… for me which would serve as both a running and a walking shoe. Vitals: 60 years, weight 198, height 5’8".
I want to work up a running program, but cannot yet walk a 15 minute mile, so it will be a run/walk kinda thing once I can do that. I want to alternate with cycling at least 2 days a week as well.
In the words of Ray Davies, “I’m on a low budget”, so something not more than 40-50 dollars would be my spending range.
Thanks for your help!
Quasi
You should find a good walking shoe in that range but based on your weight there are no running shoes that cheap that can handle the impact forces.
Real running shoes start around $70 and up.
There are good Asics running shoes on roadrunner for well under 70.
the Men’s ASICS GEL-Kanbarra 5 seems to be a good choice. (apparently out of stock though?)
to the OP: go to roadrunnersports or some other website, use their shoe finders to find exactly what they define as your ideal shoe type, and then go from there.
Shoes that are sold through dept. stores are typically lower quality shoes that may look like a running shoe and marketed as one but contains none of the features that a real running shoe has.
That shoe may be adequate for a lightweight , young runner but the OP is a late middle age man with significant weight(for a runner).
I just looked at RoadRunner Sports and the cheapest shoes are all racing shoes or track spikes.
Is it really your contention that the shoes sold at roadrunnersports.com are not “real” running shoes? Like ASICS for some odd reason distributes to Macy’s “not real” shoes (with the same model number) while the MSRP-charging independent shoe salesman gets the real deal?
it is at this juncture that i ask if you are the proprietor of an aforementioned independent retail establishments?
I do not own a store nor am I engaged in the selling of running shoes or gear of any sort.The shoe you linked to was only available in children’s sizes at RoadRunner Sports.
That shoe is currently available through Kohl’s, Sears and Amazon and my experience is that such shoes are lower quality than those marketed toward higher mileage runners.
I found Reboks to be good. JC Penny usually has a sale on them under $50.00 if you want to wait a bit.
My running shoes are made by Brooks, and they’re fantastic. My feet don’t feel weighed down, they breathe well and they hug my arches and ankles perfectly.
My advice would be to go to a store that specializes in selling running shoes and equipment (and not a Foot Locker, department store or general “sporting goods” store). The place I went to here actually looked at how my feet were shaped and how my legs were aligned before recommending a few shoes for me to try on (and they let me actually run up and down the street before buying!) They were a reasonable price, too – around $75.
To echo what SpartanDC, you need on the spot advice. There is no one good shoe for everyone.
A runner with flat feet has different needs than someone with a high arch.
Fit varies between manufacturers and your foot may not match a particular manufacturer’s idea of how the foot is shaped(narrow/wide heel, narrow/wide forefoot). A size 9 from one may be a size 9.5 from another and so on.
I 100% agree with this, and would even say that someone getting up there in age needs this more considering you are likelier to injure yourself.
Go to a good running store, ask a sales person to help you. They should observe you run, ask a few questions, and then they’ll recommend a few shoes to try on. You want to run a bit in each shoe, and have the sales person watch you. Then decided what feels best.
The best shoe for you will be one that meets your needs and fits your feet and running style. That’s pretty much impossible for us to figure out without seeing you run.
“but the OP is a *late middle age * man with significant weight(for a runner).”
Thanks for not calling me a “senior citizen”, Pat! 
Q
I agree with people who say to go get fitted at a running store. If you want to work up to running, start out with good shoes. Good means working with your body, not necessarily expensive. You would tend more towards injury if you buy shoes that don’t work with your feet. In my case, I pronate, and need support to keep my feet from pushing outwards. When I bought shoes with the wrong support - believe me, after a few weeks, I could feel it.
Forgive me for slightly hijacking this - but I’m curious on the wisdom of trying to get out on the street for someone who has some degree of dementia. I admit, I haven’t really kept up on your blog, so I don’t know whether it is of concern or not. I’m just having visions of someone having run a few miles and then forgetting where they are after they are a relatively good distance away from the house.
IMO, if you are going to be doing mostly walking with some running mixed in (sounds like it), I’d say save your money and get a relatively cheap yet comfortable pair of shoes, based on what feels good to you. If you go the route of having people look at your mechanics during running, get a couple opinions. I’ve had a very, very reputable store in the local area fit me with the wrong shoe, and it caused me problems.
The markup on shoes from a running store, even a local independant one, is in the 40-50% range - based on what a former employee of one has told me, anyway. So if you can get the same model shoe from a cheaper source as compared to a specialty store - by all means do so.
I’m a big 40-year-old woman. I work on my feet, sometimes 10 hour shifts with maybe 20 minutes worth of sitting broken up within the shift. I struggled with sore feet and faciitis in my left foot for years before I found the right running shoe. Or maybe it was a matter of just buying more expensive running shoes, but once I bought the first pair that saved my feet, I stuck with that brand! They are Vasque, which specializes in trail running.
I found the Vasque shoes at Sierra Trading Post. They retail usually between $90-$120 a pair, but I’ve never spend more than $45 through Sierra Trading Post - they’re a closeout store that sells “last year’s” models. I’ve found them to last FAR, FAR longer than the Sketchers or Asics or Saucony, Adidas, Nike, that I had tried before. Maybe because the tread is made for rocky, uneven trails, I found it to last a lot longer on sidewalks and pavement than regular running shoes, so where I used to have to buy new shoes every 4-6 months, my next pair is en route right now since my last pair I bought last year November. The tread on last year’s pair is finally worn and the mesh over my left pinkie toe is finally starting to give a little. So the pair in transit now is my 3rd pair in 3 years, plus a pair of trail sandals that have gone 2 summers so far and will be fine for next year, too.
These shoes have been the best value for my money I’ve ever bought, and no more foot fatigue or pain!
The Sierra Trading Post site is worth a try, you could even get fitted at a quality athletic shoe store and then go shopping online once you know what brands fit you best. I can’t tell you how important it is, and how much of a difference it can make to have shoes that work well with your feet!
SDT, you make an excellent point about sticking to a model that works for you. Be aware that manufacturers will occasionally alter a shoe for the upcoming model year. Something to pay attention to.
As far as buying “last year’s model”, be aware that the cushioning material starts to age-harden as soon as it is produced. Won’t really matter for standing/walking around work but a old closeout shoe that’s a year or two old will have lost much of it’s cushioning.
I’ll be using the track at UWG (University of West Georgia - my alma mater), which is less than a mile from my home. As far as my cycling goes, I ride the Silver Comet Trail with friends.
I do appreciate your concern, however and thank you for your suggestions!
Q
Sr. Olives was a pretty serious runner in high school (he averaged 70 miles/week.) He’s also a cheap bastard (uh, I mean… frugal.)
When he took me to the store to get fitted for running shoes, we went to a specialty running store. The person felt my feet up, had me walk around so he could watch my gait, and then handed me three boxes of shoes. The first pair seemed the best.
‘‘Now what?’’ I asked my husband. ‘‘How much are these?’’
His response? ‘‘It doesn’t matter. Let’s just hope they’re on sale.’’
It is the first time in the history of our relationship i witnessed him purchase something without knowing the price, comparing it obsessively to other prices, and thinking about it for two weeks.
According to him, money is no object in one area of life only: the quality of running shoes. Furthermore, no single brand is appropriate for everyone. You just have to get out there and see what works for you.
In my limited experience, he is correct. There is nothing better than a running shoe that is perfect, and nothing worse than one that is poor.
Hereis an interesting recent article in the NY times that suggests that some cheap shoes are quite acceptable.
As usual, this type of article is all over the map and really provides poor guidance and misleading conclusions.
The woman mentioned at the beginning is said to be a serious runner, finished 3 marathons. She runs 20 miles a week. That’s low. Typical mileage for marathoners start at 40-70 and up about She most likely walked the marathons and that is low mileage, lower quality shoes won’t affect her as badly as a higher mileage runner. She also my have good foot mechanics further masking any deficiencies.
The article states that you won’t get more by paying more based on one woman’s opinion.
The first study cited compared shoes in the $80-150 yet implied that low priced shoes were just as good or were the low price shoes the $80 pairs? Not clear.
Paying more within the range of real running shoes may not be better, you need to find a shoe that works for you.
Runners who choose a shoe for extra cushioning is not being smart. If a runner overpronates, they need a motion-control shoe not more cushion.
It’s not the fault of the shoe that a consumer made an uninformed choice.
Shoe quality is not shoddy and a shoe will not vary by a full size. I’ve probably worn well over 100 pairs and never had the size be inaccurate.