Question:My wife has recently taken up running and now averages about 20-25 miles
a week. She's looking for some new shoes as her old ones have now
become worn out. What is/are the best brand(s) to buy? How long should
they last and what is an approximate cost?
Answer:
The best shoe ... my recommendation is to call Road Runner Sports
800/551-5558. I've used them for many years.
1. They have well trained personnel and database to match shoe(s) with
runner.
2. Very good return policy. Any problems or just don't like, send them
back. I have on several occassions, with no problems.
3. Very competitive prices, good selection.
That's my tip for the day :). I am just your average customer (no ties
to Road Runner).
You may want to look at the Saucony site (http:www.saucony.com). They
have a questionaire that will recommend a shoe for your wife based on her
running habits. Roadrunner sports (1-800-551-5558) is a good source if
you don't mind catalog ordering, also if you know what you want, Eastbay
(1-800-826-2205). I HAVE to try on the shoes (wierd feet) so I buy at
the local running store. One option is to try them on locally, and then
order from a catalog if the price is better.
The best thing for your wife to do is go to a running store with
competent people. Posting a request in this group is a good way to
locate ones in your area.
The staff will watch her stride and foot strike and evaluate her
mileage and goals and then recommend a variety of shoes for her to
try. Normally, they will watch her run in various shoes and compare
her feedback to what they see.
This is why you might pay a little more at the running store than if
you ordered the same shoe through the mail. Believe me, it's worth
the expertise to pay $5 or $10 or even $20 bucks more for a pair of
shoe that really works for her. I find the idea of trying shoes on in
the store and then ordering through the mail to be completely
reprehensible.
I also think this is unethical. However, I think it is completely ethical,
not to mention cost-effective, to get fitting advice and buy your first
pair of shoes from a running shoe store and then buy your subsequent pairs
of the same shoes from the cheapest place you can find them. Twice,
I have bought a pair of shoes from my local store, whose owner is a friend,
only to find that he can no longer get that same model when I am ready for
a second pair. I then tried mail order, Road Runner Sports (no
affiliation, blah, blah, blah), and both times they had the shoes in stock.
And they were $20 a pair cheaper than what I paid at the shoe store.
With one of the models I wanted, the New Balance 865s, I bought a pair from
the shoe store in October 1994. When I went back about 6 months later for
another pair I was told this model had been discontinued. I then called
RRS and since they still had them in stock I ordered 2 pair. I called RRS
again last week and these shoes were *still* in stock. So much for being
discontinued. The person at RRS who took my order claimed that New Balance
was making special production runs of these shoes just for RRS and that
they weren't available at shoe stores. Anyone out there know if this
is true?
Road Runners Sports has advertised frequently that shoes are available *only*
through them. Forexample, I bought Saucony Azurras for a long time after they
had been discontinued retail, and I believe that they rescuscitated the Nike
Epirus after it was unavailable elsewhere.
