How To Tell When It's Time To Get New Running Shoes

Ah, that new running shoe feeling! Nothing will add some spring to your step like a fresh pair of kicks, without sweat, mileage, rain puddles, dirt, and loose gravel weighing you down. If money were no object, it would be fun to run in virgin soles all the time; alas, decent brands charge at least $100 for well-designer running shoes (per MarketWatch). So, you're probably basing your decision on when to get a new pair on need, not want. And when do you need to send your sneakers out to pasture? A good rule of thumb is every 300 to 500 miles, according to Cnet.

But this isn't a hard-and-fast rule by any means. Certain shoes are designed to be replaced more frequently. The brand Brooks says that its sturdier sneakers, like their Adrenaline, indeed can go that far before you need new ones, but they also sell a lightweight line, PureProject, that is designed for speed, not durability, and will need to be changed after only 250 to 300 miles.

The expression "your mileage may vary" really applies here, because depending on not only the shoe but your stride and your weight, you might need to get new running shoes considerably sooner... or, yours might have more life in them at 500 miles than someone else has in theirs after only 250. A very thin, 100-pound runner will be able to run in shoes longer than someone twice their size, and people who over-pronate, which puts more pressure on the outer edges of the foot, also go through shoes more quickly than runners who are light on their feet, Cnet points out.

If you typically don't experience pain when you run, but lately, you've been suffering shin splints or sore knees, you probably need new shoes, regardless of how many miles it's been (per Verywell Fit). Also inspect the bottoms of your soles from time to time. When the tread looks worn out, you're no longer getting the shock absorbency benefits your limbs need to avoid injury. When that's the case, it's definitely time to pony up for new shoes.