Cheap(er) Running Tip of the Day
Anyone who's spent any significant amount of time buying running shoes knows this basic tip: Shoes wear out and need replaced every 300-500 miles. Your shoes might still look okay, but they're not giving your feet, joints and knees the cushioning they need. For someone who wears her 2-week contacts for at least a month, sometimes three, I'm usually a fan of stretching things out to the bitter end. But even I have accepted this running shoe rule as gospel truth. Trust me, I've felt the difference and most certainly saved myself injury by switching things up when I'm supposed to.
So what's a frugal girl to do? Training for a marathon has sent my weekly mileage into the unprecedented 30s and the shoes I JUST got a few months ago are already worn out. Sigh. Time to hit the internet.
At MyRunningShoe.com they combine the inventories of running specialty stores from around the country into a searchable database. When a customer finds a shoe to purchase, they place a "hold" on it, and the member store is notified. Many of the listed shoes are on sale and the store just hasn't been able to move them locally, so they turned to this site. It's in-store sale shopping on a national level, all from the comfort of your couch.
Dick's Sporting Goods recommends this quick test to tell if your shoes are worn out:
The Press Test
When an EVA midsole is compressed, it creates visible lines or wrinkles in the midsole material that can be seen from the sidewall of the shoe. As the midsole is further compressed, the lines multiply and grow closer together. The first appearance of these lines indicates that the midsole is compressing normally. A simple pressure test will help you determine whether or not your midsole is compacted.
Using the broad part of your thumb, push on the outsole upward into the midsole. It should be easy to see the midsole compress into these lines.
As the shoe breaks down, the midsole will compress less with the same amount of pressure.
When the midsole shows heavy lines and the press test yields a minimal degree of compression, the midsole has been compacted to a point where little or no cushioning remains.
So what's a frugal girl to do? Training for a marathon has sent my weekly mileage into the unprecedented 30s and the shoes I JUST got a few months ago are already worn out. Sigh. Time to hit the internet.
At MyRunningShoe.com they combine the inventories of running specialty stores from around the country into a searchable database. When a customer finds a shoe to purchase, they place a "hold" on it, and the member store is notified. Many of the listed shoes are on sale and the store just hasn't been able to move them locally, so they turned to this site. It's in-store sale shopping on a national level, all from the comfort of your couch.
Dick's Sporting Goods recommends this quick test to tell if your shoes are worn out:
The Press Test
When an EVA midsole is compressed, it creates visible lines or wrinkles in the midsole material that can be seen from the sidewall of the shoe. As the midsole is further compressed, the lines multiply and grow closer together. The first appearance of these lines indicates that the midsole is compressing normally. A simple pressure test will help you determine whether or not your midsole is compacted.
Using the broad part of your thumb, push on the outsole upward into the midsole. It should be easy to see the midsole compress into these lines.
As the shoe breaks down, the midsole will compress less with the same amount of pressure.
When the midsole shows heavy lines and the press test yields a minimal degree of compression, the midsole has been compacted to a point where little or no cushioning remains.
Comments