Contrary to popular belief, the most important thing in choosing the proper footwear for running is Not color. Sorry! The most important factor in choosing the right shoe is Fit.

Running shoes differ from other types of athletic footwear in that they have different lasts (or shapes) of shoes for different kinds of feet. If you have a high arch there are certain shoes made for that kind of foot, as well as, if you have a flat foot there are different shoes made for that kind of foot. This is why what works for your friend's foot might not work for your foot.

When we fit people for running shoes, the first thing that we do is measure their feet to see if there is a size and width difference, most people have one foot bigger than the other, therefore we want to make sure that we fit their bigger foot. Don't be surprised if you measure bigger than you think. Most people wear their running shoes too small.

The next thing we will do is look at their foot structure and watch them walk; this will help us to determine what kind of foot they have. This will tell us what kind of shoes their feet require and then we will try on similar shoes from different companies until we find the model that fits them best. This could be Adidas, New Balance or Asics, but remember, the most important factor is the fit of the shoes, not the brand.

If you are doing a marathon or a half marathon make sure that you have at least a fingers width of length from the end of the shoe when you are in a standing position. This will make sure that you won't be getting black toe nails from your feet hitting the end of the shoes during those longer runs. Ouch!

The average running shoe lasts about 700-800 km or 500 miles. This sounds like a lot but for most marathoners you will be going through a pair of shoe at least every six months.

If you wear orthodics there will be specific models of shoes for this type of foot. Make sure to try on the shoes with the orthodics to make sure that you get the proper fit. Most people that wear orthodics generally wear neutral lasted shoes so that the shoe doesn't change the support features of their orthodics.

If you find two shoes that fit your feet properly and have the proper last that your foot requires, enough toe room and good width then go nuts and pick the one with the best color!

We are all trained here, at The Run Inn, to analyze and asses your stride, and make sure you are fit into the proper shoe for your foot!