoor meets in winter before his school season started again. Right before XC season, I found "Joe's New Balance Outlet" online (not including a link because I don't want people to think this is spam - I am not linking any referral codes - the site is easy to find via search engine) and that's where I buy all of his running shoes as well as my own now. Generally, you can find the higher-end shoes there for $40 - $50-ish...and I even bought him some track spikes for under $25.
Intentionally Blank
This is helpful. My almost 11 yo daughter runs with me sometimes. We do quite a few 5ks, and do a weekly long run of 4-5 miles. We got her a pair of new balance shoes from Dick's sporting goods for about $40. She says they are fine. I don't think they're great.
I asked advice at a local running store, and the guy basically said kids don't get injured (I know what he means) and to just wear whatever is comfortable.
As a side rant, every size 2 girls' shoe is garishly pink, purple, or sparkly. It irritates the heck out of my daughter.