Running

As committed running specialists, we are able to offer a comprehensive range of goods and services including, at our Uckfield store a Video Gait Analysis and Bio-mechanical Software Profiling service. While this VGA service is unavailable online, we have provided a checklist running below to offer some assistance when selecting which style of shoe to order from our range. If however you live within reasonable travelling distance of Uckfield then we would recommend that you make an appointment for VGA – this can be done either by telephone or e mail.

RUNNING SHOES

To the untrained eye, most running shoes look much the same but in fact each shoe is constructed uniquely in order to perform in a particular way. However, at the risk of oversimplifying, there are broadly three main categories of running shoe (which correspond to the three main styles of running):

Stability shoes – which offer greater support/stability features (for over-pronators)
Supportive shoes – which offer a blend of support and cushioning (for normal pronators or neutral runners)
Cushioned shoes – which offer maximum cushioning (for supinators)

It is probably best to accept that there is some overlap of shoes and styles. For example, some over-pronators would find that a shoe such as the Saucony Grid Paramount would provide sufficient stability/support while another runner with a more neutral style might find it insufficiently so. Therefore, there may be some debate regarding how we have classified our shoe stock!

Pre-purchase checklist
Prior to ordering your shoes, we recommend that you make the following basic checks to minimise the possibility of making an error:

a) Foot arches: High, normal or low (tip: you can do a wet footprint test to check this – ie make a footprint on a flat, non-absorbant floor and consider the shape of the print – Lee can you take shapes from Mar-systems site?)

b) Leg shape: bow legged, straight legged or knock-kneed (tip: stand with feet together and look facing a mirror)

c) Walk test: “Charlie Chaplin”, Slight “V” or pigeon toed (tip: ask someone to observe you walking in a straight line paying attention to the feet)

d) Old shoe test 1: forefoot wear on the outside, middle or inside (tip: turn shoe over and see where the rubber has worn out the most)

e) Old shoe test 2: shoes lean out, straight or in (tip: look at shoes from behind – do shoes appear to be leaning out or leaning in, or are they standing straight?)

	SUPINATION	NEUTRAL	OVER-PRONATION
FOOT SHAPE
LEG SHAPE
FOREFOOT WEAR
REAR SHOE ANGLE

Consider carefully your results above. If you have ticked mainly the left hand column you should select a cushioned shoe. Ticks mainly in the right column would indicate the need for a stable shoe and a mixture of results and/or mainly in the middle column should result in the selection of a supportive shoe. Please note that this is just a guide to assist and cannot be relied on to be totally accurate.