After my shoes gave me a HUGE blister on my pinky toe yesterday, I have decided to get some shoes made for running (I think mine are more walking shoes than running).

If you can recommend good a good brand or shoe (definitely can't spend more than $100, would like to keep it even lower than this), please do... but I am more looking for advice on all the different aspects of a good running shoe. I see online various things like "stability" and "motion control" and don't really GET what these mean.

Can someone give me a quick lecture on Running Shoes 101?

Thanks!

Go to a Running Store (a store that caters to runners, not a footlocker or sports authority) and have them check out your gait, your pronation and have them recommend a shoe. You will not likely find many shoes that are up to par that are under $100 but you might. I suggest slightly expanding your budget.

I could possibly extend my budget slightly, but not by much. The that lies herein is that we don't have any kind of "running store" here. I have a "Sports Connection" and that's it locally (besides Wal-mart... haha!). I will check if there is a running focused store in the city an hour away. I don't recall one off the top of my head, but I don't think I have really LOOKED for one before either.

Thanks for the tip! With our only local source being a broad based sports store, I wanted to educate myself as much as I can before heading in for just the reasons you stated (they won't check any of those things).

I would visit Runner's World: Running Shoes, Marathon Training, Racing They have a big data base on all the running shoe info you will want to read up on, AND they have an even bigger database on running shoes as well, so you can figure out what your arch type it, if you pronate, are neutral or supinate and can find what shoes would fit you best.

These categories are based on how much you pronate (roll your foot inward from the heel strike to the toe push-off). Those with lower arches usually pronate more, although watching your gait for pronation is a more direct way of checking it.

"Neutral" shoes are made for those who pronate little or none, or supinate (roll your foot outward).

"Stability" shoes are made for those with moderate pronation.

"Motion control" shoes are made for those with high pronation.

Shoes made for those who pronate more have firmer soles on the inside edge compared to the outside edge.

Thanks for the explanations!

I ended up getting a pair of Brooks Addiction shoes. I really love them, but now my knees hurt. Ugh! I do pronate (I have known this for some time and my son actually has orthotics for his pronation as he also has low muscle tone) and I am guessing that, along with the shoes, is playing a role in my knee pain. Inner knee (medial ligament) pain. I didn't "injure" my knee, and honestly during my workouts it feels better to run. But alas, that night and/or the next morning my inner knees hurt enough to cause me worry.

My other shoes, even though they gave me blisters are are intended for walking, didn't do this. So perhaps the shoes trying to "fix" my pronation is causing my knees to hurt? They are supposed to be great for pronation. Ugh.

Other than that, which doesn't bother me much while running and only slightly while walking briskly (most of the pain is AFTER I stop running) the shoes make a world of difference!