I am a little behind on posting all of my marathon pics from the past couple of races. I seem to be taking this race season a lot harder then before. So I apologize in advance....pics will be up sooner or later!
Well after the Baltimore Running Festival, I took a look at my shoes and I realized that I had run the tread right off of my shoes. This is one of my favorite pairs of shoes that I have owned since I started running. I really liked them and I was sad to see them finally wear out. I started thinking about what are the signs that you may need new shoes. Honestly, this is a question I get from my friends a lot. So here is a list:
1. The soles are completely worn out. This is perhaps the most easily identifiable sign that your road companions are ready to bite the dust.
2. Shin splits or leg muscle fatigue. Usually when the cushioning wears out, I find that I have a lot more aches and pains.
3. Lower back ache. When cushioning wears out in my shoes I always find that I have a lot more pressure in my lower back. This is usually my first big indicator that I am going to need to buy new shoes.
4. Heel pain. Once my cushioning is dead, I notice my heels tend to be a lot more sore. Unofficially, I think I might have a case of plantar fascitis and it seems to flair up when my shoes are at the end of their life cycle.
5. Mileage. A good rule of thumb is that if you run over 300 miles then its a good chance you are going to need to start looking into getting new shoes.
6. The 6 Month Rule. Every 6 months you should plan on replacing your shoes. Generally the 6 month mark is when your shoes are worn out.
Hopefully you find my rules of thumb helpful!
Until next time, happy running :-)
