Running in worn-out shoes can impact your performance and can lead to injuries.
So how do you know when to retire your trusty running shoes? We'll break down what to look out for, what factors impact shoe lifespan, how you can extend their life and what you can do with them when they are past their best.
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The shoes retained around 80% of shock absorption after 150 miles. That dropped to 70% at 500 miles. But, between 300 and 500 miles the loss of shock absorption bottoms out. So, if you’ve run past 300 miles without any major impact protection issues – there’s no compelling reason to ditch your shoes.
Most crucially, this research is from 1985 - running shoes have come a long way since then.
Rather than basing your decision on arbitrary figures, we instead recommend that you look at a few key factors to decide when your running shoes need replacing.
How to tell when your running shoes are worn out
Here are some areas you can look out for to identify when it's time to swap out your running shoes.
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How can you help your running shoes last longer?
Although it's important to replace your running shoes when they are worn out, you also want to keep them performing their best for as long as possible.
Only wear your running shoes for running: It may seem obvious but it's worth noting - the more you wear your running shoes for things other than running the quicker they will wear out.
Remove your shoes properly: Make sure you're always fully undoing your laces when removing your shoes. Using the other foot to slip them off the back of your heel will break down the heel counter and overstretch your shoes.
Keep your shoes clean and dry: Give them a quick clean after every run and remove any stones from from the tread. If they get wet leave them out to air dry before packing them away. Don't wash or dry your running shoes in a machine, and don't dry them on a radiator, as this could damage the materials and glue.
Rotate your shoes: If you are a regular runner you may find a benefit from having a couple of pairs of shoes on the go. Having a running shoe rotation gives your shoes time to decompress and fully dry out between runs. Having a rotation also means you can wear the right shoes based on the weather, the terrain you are running on, and the speed you are running at.
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“For runners who use Strava, you can use the app to keep track of how many miles you’ve run in your running shoes. While you can choose to ignore the numbers themselves, the feature can be really handy for keeping track of which shoes you were wearing when experiencing pain or niggles to help identify any patterns, and to compare how many miles different shoes lasted for you, in case that helps you make a decision when purchasing a new pair. The old school version of that is to make sure you write down the date when you get new trainers!” – Aileen Loftus, copywriter
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