Talk to me about shoes

[Crankin]

It's no different than cycling shoes; go to a local running store, tell them your price point and all of your foot issues, as well as the distances you do walking. If they're good, they will do a gait analysis on a treadmill right in the store.
My LRS is great. He knows I only do short bursts of running at the gym, weight lifting, and some walking, but I get the same service as a marathoner.

[netskyblue]

I cycle in the same 11 year old tennis shoes as I walk (eek!)

I didn't know local running stores were a thing! I'll have to google and see if we have anything near me. I know there are a couple shoe stores in the mall, but I used to be married to a shoe salesman, and his store used to carry a couple brands of tennis shoes, and they were all about the commission. Sell you a pair of shoes, add on some cleaner and some shoe-freshener, and how about a spare pair of laces, etc. I know for a fact he didn't know much about athletics, and they were just as much a street shoe store as a tennis shoe store.

[Crankin]

Buying shoes for running (and cycling) is somewhat technical, more for running, in my opinion. I would not go to a big box sporting goods store.... as you said, they often know nothing.
And, if you are cycling on flat pedals, in running shoes, please, please find some shoes with a stiff bottom. Some people buy a pair of mountain bike shoes and don't install the cleats, but using a pair of light hiking shoes often do as well. If you are riding in sneakers, the sole is too flexible and eventually, you'll be dealing with foot pain.

[OakLeaf]

Research actually shows that the so-called gait analysis is at best useless, at worst can contribute to injuries. Basically if you don't have any history of fracture, surgery or birth defects, then if your feet and ankles aren't functioning properly, it's because they're weak and/or stiff, and putting them into shoes that are, essentially, a cast or brace, actually prevents you from building strength and flexibility. The latest studies say wear shoes that are comfortable, make sure your feet can spread out in all directions inside the shoes (having narrow feet will make that much easier for you!), try them on after you've already walked several miles so you know how they'll fit when your feet are tired and swollen, and that's your best shot at staying healthy. The LRS will likely have a better selection than the big box stores, and their salespeople will almost certainly be more familiar with the way different models fit, but if they try to sell you shoes to control the motion of your feet and ankles, ask them to show you the studies they're basing that on.

But yeah - +1 on not cycling more than a few miles at a time in flexible shoes.

And, age of shoes has mostly to do with the condition of the midsoles, regardless of how the uppers are holding up. Depending on the shoes, the midsoles will probably start to compress within 150-200 miles. You can probably see "wrinkles" in the sides of the midsoles, or if not, if you compare them to a brand new pair of the same model (not that there's such a thing after 11 years ) you'll see that they're pancaked. That's why they're not insulating you from the ground - there's just no cushion left. Plus, since the midsoles will compress not uniformly but according to where your weight falls during your stride, they're probably oddly shaped by now and throwing your gait off.

How much cushion you might want depends a lot on your weight as well as the surfaces you walk on (concrete or rocks need the most cushion, soft sand and rock-free trails the least), and somewhat on your mileage. Historically more cushioned shoes had a lot of slop to them. I run in moderately cushioned shoes and still feel planted when I run, and from what I've read and heard (user comments more so than manufacturer ads), newer sole technology allows for a lot of cushion while still retaining good ground feel in maximalist shoes like Hoka One Ones. That's another reason to go to the LRS, since the big box stores usually carry only historical and superseded models.

[Crankin]

Thank you, Oak for the research... all I know is that after I started getting my shoes at the LRS, I had no more burning and squeezing every time I was at the gym... I replace my shoes once a year to 15 months, despite the fact that I am not really "running" in them. A few pairs managed to live through my 2-3 attempts at running, but unless my SI joint miraculously repairs itself totally, it's not in the cards. I still get the urge, but it hurts when I try, so I don't have a choice.

[emily_in_nc]

That's another reason to go to the LRS, since the big box stores usually carry only historical and superseded models.

Lots of great advice in your post, Oak. But sometimes I think being able to buy discontinued models is a good thing! I was fitted for a pair of Vasque Blurs at REI years ago for trail running and walking, and they were the BEST. I literally wore those shoes all over Belize (as well as in NC and other places) for several years for both walking and the occasional run. When the soles finally wore out, of course they had been discontinued. If I could have found a pair at a big box store, I would have bought three! Instead, I bought a different Vasque model (can't remember the name) from an ebay seller and got holes in the toe mesh in just a few months. And the same thing happened with the Asics running shoes I was fitted for at a LRS last summer. So frustrating to me to spend $125 and only go three months without a hole. The soles are still fine, but I feel sloppy wearing shoes with holes, so they have been relegated to gardening/work shoes now.

This time, I went to Rack Room, tried on a bunch of running shoes (no Asics, after reading that toe holes are very common in that brand for some of us), and ended up with a very comfy pair of New Balances that are certainly a previous season's model. No matter to me, if they feel good, I'm wearing them. And at a price of $69, I can afford to replace them more often when the cushioning becomes compressed.