The right road running shoes can make the miles fly by, while the wrong ones can lead to discomfort and even injury. If you’re just starting out, the jargon can be daunting, so begin with this guide to stride, shoe types, and features at work.

Then, if possible, consult a knowledgeable salesperson, tell them the kind of mileage and surfaces you run, and let them watch you run on a treadmill or around the store in a range of different shoes. Do you have worn running shoes? Bring them in, and the salesperson may check for worn tread areas, which can be indicators of running form and stride that point to needs for different features on your new shoes.

Here’s how to get started.

KNOW YOUR STRIDE

Your shoes should match your running stride (also called running gait). Generally, strides are broken into neutral, slightly pronating, and pronating (supinating is rare). The best way to know what kind of stride/gait you have is to have a knowledgeable running shoe salesperson, physical therapist, or movement specialist film you running on a treadmill or on a section of road, then rewatch and analyze the video with you in slow motion. (You can try to do this with a friend, watching to see if your feet and ankles move inward—pronate—or not through your gait cycle, but it’s best to engage a professional.)

Neutral: A neutral stride means your feet strike the ground and toe-off without much lateral movement, and neutral shoes don’t have any corrective features to change that.

Slightly pronating: If your feet roll inward during any part of your stride, from when your foot first touches down to when you roll off your toe, you pronate. Some runners only pronate a little bit, while others pronate a lot. And some runners start pronating late in a run as they fatigue. Light stability shoes have features like small amounts of foam that’s more dense than the rest of the midsole, or a small amount of hard plastic TPU built into the midsole to help pronating feet from rolling too far inward.

Pronating: Stability shoes have a significant amount of dense foam or TPU built into the midsole to offer more pronation correction than light stability shoes. Some runners find stable shoes help mitigate achy knees or other pains. (Though wearing stability shoes if you have a neutral gait could create achy knees or other pains.)

Supinating: Though rare, some runners’ feet supinate—or roll outward—when they run. Those runners are best off in neutral shoes.

CUSHIONING

Road running shoes come in a range of cushioning options. Some are maximally cushioned, featuring notably fat midsoles. Some runners prefer this to reduce impact from running on hard surfaces. Maximally cushioned shoes are also often the choice of runners who log high mileage, or crave well-cushioned shoes for recovery runs. Some shoes achieve a cushy ride by using midsole material that’s extremely responsive without being massively thick. Since the latter can be difficult to see at a glance, read up on product descriptions.

Some shoes are less cushioned in order to achieve a more responsive, and therefore, speedy experience. Racing flats, for instance, have minimal cushioning and are meant for just that: racing. Generally speaking, the less cushioning, the quicker a runner reaches the toe-off part of their stride, making for a quick turnover.

Many shoes on the market today strike a balance with very responsive cushioning that allows a runner to achieve a quick turnover and faster stride. 

OFF-SET/DROP

The “off-set,” also known as the “drop” of a shoe refers to the difference, in millimeters, between the cushioning under the heel and the cushioning under the forefoot. Traditionally, running shoes were constructed with a 12mm or 10mm difference in cushioning between the heel and forefoot. The increased cushioning in the back of the shoe is meant to cushion a runner’s heel strike while allowing them to control their toe-off with less cushioning under the forefoot.

The past decade or so, shoes with varying off-sets/drops have given runners a choice in their cushioning experience, with the ride varying slightly. Off-sets/drops range from 12mm to 0mm, and everything in-between.  

Shoes with 0mm drop are known as “zero drop.” These are meant to mimic a natural running stride, based on the theory that our bare feet are flat, with no elevated cushioning under the foot.

The amount of off-set that’s best for you is entirely subjective. There are passionate supporters of both conventional and zero drop shoes. More and more shoe models are being built with 4mm or 6mm drops, leaning more toward zero drop than conventional. Whenever you switch from a larger drop to a more minimal one, especially when going from 12mm or 10mm to zero, it’s important to ease your body into the new pair gradually. First, walk in the new shoes a few times. Then start with shorts runs in them before adding mileage. Moving too quickly from, say, a 12mm-drop shoe to a zero-drop shoe puts strain on the Achilles tendon, for example. Changing back too drastically from zero drop to 12mm might put strain on your hips or other joints. Ease into change.

FEATURES 

Other features to consider have to do with the kind of running you do, and the fit. If you run wet roads often or do short-distance road races, for instance, you’ll want shoes with good traction under the toe. (Road shoe traction is more about rubber types and grooves cut into them than luggy protrusions found on trail running shoes.) If you’re running in hot weather, you’ll want a breathable shoe and should look for uppers made of open or very thin mesh.

FIT

Good fit is essential, so don’t rush through this step after you’ve found the type of shoe you want. Shoes from various shoe companies and even different shoe models from the same company are built on different lasts—the foot mold they’re made around. Some shoes fit narrow, some fit wide. Some fit with a narrow heel and a notably wide forefoot. Some are higher volume and some are lower. Trying on shoes and taking a few strides in them will help you find the right pair for you.

All articles are for general informational purposes.  Each individual’s needs, preferences, goals and abilities may vary.  Be sure to obtain all appropriate training, expert supervision and/or medical advice before engaging in strenuous or potentially hazardous activity.