Running shoes

Hi wonder if someone could give me some advice. I have been running for about four years now, minus two pregnancies , and have signed up for the Manchester marathon. I have always just bought whatever shoes I could afford but because of running a lot more miles thought I should go and get properly fitted. I went to a running shop and they said I needed a stability shoe, instead of the neutral shoes I have been running in. Since I have been training in my new shoes I have got aches and pains when running that I have never had. I thought it might be because of upping mileage but have tried with my old shoes and it doesn't hurt. Is this normal when changing shoe style?i don't know whether to persevere with the new shoes or bite the bullet and go and get more neutrals, don't want an injury from running in wrong shoes though??i feel like I am running with bricks under my feet in my new shoes and it is totally changing the way I run. Any suggestions?

Hi Jade,

I would go for a second opinion elsewhere if you can? or a shoe/foot specialist who doesn't work for a running shop.  I've always been put in stability shoes, and at a particular point when they changed versions I didn't get on with the new version, and basically had to bully the person in the shop to let me try others... i have a feeling that the fact I wanted to switch from the trainers that were £140 a pair to £90 a pair might have played a factor.  Be aware that some brands don't consider that women in general weigh less than men, so even though they may need stability in the shoes, the materials can do with being a little less solid.  [Incidentally I tried both pairs infront of a non=shoe shop foot specialist and she agreed with me that i ran much better in the cheaper ones that had less structure around them]

have u tried the wet foot test, to double check whether u need stability vs neutral?

No, I haven't done the wet foot test???I thought I was doing the best thing by going to the running shop to let them tell me, wishing i had just stuck with neutrals now as these new shoes feel really odd.I need to try and sort it out this weekend as my old shoes have earnt their keep. I will have a look and see if I can find another running shop local too and see what they say, thanks for the advice Angela

I would try another specialist running store who can do a proper gait analysis, and I do think it is best to try and buy a shoe which is built on a women's last, because our biomechanics are different from male runners.  However, sometimes a new type of shoe does feel weird at first and can take quite some getting used to, so if your gait analysis suggests you should be wearing a shoe with a bit more structure I would go with it but remember there are plenty of shoes to choose from, and they all offer varying levels of support.

Go back to the shop you bought them from. Most decent running shops will exchange shoes they recommended if you are not happy with them.
Out of interest, what are your new shoes and what were you running in before?