The real deal on footwear for runners.

A runner in New York is upset with (translation: suing) Adidas, claiming that he was “duped about the potential fitness benefits” of a new shoe designed to mimic barefoot running.  You might remember a similar shoe controversy when consumers were awarded a multi-million dollar settlement from Sketcher’s over the company’s claims about their funky Shape-up line.

These are obviously a couple of pretty extreme cases, but they both point to something very important for runners: be realistic with your expectations when it comes to shoes (or any other piece of fitness equipment for that matter).

Yes, choosing the right shoe is important and can have a big impact on your training.  But know, the newest or most expensive footwear on the planet isn’t going to make a radical difference in your performance.  You’re still the one doing the work.

If you’re in the market for new shoes or are just exploring the possibility of trying something a little more radical than a traditional pair, we’ve pulled a couple of old posts out of the archives for you.  These don’t cover space-age technology or the newest super-shoe — just the basics of shoe selection that matter to serious runners.

If you’re interested in what’s on your feet, take a moment to check out last Summer’s post “What shoes should I wear…”  For general tips on taking good care of the ones you have, take a look at “How to treat your running shoes right.”

And by all means, if you do find yourself with a shoe you feel strongly about (good or bad), please let us know about it.  We’re always curious about what people are using out there!