How much should runners cost?

orchidsrpretty · 16-03-2019 5:54am #1

I think my asics gt2000 are coming to the end of their career. I am starting to get niggles and pains I never had before and presuming it's the runners?
Anyway I can't really afford to spend 120+ on a new pair at the minute so wondering what makes a good runner and how cheap is cheap?! And also anything I should be looking out for? I typically run 15-25k per week so not major mileage.

cyclocross! · 16-03-2019 7:31am

Have done a lot of running over the years and learned the hard way that quality and comfort of footwear is something not to be compromised. I have been wearing the same brand and model for last 20 years. Obviously the colours and small design features change. I would advise getting another pair of the Asics if they are comfortable, fit well and give you the right support. Shop around and good deals can be had online on previous years versions.

18-03-2019 7:34pm

I think that if you get a better understanding of what attributes in a shoe you like and/or need as you go along you can choose different runners based on those attributes (and hence get ones on sales online etc that will likely suit you instead of sticking just to one pair) but yes I would say that it's better not to cheap out on runners in general.

some cushion materials like Adidas boost and Nike React are very durable so if you can find shoes with those materials that suit you on sale then they can last up to 2 X as long in terms of cushioning compared to something like standard EVA foam. So if you were using EVA-based shoes getting a boost-based shoe is like getting 2 pairs of runners for the price of one.

GT-2000 is primarily EVA btw with some other flytefoam stuff.

I've never had to consider a shoe worn-out because it fell apart in the upper - it's always the cushioning going that led me to change.

TaurenDruid · 19-03-2019 6:06pm

orchidsrpretty wrote: »

I think my asics gt2000 are coming to the end of their career. I am starting to get niggles and pains I never had before and presuming it's the runners?
Anyway I can't really afford to spend 120+ on a new pair at the minute so wondering what makes a good runner and how cheap is cheap?! And also anything I should be looking out for? I typically run 15-25k per week so not major mileage.

Any advice I've seen is that runners will only last around 500 miles, so really you're looking at two pairs a year.

One thing I wasn't expecting when I took up running was the expense of running shoes - the most I'd spent before on footwear was maybe €50 and suddenly I was buying €120+ pairs!

Someone gave me good advice when I started - get a gait analysis done and buy your runners there as a thank you; then next time buy the same pair online for a lot cheaper. I've gotten GT2000s online for around €80 and seen them cheaper, too. Intersport Elverys will give you a 10% discount in-store, too, if you've a parkrun barcode.

Swashbuckler · 19-03-2019 7:25pm

TaurenDruid wrote:

Any advice I've seen is that runners will only last around 500 miles, so really you're looking at two pairs a year.

I just don't buy into that 500 mile rule atall. It's a marketing gimmick and completely dependent on the type and make of runner.

Plumbthedepths · 19-03-2019 7:29pm

Have a pair of runners that I completed 21 marathons in and countless training miles. 500 miles is a good marketing speil. I tend to wear them until no longer give me the comfort I require. As an aside buy last year's model of what works for you, usually cheaper.

opus · 20-03-2019 12:06pm

Same for me, I got ~1500 miles out of a pair from Lidl that cost ~€20. Only got rid of them when I felt they were just a bit too hard on the sole.

My new pair from there cost even less at €13 but have only ~150k on them so far.

RayCun · 20-03-2019 12:14pm

If you know what runners you want, you can get them fairly cheap online
https://pricespy.ie/fashion-accessories/footwear/sport-outdoor-shoes/running-shoes/asics-gt-2000-6-mens--p4594539

average_runner · 20-03-2019 2:29pm

Also runrepeat.com is very good and you can put a reminder for when the runners go below a certain price

BaZmO* · 22-03-2019 11:39am

If Asics are your thing you could try the Asics shop in Kildare Village, lots of bargains to be had there.

TFBubendorfer · 26-03-2019 11:47am

For well over 10 years I have bought almost all my runners online during a sale, and I usually spend €50-€80 per pair.

The "500 miles" rule is pure BS, the shoe manufacturers sure love people who apply by that. I usually get between 1000 and 1200 miles out of a pair.

I know what type of shoes I want, namely light-weight neutral runners. The brand makes next to no difference. In all those years there were only two pairs that I didn't like (Asics Stratus and Asics Nimbus), all other shoes have been perfectly fine.

One thing to note, however, is that I always have at least 2 pairs in active rotation, and I never wear the same pair twice in a row. That leave the shoes enough time to decompress between runs and they last longer that way.

I went over 9 years without injury, so I think I'm doing something right, at least.

How much should runners cost?

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