Selecting Marathon Running Shoes for Increased Comfort, Speed, Stability, Cushion, Motion Control, and for Preventing Injury.

With the many brands and models of running shoes that are currently available, selecting the "best pair of running shoes" is often not an easy task. However, considering the fact that we all have different and unique needs due to the differences in our biomechanics, weight, height, the type of running surfaces we run on, and most importantly, the shape of our feet; there is no such a thing as the "a pair of running shoes" that work for all runners.

Running shoes differ not only in the way they support out feet, but also the manner in which they provide us cushion, stability and motion control. Then again, a pair of shoes that may work well on certain types of running surfaces may not perform so well on other types of surfaces. Similarly, shoes that seem to work well in training environment or during speed training routines may not work equally well during distance running or racing sprints.

It is important, therefore, to first identify the runner's biomechanics and then select a pair of shoes that work well for the type of running environment the runner is going to be participating in.

A quick way to investigate the type of feet a runner has is to conduct a "wet test" by wetting the feet and then observing the impression they leave on a dry floor or a dry paper. The objective is to figure out if the runner has (a) Normal Feet (b) Flat Feet, or (c) High Arched Feet. There are, of course more sophisticated ways to document feet dimensions, contour, and the weight-loading patterns -including digital/laser wire-frame modeling, using synthetic moulding clay/rasin used for prosthetics, and weight distribution analysis using a sensor-mat embedded with an array of strain gauge transducers.

Regardless of the methods used to catalog the type of feet a runner has, the following criteria is used for determining the type of shoes that may be best suited for a marathon runner:

• Normal Feet: Normal feet (as determined by a "normal-sized" arch) are not only efficient biomechanically, they also inherently provide excellent motion control. Therefore, the primary shoe selection criteria would be increased stability, and not motion control. The best shoes for this runner ,therefore, would be: Stability Shoes.
• Flat Feet: Flat feet provide greater cushion and increased contact/surface area, but inferior motion control. Shoes that are highly cushioned, and/or highly curved are not usually suited for runners who have flat feet. Flat feet distribute the body weight over a wider area (as compared to normal or high arched feet), thereby resulting in lesser weight loading per unit of contact area. Unfortunately, such overpronated feet (flat feet that strike on the outside of the heel, and then excessively roll inwards) are prone to causing many different types of overuse injuries. The primary shoe selection criteria, therefore, would be better motion control with a moderate/secondary emphasis on stability. Running shoes that usually work better for runners with flat feet are the ones that are designed to provide increased motion control, or high stability shoes that offer firm midsoles along with features specifically designed to reduce the degree of pronation. The best shoes for this runner, therefore, would be: Motion Control Shoes (with secondary emphasis on stability).
• High Arch Feet: Wet test prints or wire-frame/digital models of high arch feet usually show a very narrow band (if at all) of contact area between the forefoot and the heel. Contrary to the flat feet, increasingly curved (i.e. highly arched) feet are significantly underpronated. As result, high arched feet have little contact area, greater strain loading, and very ineffective cushioning. The shoes that work better for high arch feet are the ones that are designed to provide excellent cushion, along with flexible features that promote increased foot motion. Runners with high arched fee should particularly avoid shoes that are designed to provide increased motion control or stability at the cost of foot mobility. The best shoes for this runner, therefore, would be: Cushioning Shoes.

Of course, the final selection should only be made after a careful evaluation of the overall comfort, stability and motion control provided by a given pair of shoes -on the type of running surface and the performance level that the runner is likely to encounter. As you put your running shoes through rigorous training schedule, don't forget to get a pair of replacement running shoes and break them in way ahead of your marathon day.