FAQ & Help
We have helped thousands of runners in the Denver metro area solve problems, whether its simply finding the right shoe at the right price, or providing insight on preventing common running injuries, through the use of our free video gait analysis. We understand that the process of buying running shoes online is a little more complicated, and want our customers to feel confident about their purchase from the Boulder Running Company. As a result, we put together a list of frequently asked questions to help address common customer questions:
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What's a good running shoe?
Thats a great question. With hundreds of shoes available, each designed differently, it can be daunting to find a good shoe. The only good running shoe is the shoe for you. Because each runner is unique in how much they train, their running style, and fitness goals, there is no "ideal" running shoe. The best running shoe for you depends on your biomechanics, foot shape & strike, and how much running you do or plan to do. Running shoes are intended to protect your feet from the road or trail, provide cushioning, and support your body properly. Good support is key, because each time your feet strike the ground, approximately 3x your body weight is coming down too; so a good combination of cushioning and support is very important. Without proper foot support, over time, injury problems may occur.
2. Ok, I understand why I need a shoe with cushion & support. How can I tell if a running shoe has support or not?
Generally speaking, shoes that are considered supportive have a firmer density built into the midsole. A midsole is considered the guts of the shoe. You will normally see 2 layers of dense foam in a midsole, the more dense(or firmer) section is normally a darker color than the less firm area. The firmer area is what is supporting your foot and arches. Ideally, this firm piece in the midsole should keep your foot properly aligned in a neutral position, not allowing your foot to overpronate, or supinate.
3. Whoa, wait a sec! What does overpronation, supination & neutral mean?
Whether or not a runner overpronates (very common), or supinates (less common), all comes down to your arches. Runners who have low arches typically overpronate more than runners with higher arches. Overpronation is a common type of footstrike, where your arches are allowed to collapse excessively. Typically, an overpronator's heel strikes the ground first, on the outer (or lateral) side. Then, as your body's weight comes down, your arches collapse, allowing your foot to roll to the inside (or medial side). Take a look at the wear pattern on the bottom of your current running shoes. Overpronators typically wear out tread on the outer edge of the heel, and the tread near the ball of the foot. Supination is the opposite. Supination happens when your foot strikes the ground on the outer edge of your heel, and instead of your arches collapsing in, your feet do the opposite and roll slighly out. Again, looking at the wear pattern, the outer edge of the heel should be wearing out, as should the tread along the outer edge of your foot. Ideally, runners need shoes which dont allow them to overpronate or supinate, but be kept in the Neutral position. In store, we use free video gait analysis to show our customers how shoes with different levels of stability work for them. Generally, shoes that work well for individual runners keep their feet properly aligned in the neutral position, not allowing for excessive supination, or overpronation.
4. Ok, great. What shoe's work best for overpronators & supinators?We have broken down our shoe catalog into 3 major categories: Stability, Motion Control, & Neutral Cushioned. Stability shoes are intended for mild overpronators, or runners who have a medium sized arch.
Mens Stability Shoes can be found here, and Womens Stability Shoes can be found here. Motion Control shoes are designed for runners whose arches are more flat, and overpronate excessively. We recommend Motion Control shoes for heavier runners who need extra stability and cushioning. Womens Motion Control can be found here, and Mens Motion Control shoes are located here. Lastly, Neutral Cushioned shoes tend to work well for runners who either supinate, or do not require much medial stability. Generally these types of runners need more cushioning than stability.
Womens Neutral Cushioned shoes can be found here.
Mens Neutral Cushioned shoes are available here. Again, please bear in mind that Neutral Cushioned shoes are low on stability, and high on cushioning. What about size & fit? How long should my new shoes last?
BoulderRunningCompany.com has a few recommendations to keep in mind when purchasing your running shoes online. Running shoes are sized slightly differently than casual/dress shoes. To ensure a proper fit, buy your running shoes at least a half size bigger than your dress shoes. Ideally, runners need half to a full thumb nails width from the end of your longest toe to the end of the shoe. This is done to avoid wrong sizing issues, such as blisters and callousing. Depending on how frequently you run, the typical running shoe has a lifespan of approximately 300-500 miles. Generally speaking, the midsole of a shoe will break down before tread on the outsole is worn out. As a rule of thumb, shoes should be replaced every 6 months. If your heel is slipping up and down, you may need to tighten your shoes. We recommend lacing your shoes all the way through the last eyelet.
Please contact us with any questions.
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