Wednesday Wisdom - Care & Use of Running Shoes

A Guide to the Care & Use of Running Shoes
By John Bevier – Inside-Out Sports Running Shoe Specialist

Lifetime of running shoes

We are often asked how long a pair of running shoes will last. That is a fair question, but it depends on where and how you use the shoe. For instance, the average lifetime of running shoes can range from 300 to 500 miles.

The shoes might still look pretty good at the end of the 300 to 500 miles accumulated, but the optimal cushion and protection will be significantly reduced. Note that the miles of use are based on ALL miles and include walking, jogging, vigorous training, and racing miles. Also a shoe sustains wear even if you are not moving, and only standing in the shoe.

The point here is the cushion of the shoe responds to pressure put on the shoe and is compressed with the weighted impact of walking, running, jumping or standing.

When to retire your running shoes

When we talk about the lifetime of running shoes, we are speaking in terms of optimal use for running.

With most shoes that can be anywhere between 300 and 500 miles. The wear on your running shoes is not measured by visual wear on the tread.  Typically, there is significant wear on the cushion of the shoe long before you see wear on the sole of the shoe.

To give yourself a benchmark to measure your shoe life, I recommend writing the date that you purchased the shoe somewhere that you will be able to retrieve it. Many of our runners write the date of purchase on the shoe where it can be easily seen. Using the date of purchase and the average miles you run each week, you will be able to able to mark a date on the calendar when you should replace the shoe with a new one.

If you are still wearing your running shoes for training and racing after 500 miles, the efficiency of shock absorption and the shoe's ability to launch forward with each stride will be significantly reduced. The minimum effect of this will be slower running times and more fatigue.  This could ultimately result in an injury to the athlete.

To be honest, if my retired running shoes still look good, I oftentimes save them to be worn for casual wear, or yard work, but I never run in them anymore.

Situations that can shorten the life of your shoes.

As mentioned previously, your running shoes have an optimal lifetime of 300 to 500 miles of walking, jogging, or racing miles.

In addition to the miles that you put on them "in motion", there are numerous other ways that your shoes take a beating.  Here a few other situations that reduce the optimal lifetime of your running shoes.

• Running in wet conditions.
• Wearing the same shoe for two or more consecutive days without giving them a day to recover.
• Shoes stored in a hot environment, such as inside your car.
• Standing for a prolonged time in shoes.
• Washing shoes in the washing machine.

Here are several things that can cause your shoes to fall short of their optimal lifetime with solutions suggested for some of them.

- Running in wet conditions.

If you run frequently, you'll probably find yourself running in the rain. Sometimes this is a planned experience and sometimes it was just fate. Rain and snow are two obvious ways to get soaking wet while running.

Some runners sweat so much during hot dry runs, that their shoes become soaking wet during the run. Any time you run in your shoes when they become noticeably moist, or soaking wet, it will compress the compounds used in the cushion sole of the shoe.

When the cushion layers in your shoes have been compressed for extended periods of time, they are less likely to return to optimal performance.

Solutions: 

1. Take your shoes off immediately after running in wet conditions.
2. Remove the insole from the shoe.
3. Place the shoes and insoles in a well-ventilated area to dry until they are 100% dry. Some runners place the shoes on floor heating and cooling registers in their home, or in front of a fan.
4. After the shoes are 100% dry, reinsert the insole into the shoe, wait another 24 hours before you put them back on your feet. This additional 24 hours will help the cushion in the shoe to rebound back to its full size
5. NEVER put your running shoes in the clothes-dryer machine.
6. Have a second pair of running shoes that can be worn while your wet running shoes are in their drying and recovery stage.

- Wearing the same shoes for long periods of time without rest.

Don't be fooled by thinking your shoes have not endured significant wear when they still look good. We see this a lot, especially with non-runners when they work in an environment where it is not possible to have a cushioned mat under their feet.

Solution: Rotate among a pair of running shoes to allow each pair a resting period

- Shoes stored in a hot environment, such as inside your car.

Storing your running shoes in a hot environment will significantly shorten the lifetime of your shoes. Often we see athletes that leave their running shoes in the car for hours or days before running in them. Inside a car, the temperatures can reach 120 degrees or higher. That can literally cook your shoes, causing the adhesive that bond the construction to fail. Likewise, the heat can cause the cushion in the shoe to deteriorate.

Solutions:

• Never store your shoes in a hot environment... not even for a short period of time.
• Always store shoes in a cool dry place.
• If your shoes are wet, put them in a well-ventilated area until they are completely dry.
• Once every 90 days, verify the quality of your shoe fit and wear patterns.
• Wear one of your current shoes into a shoe store and try on a new pair of the same model to feel the difference.

How to clean your running shoes

If you wear your running shoes outside, they are going to collect debris from the environment. It may be mud, or dust that eventually becomes mud when combined with sweat accumulation.  Keeping your running shoes clean is a part of a regular maintenance program that is good for your shoes and your personal health.

Sometimes your shoes look clean, but they begin to stink. The odor is a result of perspiration and the accumulated bacteria in your shoes. To get rid of the smell, you'll need to kill the bacteria.

One of the best products for this is “Muc-Off C3 Equipment Cleaner".  It works great on all shoes and other gear, like soccer shin guards. Don't use anything for this purpose that is not safe for contact with your body.

There will be times that your shoes need a good bath.  For this I recommend using the kitchen sink with a shower spray feature and an old toothbrush.

1. Leave the shoelaces in the shoes while washing them.
2. Take the insoles out of the shoes and hold the shoes under the water spray while gently scrubbing them.
3. Wash the insoles with the same process.
4. Drying shoes at a room temperature of 60 to 80 degrees is perfect. They will be dry in around 24 hours.
5. After the shoes are dry it is safe to reinstall the insoles and wear the shoes.