trainers for a lighter pair could be the difference between agony and ecstasy. Studies have shown that if you lose an ounce – 28g – from your feet, you could gain a second a mile. So, find a pair of shoes just 28 grams lighter than the pair you ran your

Discovering that you needed a motion control shoe was once like finding out that you had to wear braces on your teeth. In the long run, they would be good for you, but unlike, say, racing flats, they weren't exciting or fun to wear. They were a

of running shoe that fits neatly into a similar ‘hybrid' category: performance trainers.They're light enough to slip on for a speed session on the track, but offer enough stability and cushioning to cope with all but the longest Sunday training runs. They

So far this year we've printed three of our four quarterly Shoe Buyer's Guides. And that means we've already tried and tested an astonishing 63 pairs of brand new, or significantly updated, running shoes in 2004. As we still have one more guide

If uncomfortable experience has convinced you that damp, cold feet and sopping wet shoes are part and parcel of winter running in the UK then there's a good chance that you've been tempted to try one of the many new shoes designed to keep

It doesn’t matter how expensive your running shoes were, or how many years of research the shoe company says has gone into its latest model, one component of your trainer is always going to be a bit of a let-down: the insole. In all but a very few

It has been another great year for runners who like to shop. The past 12 months have seen, among other things, the convincing comeback of a faded shoe giant and the launch of a top-notch off-roader. It’s also seen cheap, but definitely not nasty

. Everything became easier when I started running with other people in my office. I was running more regularly, I made progress more quickly because I was training with people who were better than me and it was more fun. Rob SpeddingYears Running 7Fast running

No doubt you'll agree that if you stick to the principle that all you require is a decent pair of shoes and little else, then running is indeed a cheap sport. But you'll probably argue that as soon as you decide to buy some shorts and a T

knee surgery. Ross Preston Years Running 13 Plan aheadWhen I started out I simply ran purely for the sake of it. I’d pull on my shoes, trot along for a bit and then head home. I enjoyed it, and I soon became fitter, but then the improvement stopped. I