ShoeGuy: Two-fers

When two (or three) pair of shoes is better than one

December 5, 2006

Finally, there’s "Age-Grouper Andy," a runner always in need of two, maybe even three pairs of different shoes, depending on the day’s road call. Andy has collected so many age-group medals, there’s more hardware in his attic than in the local Home Depot. All that cornucopia was earned with smart, hard training that includes long, slow distance, tempo runs, and weekly speed work.

Andy rotates between plush, protective trainers for the long stuff, slightly lighter-weight trainers for tempo days, and even lighter trainers or maybe racing flats for the track. While the different workouts spread out the stress on his legs, the different shoes help him get the most out of the miles.

So if your running is even remotely related to our mythical Dan, Martha, or Andy, you’ll run faster, healthier, and less expensively in multiple pairs of shoes. While Andy’s variety of training begs for a variety of shoes, Martha’s first question is should the two pairs of shoes be the same model or two different models?

It can go either way. Running in two different shoes with similar biomechanical support is good for a couple of reasons. Different support means one shoe may be more cushy while the other is perhaps more flexible. Recovering from one pair is enhanced while running in the other pair.

The other good reason is the perpetual evolution of running shoes. Say you have two good models that work for you, then one of them is replaced by a model that doesn’t. (Like that’s never happened, right?) Then you have at least one dependable trainer to fall back on while you search for a new second style.

OK, so you’re a "Daily Dan," and there’s only one running shoe style in the universe that supports your habit (and your feet). Fine, run in two pairs of the same shoe. Just rotate them by age, that is, one pair is in the first half of its life cycle while the other is in the last half. The freshness of pair one helps you recover from the diminishing support of pair two, and pair two helps toughen you up a bit so you don’t get too pampered by pair one.

If you think you’re spending more money by running in multiple pairs of shoes, you’re running too much and not doing enough math. Five hundred miles is five hundred miles whether it takes you 20 weeks per pair in one pair, or 40 weeks per pair in two. The cost per mile is the same.

So make room in your closet, get Visa to bump your limit, and then go shopping. Tell your spouse I said it was OK. Everyone else does.