As a runner, shoes are the only workout gear you really need. Of course, there are other things that you might want like Lululemon pants, Amphipod water belt, Nike GPS, iPod etc.
When it comes to choosing running shoes – the choice will mainly depend upon the shape of your foot. Water test is one of the most common ways to figure out whether you have flat, normal or high arch. As a rule of thumb, motion-control shoes are recommended for flat arches, neutral cushioning shoes for high arches and stability shoes for normal arches. If you have to use orthotics like me, then neutral cushioning shoes is way to go.
The next level of choice for me is based on eco-friendliness of the shoes. An average running shoe needs to be replaced after 800 km. After this, the shoes lose their cushioning support and runners expose themselves to risk of injury as they are no longer have adequate shock absorption and support while running. Depending upon your mileage, you will have a new pair every 6 to 12 months. An average runner would probably throw away about 20-30 pairs of shoes in his lifetime. Just visualize all those shoes in landfills!
Most shoe companies use silicone rather than petroleum rubber in their environmentally friendly product lines. Petroleum-based rubbers not only use up fossil fuels but are also rumoured to release carcinogenic dioxins during production. Other ways to reduce a shoe’s carbon footprint include use of recycled polyester, water based glues and synthetics made using fewer solvents than traditional methods. Some of the leading brands such as Nike and Brooks offer eco-friendly running shoes.
The best way to get rid of old shoes is to recycle them or donate to charity. Charities such as Soles4Souls collect shoes for people in need. Specialty running shoes after 800km of use might not be suitable for running as they lose their ability to provide support during strides, but they are perfectly suitable to be worn for everyday use by people in developing countries or areas of natural disaster.
5 Comments
That’s great to be considering the eco-friendliness of various shoes, and to donate used shoes. Taking that thought a step further, though, one has to start questioning the conventional wisdom that we need new shoes regularly, or that what has been marketed for various foot types is actually good for us. New research is showing that specialized running shoes don’t decrease injuries, and that near-barefoot running may be the best. As a starting point, I recommend author Christopher McDougall’s blog: http://chrismcdougall.com/blog/
Lorne, thanks for the comment. Near -barefoot running is believed to promote “natural” running form where runners land on their mid-to-forefoot. I personally wear physiotherapist prescribed orthotics and need the support that comes with special running shoes. I would advise consulting a medical specialist or trained-running coach before deciding whether you need special shoes or no shoes.
Excellent suggestions for purchasing environmentally friendly running shoes. Although, I make an effort to purchase organic and sustainable clothing I hadn’t considered the impact of my running shoes.
Hi, thanks for this. I wear hiking trainers that have always been great, but I never questioned their eco-rating before now. I tend to have them for a long time which is why I get the toughest kind.
I just started running too – training for a marathon