Most sportswear shops are back up and running and offer gait analysis as a free service, but you can also do some tests at home or find expert via virtual running-shoe appointments, where running stores will ship a selection of shoes to you.
TESTING: Regardless of where you try your new shoes, we recommend you try them out either on a treadmill or jogging around the shop floor, so you can get a better feel for how comfortable they really are.
“Do your research and read the reviews before you make a purchase to make sure the shoe you’re considering is a good fit for your chosen preferences,” adds Mounsey. “Our feet are as individual as we are, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. Therefore, running shoes have to be equally as diverse, and with hundreds of types to choose from, it can often prove difficult to find the right pair to match our requirements.”
TERRAIN: Think about what kind of terrain you’ll be running on and how often you intend to train and race, he adds. “This will ultimately dictate what kind of shoe you’ll need to buy. For example, if you’re a beginner runner or someone who runs infrequently, it doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune on your first pair of shoes or buy the latest and most expensive carbon-plated super shoes which are designed for elite competition. Instead, choose a style that best suits both your needs and budget, for daily use, all-around performance and capable of handling a range of different surfaces.”
Which brand is best for running?
The best running shoe brand is constantly up for debate. Why? Because what you rank as ‘the best’ might be the world’s most uncomfortable shoe brand for others. That said, the most searched-for running shoes in the UK last year were Nike’s Vaporfly’s – the controversial shoe almost banned from the Tokyo Olympics due to its advanced technology. Of course, the Vaporfly isn’t for everyone (not everyone is an elite athlete and needs a carbon-plated go-faster shoe). So while the ‘best’ is pretty much down to personal opinion, these are some of the most popular shoes we’ve tested – and seriously rate. You can thank us later.