How to rotate your running shoes, there are a few things to consider before adding a new shoe into your rotation

There are many benefits to rotating your running shoes, but actually making this practice work for you may not be as simple as it sounds. If you’re not sure exactly how to effectively rotate your shoes, read on to learn which factors you should consider.

A note for beginners

If you’re just starting out and thinking “wait — I need more than one pair of running shoes?”, don’t stress. A beginner will do just fine with one pair of good, everyday trainers, especially if you’re taking days off in between runs (which you should, if you’re a true beginner).

On a similar note, you don’t have to rotate your running shoes to be a successful runner, so if financial constraints are preventing you from having more than one pair, you can ignore this advice entirely. Find a shoe that works well for you, and do your best to take care of them so they last.

The classic two-for-one

The simplest way to rotate your shoes is to buy two of the same shoe and wear each pair for every other run. The foam midsole in your shoe often takes at least 24 hours to return to its original state after you’ve run on it, so swapping between two pairs can significantly prolong the life of your shoes by giving them time to reset between runs. Not only can this help decrease your risk for some injuries, but it can actually help you save money in the long run.

Alternating between heel drops

The more complicated way to rotate your shoes is to have multiple pairs of different shoes, with different heel drops. Some shoes have a heel drop of 5 mm or less, some have heel drops that are 10 mm or more. The size of the heel drop will change which of your leg muscles are doing more work, and there is some research to suggest that by alternating between different drops, you can change which muscles are activating, which could help prevent some injuries.

For example, shoes with a low heel-drop will make your feet, Achilles and ankles do more work, while a large heel drop (10-13 mm) will put more pressure on your knees, thighs and hips. If you’re considering adding a shoe with a different heel drop into your rotation, make sure to do it gradually, starting out with only shorter, easier runs in the new shoe. If you go from a 10 mm drop to a 5 mm drop too suddenly, you risk causing lower-leg issues, like Achilles tendinitis.

Different shoes for different purposes

Many more advanced runners choose to rotate their shoes based on the purpose of their run. They may have a daily trainer for easy day mileage, a long run shoe, a speedwork shoe and a racing shoe. For example, they might choose a lighter shoe for their speedier tempo sessions, but a more cushioned shoe for their recovery days or long runs. Some may choose to shell out on a more expensive, carbon-plated shoe for race day, if they’re looking to shave off a few more seconds from their time.

As we said at the beginning, if you’re a beginner runner, you don’t need multiple pairs of shoes. You also likely don’t need multiple pairs if you’re running fewer than four times a week, unless one of those days is a tempo session and you want a lighter shoe for that purpose. Always take time to break in a new pair of shoes (especially if they have a significantly different heel drop from what you’re used to), and when in doubt, pick the same pair (or a similar pair) and alternate between them.

posted Tuesday March 8th
by Brittany Hambleton