Buying running shoes

[canabiz]

Hey guys, I want to get into running (again) because I have high cholesterol and the doc told me to burn some calories and lose some weight (I am 5'11" and 190lbs so I am not terribly overweight but it's better to nip this in the bud)

I did run quite a bit when I was younger and before immigrating to Canada. Now I have calf pain when I run (shin splint, from what I understand, it could be because I didn't have the right shoes)

I did some research on Google and on RFD (I also cross-posted over there) and it looks like i should get a GAIT analysis done before heading out to purchase the right running shoes. Do you guys recommend going to places like the Running Room, as opposed to Sport Chek or Foot Locker, to get good advice on running shoes? I bought my first pair of skates at Canadian Tire and that was a big mistake as I had so much pain skating, i then went to a skate shop and got the right skates and that's all she wrote...

Being a guy who always likes to look for deals (don't we all?!), should I shop for shoes in the States/online for the best deal or is it better off for me to pay a bit more here but have the peace of mind knowing I didn't skimp on my health, so to speak.

Is there different type of running shoes e.g. one for road, one for trail or are there *universal* ones that can be used in any situation? We just moved to a new area with some trails and I'd like to take advantage of that.

Thank you guys and hope to see you on the road or the trail, wherever you are! I figure running is possibly one of the most frugal way (if not the most frugal) of exercising you can get.

[slacker]

Retail prices of running shoes are ridiculously high compared to US. I usually just buy my shoes off of ebay. Usually save about $50.

[Sherlock]

I'm no expert but aren't the people working at places like sport chek kids who get paid min wage and know little or nothing about what they sell? I would be very surprised if you could walk into a store like that and get expert advice on shoes. That's not to say they wouldn't carry very good running shoes, just that you'd need to do your own research on the internet rather than expecting them to be able to offer any useful advice.

Personally I prefer biking over running.

[slacker]

On the "gait-analysis", you can get that done at running room. You only need to do that once. They'd get you to run or walk around store, and watch how you run and walk and the amount of pronation. It's not very complicated, and it's not very scientific either.

[mcoursd2006]

Your shinsplints may be due to your body not used to running anymore, rather than the shoes. You might just want to cut back on the amount you're doing and build up your miles slowly. Some people swear by a certain brand/model/type of running shoe. Others it doesn't matter. And cost is no indication. I find out what shoes I like and then order them through Sporting Life when they go on sale, and they always go on sale.

BTW, running may not be the best way for someone to lose weight, if that's your goal.

[Homerhomer]

I will never again buy shoes online as the fit may not be exactly the same as the pair you are trying on in the store.
Sportcheck staff doesn't know anything, runningroom staff has a bit of training in doing some basic evaluation.
You also may want to look into proper inserts, some of them can be customized to your feet as you would heat them up before you put them on first time, this is a good solution since even decent shoes have very basic inserts.
Google is your friend ;-)

[MoneyGal]

BTW, running may not be the best way for someone to lose weight, if that's your goal.

This. Exercise to feel good, not to lose weight.

[Guigz]

This. Exercise to feel good, not to lose weight.

I don't get it. Why should you not exercice if you are trying to lose weight?

Personally, I think a two pronged approach (exercice and diet) works the best to lose weight.

[MoneyGal]

No, that is not a corollary of what I wrote. Exercise is generally an ineffective way to lose weight, and running in particular (or any long, slow cardio) is not the most effective way to lose weight. This isn't controversial.

[rusty_shackleford]

speaking from experience and based on some research i've done, diet is a majority of it. you can exercise all you want but if you aren't eating clean, you aren't going to be very effective in getting healthier. with that said, i would invest in good shoes since that will still be cheaper than a gym membership. definitely give the running room or something similar a try.