For runners who perform many runs weekly could get some great benefits by having access to 2 different shoes for the road and 2 different shoes for the trail. If you’re looking to improve your performance and reduce injury risks, you should be rotating your running shoes regularly. Our running plan should include a collection of shoes that are ready for any type of distance or terrain. This could be the best option to keep us running fast and injury-free. As runners, we can own two different shoes that provide the same purpose. They can be different brands or varying weights, depending on how much cushioning or stability we need for different runs.
Benefits of Having Access to 2 Different Running Shoes
Reduce the Risk of Injuries
Wearing the same pair of shoes every day for every run, an extended period of time usually puts the same stress on the same muscles and tendons, so it’s nice to have a little bit of variety in our footwear throughout the week.
Alternating running shoes a few times/week can help reduce the injury risks and improve our performance level and speed.
Dealing with the impact on the road, using the same shoes stresses our muscles and joints, in the same way, on every run. Since running is such a repetitive and high impact, it can overstress these issues, especially when we increase our training intensity.
According to some study, runners who train in more than one pair of shoes were definitely at a lowered risk for injury. Some research reported that alternating between at least two models reduces the rate of injury by up to 39% as opposed to if we don’t rotate.
When we alternate our running shoes, we vary the load applied to the musculoskeletal system, which may help reduce the repeated load on different joints, muscles, and ligaments.
Increase our Performance Level, Speed and Endurance
Using a more stabilized and minimal shoe allows us to build strength in our feet, ankle and calf muscles that are challenged in a lighter and more cushioned shoe. That’s what causes our feet and ankles to become a bit weaker. But according to our foot type, some runners cannot wear minimal shoes. We need to follow our foot type.
Some nice light and cushiony shoes have some great benefits for foot recovery with less impact.
To alternate models of our running shoes can also help with our performance, endurance and speed. When we run longer distances, to have a bit of cushioning and more stability shoes will help support the impact from the ground, to save some muscle soreness.
If you’re going to rotate through multiple sets, have a pair for each specific workout.
We should have specific shoes for specific runs (short and fast, long-distance, hill repeats, trail runs).
Different shoes will function differently at slow or fast paces and will offer different running performance level.
We should choose lighter shoes with less cushioning for faster, shorter runs, and for a longer run, we should focus on shoes that provides a little more cushion.
Rotating shoes means that our body does not adapt to one style and get lazy, which leads to muscles turning off and getting weaker.
Some good speed running shoes with some great fresh foam in the midsole can help deliver explosive energy return to support fast speed and endurance. These type of shoes are good for the race training sessions and races.
Our Shoes Will Last Longer
The average lifespan of running shoes is between 600 to 800 kilometres, according to the shoe quality and our training schedule.
Many factors can affect the shoes lifespan:
Footstrike
Running surface
Running frequency
Running Speed
Bodyweight
Running Gait
Not Cleaning or Washing our Shoes
Rotating running shoes helps elongate the lifespan of the shoes, which can help us save a lot of money since high-quality shoes can be a significant investment.
Wearing our running shoes for bootcamps, strength training, or training in a gym, could cause some injury. Shoes meant for running do not support the lateral movements we perform in a group fitness class or the impact of lifting weights. It’s better to have a pair of cross-training shoes for those activities.
Trail Running Shoes Variety
To have access to different type of shoes for trail running can also have many benefits to avoid some injuries. We should have access to different models to wear on different type of trails.
1. More Concrete: The shoes should be a bit lighter and cushiony to support the impact.
2. More Technical Trail: When running on technical trail, we need more stabilized shoes, more good grip for the uphill and downhill. If the shoes are high-cushioned, this might cause some ankle sprain or fracture. But if we are focusing on a slow recovery run, or hike, then we can wear some cushioned shoes to recover.
3. Long-Distance Trail Runs: For long-distance or Ultra runs, we might need shoes which are stabilized but with some mild cushioning to give more support for the long-distance impact.
Extend the Shoes Lifespan
1. Having access to 2 models of running shoes will also help our shoes to dry out properly. It will help remove the fungus and mold in the shoes. And allow us to wash our shoes and dry well.
2. Long runs or hot weather can produce a huge amount of moisture in our running shoes. This moisture build-up will eventually break down the component of our shoes, which can damage the shoes fabric.
Find the Best Different Shoe Models According to Your Foot Type, Training Schedule, Enjoy Every Run!
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