Running shoes, cross country shoes?

Question

I was looking at the Zoom Miller XC, the GHAC XCs and Nike Free trainer 7.0s (These are all nike). I was going to start running again and I was looking into various shoes.

1. I was going to get a pair of Megabounce + from adidas or Nike 360s for long distant running on concrete. (<10 miles)

2. I like the zoom millers because nike says: " a science of tread design that lends traction on grass snow mud and loose terrain. " These are cross country shoes so I thought they would be useful to have as multipurpose because of the tread on the bottom is rubber but not spikes - I wanted a shoe that would be less inclined to get saturated with dirt like typical running shoes with their cloth lininig; I also wanted a shoe I could play a few casual sports games in- (its a little funny showing up to a game with cleats when it was only going to be light).

People say you can wear any shoe for whatever purpose; but I was trying to specialise the shoes I would to wear.

Answer 1

Don't get too hung up on marketing. Nike is very good at it, yet if you look at people running down the street, you see few Nikes on runners feet.

You also don't need to overthink specialized shoes for cross country. Every cross-country course I ran in high school or college was rarely worse more than a smooth dirt fire road. There is nothing wrong with specializing, but do focus on fit and comfort.

Most conventional running shoes will suit your purposes. I like to buy 2 pairs at a time, and alternate or dedicate one for the dirty stuff.

The best advice any of us can offer, is go to a running shoe store, and let them 1) measure your feet, and 2) watch you run. It is CRITICAL to find a shoe that suits your tendencies. If you need stability control, or have high arches, flat feet, pronate, supinate, whatever, you will perform MUCH better in the right shoes and stay injury free.

I can't wear Nike, and never have been able to. I'm an Asics and New Balance guy exclusively. Adidas has come a long way...

Good luck, and welcome back to the road...

Answer 2

It looks like you've done your homework already! I love my Asics and run in them in whatever condition- if it's super muddy, you're going to get muddy. i do agree with you however that having some trail runners will help; I used to own a pair of Nike Trail Blazers (I believe that's what they were called, its been some time now) that I wore when I ran 'real' cross country- on trails in the woods when it was wet, slippery, etc. They had enough traction and didn't seem to hold onto the mud as much. If they're comfortable, I'd say go for it. It does help to have a pair like that because running in spikes is something I only do for races- flat road runners or spikes.

As far as running strickly on the road- like I said, I have a pair of Asics that I love because they are so comfortable, have great cushion and I have never needed to break them in. I went on a long run right away when they were new and had no problems whatsoever. They are a great neutral shoe that aren't narrow, give great support and have a long mileage life as far as I've found.

I hope this helps!!

Answer 3

What the guy above me said about marketing has a lot of merit. Do not be decieved by Nike's multi-million dollar advertising campaigns!

My advice- go to a local running shop and ask them to help you out. I'm not talking about some big chain like Big 5 or Foot Locker. Avoid these places. Go to locally owned shops and you are basically sure to find some people with a wealth of knowledge on running shoes!

It may seem strange because most of your life you've probably been exposed to the brands like Nike and Adidas, but as far as running shoes go, they really aren't that great. They've got some nice shoes, but those guys are to obsessed with being flashy. I am personally partial to Mizuno- I think they make excellent shoes for the money put down.

Answer 4

I have Nike Free 5.0 for flat surfaces