How to choose your running shoes
A race can quickly turn into an ordeal if your shoes are not adapted to your practice or your morphology. New shoes are put up for sale every year, allowing you to always be at the top of your game while maintaining your comfort of stride and your pleasure of running.
Note that during your practice, your foot widens from 3 to 7 mm and extends by 5 mm. It's therefore important to follow these tips carefully before making your choice. Several criteria must be taken into account!
Your practice
- Road racing (and tracks) requires cushioning, stability, comfort and support.
- Trail and Ultra Trail require grip, cushioning and resistance.
- Fitness demands flexibility, support and cushioning.
Different practices meet different expectations, so choose a pair of running shoes adapted to yours.
The type of terrain
- The road calls for cushioning, stability and comfort in order to overcome your limits.
- The mixed terrain (road and track) requires cushioning, stability and hold for maximum control.
- The trail requires, above all, grip and protection (sturdy outsole) to avoid accidents on rougher roads. Trail shoes can also include a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane.
- The track requires maximum grip and no cushioning in order to optimize the transfer of energy between the foot and the ground, allowing you to maximise your performance.
Your profile
Depending on your weight, you might have to choose a different type of shoe as the materials used don't always have the same density and, therefore, can't offer the same cushioning for every weight.
- For men weighing less than 75kg, it will be necessary to choose shoes adapted to "light" morphologies, between 75 and 85kg to "medium" morphologies, and beyond 85kg to "heavy" morphologies.
- For women, the size scale isn't the same: up to 65kg it's necessary to choose shoes adapted to light morphologies, between 65 and 75kg to average morphologies, and beyond 75kg to heavier morphologies .
Each runner adopts a type of stride: universal, pronator or supinator. Choosing a shoe well-suited for your body will bring you stability and thus more balance.
The type of sole
According to your practice and your desires, choose the type of sole that will be best suited for you.
- The minimalist, barefoot for expert practitioners on short distances.
- The flexible, for a more natural stride on short distances.
- The standard that will suit the largest number of runners and that will be appreciated over long distances.
- The oversize for maximum cushioning without neglecting flexibility, even on long distance.
