I get a lot of questions about running shoe selection and what types of shoes I recommend. Well, the truth is that although there are two major factors to help you choose a good shoe, for the most part choice is an individual preference based on what feels good on your foot. It is also important to take into account your foot type and running style. If you have a high or low arch, you’ll need to make sure you pick a shoe with the proper amount of cushioning. Many experts recommend changing running shoes every 350-500 miles or 6 months and although worn in shoes often feel comfortable, for the health of your feet and ankles it is important to buy new shoes as often as you can afford to. I recommend buying a new pair every 3-4 months and breaking them in every other run or so until you have two good pairs. That way, if you wear one set of shoes out, you will have another set already broken in. It also helps to have two pairs in case they get wet or damaged somehow. In regards to running specific shoes, there are 3 major types:

• Flats - which are intended for speed on a track type surface
• Road Shoes – which are intended for regular or long distance runs on pavement, sidewalks, or tracks
• Trail Shoes – which are specifically designed to take a beating and resist water when running off-road

Although I find flats useful, I won’t be talking about them here because this site is mostly geared towards road and off-road running and regular road shoes are perfectly adequate for running on a track for intervals or other speed work.

Road Shoes

My favorite road shoes are New Balance, Asics, and Nike however many people dislike Nike running shoes and prefer Mizuno or Saucony. As I said before, much of shoe selection is personal comfort and preference. The most important part about picking out a shoe is to not buy a cheap shoe because it fits your budget at the time. You would be much better off saving up for a more expensive shoe than you would be buying a new pair of cheaper running shoes.

Cheap running shoes feel good at the store, but they don’t wear well, they don’t fit good enough to prevent blisters and/or shin splints, and they cause you to run with bad form. I’ve made the mistake of buying a cheap pair of running shoes because I thought I could get away with it, but in the end I wasted $50 and never wore them again due to shin splints and bad comfort.

New Balance

One of the most popular road shoes of all time is the New Balance 768: This is a great mid-range shoe that is excellent for average training. It has plenty of support to prevent pronation and is water-resistant. It is also a great shoe for those with low arches.

New Balance 768 Road-Running Shoes – Men’s  

Women’s WR768 Running Shoe

The 767 is last year’s model of the new 768 and is just as good of a shoe in most areas. For around $20 bucks less than the 768, you can’t go wrong with 1 or 2 pairs of this shoe.

Men’s M767 Running Shoes

Women’s W767 Running Shoe

Asics

Next, Asics have released a very economical shoe for runners looking for an entry-level gel running shoe. Make no mistake about it, this shoe is an excellent value for the price.

ASICS GEL-1130 Road-Running Shoes – Men’s

ASICS GEL-1130 Road-Running Shoes – Women’s

Runner’s World gave this shoe the editor’s choice award for their Spring 2008 shoe reviews. This shoe boasts supreme support and construction and is excellent for distance runners and those that are looking for one of the most comfortable shoes on the market.

ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 Road-Running Shoes – Men’s

ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 Road-Running Shoes – Women’s

Nike

From Nike comes a new style based on their Triax line that is built slightly lower to the ground, making it more stable. This shoe is VERY light and very responsive. The Nike + also allows you to track your mileage and have it sent to your Ipod Nano.

Men’s Air Zoom Sturcture Triax +11 Running Shoe

Women’s Zoom Structure Triax + 11 Running Shoe

Nike’s flagship running shoe is the Air Equalon +2 and is possibly the perfect racing shoe. Comfortable, lightweight, and responsive, this shoe is amazing. The Nike + also allows you to track your mileage and have it sent to your Ipod Nano.

Men’s Air Equalon + 2 Running Shoe

Women’s Air Equalon + 2 Running Shoe

Saucony

Saucony’s ProGrid Road Running Shoe is an excellent shoe for the budget minded runner. Special impact zones isolate and cushion heel and forefoot impact, and reduce shock while setting foot for a smooth transition. It also boasts a nylon inner shell for breathability.

Saucony ProGrid Guide Road-Running Shoes – Men’s

Saucony’s Hurricane is one of their best shoes and has continued to get rave reviews from runners. It is their best-seller because it is lightweight, breathable, and fits like a glove.

Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 10 Road-Running Shoes – Men’s

Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 10 Road-Running Shoes – Women’s

Brooks

This shoe by Brooks was labeled as Runners World’s Best Buy in their Spring 2008 catalog. Great for overpronators or those with low or normal arches. This shoe is also very comfortable.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 Road-Running Shoes – Men’s

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 Road-Running Shoes – Women’s

Trail Shoes

Trail shoes have some very distinct features to differentiate themselves from regular road shoes. Good trail shoes with have some sort of tieless laces that zip tight so you won’t have to worry about them coming untied. Also, they are generally built with more durability, strength, and water resistant qualitites.

New Balance

New Balance has a couple of great offerings, including the MT 800 which is a bit lighter than a typical road shoe at the expense of some extra protection. However, this is a very good looking and well constructed shoe.

Men’s MT800 Trail Running Shoe

Women’s WT800 Trail Running Shoe

The 873 is also a good trail shoe from New Balance and is a bit sturdier and more water resistant than the 800.

Men’s MR873 Trail Running Shoe

Women’s WR873 Trail Running Shoe

North Face

The North Face Rucky Chucky is a premier trail shoe designed to revolutionize trail running shoes. This shoe is also worn by Dean Karnazes and features great protection, rugged durability, and fantastic responsiveness. The GTX XCR is their flagship trail shoe and features a Gore-tex upper.

Men’s Rucky Chucky Trail Running Shoe

Women’s Rucky Chucky Trail Running Shoe

Men’s Rucky Chucky GTX XCR Trail Running Shoe

Women’s Rucky Chucky GTX XCR Trail Running Shoe

Salomon

The Salomon trail shoe has a unique lace system and is water-resistant and breathable. This shoe isn’t talked about much, but you’ll see many of them at local races.

Men’s XT Wings Running Shoes

Women’s XT Wings Trail Running Shoes

he Salomon XA Pro is also a great shoe for a bargain price. It also features the quicklace system and a great durable construction.

Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra Trail-Running Shoes – Men’s

Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra Trail-Running Shoes – Women’s

Finally, for those on a budget, I’ve listed some other great but lesser known trail shoes. These shoes are a bit less expensive, but still very good quality.

Salomon Men’s Trail Runner SW Shoe (Spring 2008)

Men’s Endurus XCR Boa Trail Running Shoe

Men’s Ultra 103 Trail Running Shoe

Women’s Arnuva 50 Trail Running Shoe 25769

Women’s Fury Gore-Tex XCR Trail Running Shoe

Hydration for Runners

People often ask me what hydration methods I use for training and racing. To be honest, outside of some basic hydration requirements, I believe that hydration is a personal choice based on your own body chemistry and physical makeup. For someone like me that sweats a lot, hydration can become a make or break issue even on small races, but for others that may not be the case.

The distance of a race or training run also has a lot to do with what I recommend, because as you know a marathon will drain you much more than a 10k. I rarely carry a bottle or pack on any run under marathon distance, however some people less competitive than myself may find that carrying a water source will help minimize some of the discomfort associated with racing. As far as specific hydration requirements, I believe taking in a quart of water, SLOWLY, for every hour raced should be sufficient.

However, during humid or hot days, that amount should be increased. I would prefer to carry a bottle and drink slowly than have to slow down and stop at a water station and chug water. I really only use water stations for pouring water over my head to cool me down. Just remember, pre-race hydration is just as important as hydration during a race. Also, try to carry both water and an electrolyte source such as gatorade or Ultra-fuel. Now considering all of those factors, there are so many options for hydration that I’d like to make a few personal recommendations to help you decide which to choose.

Handheld

I recommend handhelds for training runs over 8 miles and for race distances of half-marathon or greater. One of the best parts about handhelds is that the ones made for runners have straps that attach to your hand, making it much easier to carry them for long distances. If I am running a long race, I prefer to take 2 handhelds, not only for balance but also so I can put water in one and an electrolyte mixture in the other. Here are some brands/models that I recommend:

1. E50/50 North Face Bottle Holder: This is an ergonomically designed bottle with a small pocket for gels/keys.

2. Ultimate Direction FASTDRAW PLUS: This is a great choice because of the hand strap and bigger pockets, but it is not as ergonomic as the North Face version.

3. GoLite Hydro Clutch Hydration Pack (Spring 2008): this is a great choice because of price and quality, very similar to the FASTDRAW.

Fuel Belts

Fuel Belts have become very popular lately, especially for trail runners. I recommend using a fuel belt for marathon or longer race distance, although I strongly recommend training with it as well so you get used to wearing it. The great thing about fuelbelts is that they have 2-4 different bottles, making it easy to mix up your water sources. I like to use 2 water and 2 for electrolyte drinks, but you could mix it up any way you like. Fuelbelts also have pockets, which make them great for solo runs because you can store credit cards, cell phones, keys, and gels without having to lug a camelbak around. I’m going to recommend several, but they all do the job well, so I recommend making your decision based on price, style, and size.

1. Photon Lumbar Hydration Pack: Only has one bottle, but fits well and has decent sized pockets. Great for shorter runs.

2. CamelBak Alterra 28 oz. Hydration Pack: Although it isn’t a bottle, I really like the simplicity of using it.There is a clip to keep the hose from flying around while you run.

3. Ultimate Direction Naviti Hydration Waistpack: Very efficient design with wicking quality so you it doesn’t soak up sweat. Has 2 bottles and large storage for long trail runs. Very good pack.

4. Amphipod Runlite Waist Race Hydration Pack – 16 oz.: This is a great option for those that don’t want one of the larger packs. This has 2 bottles and a small storage pouch, making it lightweight and practical.

5. Fuelbelt Helium 4 Bottle Belt: The original 4 bottle fuelbelt. You can’t go wrong with this model.

Camelbak

Camelbaks are great for long trail runs, marathons, and ultramarathons. I prefer Camelbaks over fuel belts because of the water capacity and the way they fit, but the drawback is that you can only carry one type of drink. However, you can offset that problem by carrying a handheld with electrolyte mix and keep pure water in the Camelbak. If I am going to run any type of ultramarathon or marathon trail run, I will wear a Camelbak. You can buy Camelbaks with or without a pouch/pouches.

1.CamelBak M.U.L.E. 100 oz. Hydration Pack: A bit larger than I like to wear, but if you are going to be out for a long while, then the extra water storage and pockets will come in handy.

2. Octane XC 70 oz Trailrunning Pack Awesome pack designed for trail runners. Fits extremely well and has easy access to pockets.

3. CamelBak Classic Hydration Pack – 70 oz. Your basic Camelbak with little to no storage. Best option for those that want large water storage without all the extra storage weight.

4. CamelBak Hydrobak Hydration Pack – 50 oz. Best Camelbak for the money. Doesn’t have any pockets, but stores enough water for long runs and is by far the lightest and most comfortable option.

Hydration is mostly a matter of preference, however I would highly recommend carrying the least amount of water you can afford to carry as comfort and weight are huge issues during races. Training runs are great for getting used to wearing fuelbelts or Camelbaks, but remember to try different options if you can.

A Guide to Your 1st Marathon

When I first saw the title of this book, I expected it to be full of fluff and not much substance. I’ve read a lot of books on how to prepare for different levels of racing and more often than not I’ve been disappointed with the result.

I decided to give this one a try, hoping that it would change my experience and give me some new tips to incorporate into my training. I’ve seen the sales numbers for The Marathon Method, so I knew it was selling – but was it really worthy buying?

Well, before I answer that question, let me tell you a little about the book. The content runs at an impressive 70 plus pages, which is astounding for an E-Book. It is broken down into several easy to read chapters, with tips at the bottom of almost every page.

In total, there are 17 chapters in all, with 15 of them actual content about running. There are some great training plans inside, as well as nutritional tips, training tips, and race day strategy. The author has even included some great psychological tips to help you break through the training barriers and learn how to train and race effectively.

The Marathon Method is an impressive book. In fact, it is so full of good information that I’ve been going back to it almost daily to learn more. Even though I am an experienced runner, there are still several good portions of the book that brought a new perspective on some of my old training methods.

If you are looking to run a marathon, but aren’t sure how to start training, then this is a perfect book for you. Even if you are a runner and you are just looking for a few nutritional or training tips to help you set a new PR, then you’ll really enjoy The Marathon Method.

If you can’t afford a personal coach, then buying a guide like this one is important to create a solid and achievable plan. If you would like to learn how you can pick up your own copy, then click here to read more.