Comfort over style: this is what you usually hear when you seek for an advice on what shoes to wear for running. When you search online, expect information overload. When you ask a runner, anticipate a very useful advice but what fits well with others might not be the perfect fit for you.
When I started running, I did not buy a new running shoe; I just wore what I currently own which was the Nike Fly knit Free Run 4.0. It was never my plan to run long distance, though I have been running since I was in High school and my dad is a LSD runner; I just decided to go back to running to lose some weight, manage my breathing and clear my mind. Months after I got back, my kilometres kept increasing, my body adjusted well and I yearn to run more hours per week. The shoe I was using seemed to be looking for a new friend or this was rather my excuse to buy a new one.
I considered 3 criteria in buying my second, third and fourth running shoe. The shoes I chose might not fit perfectly to your taste or what you need but at least these were objective basis that you can somehow use:
1. Consider learning your foot type. We each have distinctive curve alongside our foot that is categorized to (1) Low Arch foot, (2) Normal Arch foot and (3) High Arch foot. Once you learn what type of foot you have, you would be able to know the pattern how your foot strike the ground (pronation) while running and type of support you need (for your gait). These would then eliminate other running shoes that does not fit your foot profile.
2. Consider the distance and location you are planning to run. Will you be running on the road or hitting the trail and gravel areas? I would personally suggest you do not use city running shoes when you run on the trails as this might be dangerous. For long distance running, look for shoes that is soft enough to cushion those difficult footpath, light enough that will keep you moving specially during the last few kilometres and firm enough to give the exact boost kilometre after kilometre.
3. Consider the color. This might be a little surprising for some but a lot would agree that color is also very important, well for me at least. I usually start training just before the sunrise or just early moments after meaning its still a bit dark on the streets; the brighter the color of the shoe the better for me to be noticeable by the cars passing by or by my co-runners. Be it on the trail or on long distance city running, I guess I would prefer my shoe to be both distressingly and attractively noticeable.
For city running (21 km, 32 km and Full Marathon), I fly with Nike Fly knit, Nike Free Run and Adidas Ultra boost. I am very comfortable with Brooks while on the trail and for Ultra running, Adidas Pure bounce and Nike Vaporfly is comfort and style combined.
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