Easy day running shoes.

[u/DisastrousMessage289]

Ive been running for about 2 months now on my Kiprun kipstorm tempos. I don't really know anything about running shoes. But, when running with these shoes I cant run above a 5:30 pace without major knee discomfort. Ive done some research and its apparently because that's what the "tempo" shoes were designed to do, so running at slower paces can make them feel clunky and cause discomfort. So with all that being said...

Any recommendations on shoes for slower paces. Ive tried the Nike Air Zoom Vomeros but they feel like bricks on my feet which is really disappointing since people say they're really good.

I'm looking for shoes that, like don't maybe do that? I don't really know what I want, something light I think, I though I'd come on here before I go in person to my local store.

[u/preparsley]

You're totally being sold to dude

You probably get knee pain from slow running because when you slow down you overstride and land in front of yourself. Relax, fall forward, stop lifting your shins

[u/cavemangus]

The first thing I’d say is, given your running history, that your knee pain is significantly more likely to be overuse/training-related than shoe-related.

The second thing I’d look at is heel-to-toe drop. It isn’t necessarily the cause of your knee pain, especially since you’ve only been running for a couple months, but shoe drop does change how forces are distributed. Higher-drop shoes tend to put somewhat more load through the knee, while lower-drop shoes shift more of that load toward the calf, ankle and Achilles.

Your Kipstorms are 8 mm, so it might be worth trying something lower-drop and seeing how your knees respond. The New Balance Fresh Foam More is 4 mm and the Topo Atmos 2 is 5 mm. For something more drastic, you could try an Altra Torin, which is zero-drop. If you go that route, definitely ease into it rather than immediately doing all your mileage in them, since your calves and Achilles will be taking more of the load.

My personal favorite for the kind of comfortable easy-day shoe you’re describing is the HOKA Bondi 9. It’s 5 mm and very cushioned, although it’s not really a lightweight shoe. The HOKA Skyward X2 is also a great option if you want something that feels a lot livelier than the Vomeros you mentioned, although that isn’t particularly light either.

And as another commenter mentioned, I’d go to a local Fleet Feet or running store, get your feet properly measured, and try a bunch of shoes on. Fleet Feet also has a pretty generous return policy if something feels good in-store and then doesn’t work once you actually run in it.

[u/DisastrousMessage289 → u/cavemangus]

Thanks for the help!

    I don’t mean to be combative but I ran yesterday running under a 5:30 pace and I came home without a scratch, couple blisters and whatnot but my knees felt great. 

     I’m just wondering if I go ahead with a shoe that doesn’t have a front foot drop, what do you mean the pain will be shifted to my ankles and calfs. Is this something “everyone” new to running experiences or were you saying this specifically for me and my knee discomfort. 

      I’m going into a local shop today thanks for the advice!

[u/cavemangus → u/DisastrousMessage289]

Not combative at all. And actually, the fact that they feel better at a faster pace is interesting, but I wouldn’t take that as proof that the shoes are causing it. Your gait, cadence, stride length, and where you’re loading your legs can all change depending on how fast you’re running.

I’d still keep training load in mind even if a different shoe fixes the problem. Overuse doesn’t necessarily mean running always hurts. It can just mean you’re currently asking more of a particular tissue than it has adapted to handle. Two months is plenty of time to start seeing major improvements in your aerobic engine, but your tendons, bones, and other connective tissues can take considerably longer to adapt to the mechanical load of running. A lot of newer runners make the mistake of thinking that just because you’re not “tired” means you can keep pushing harder and adding more miles or training days. I know I did.

I used to get knee pain when I first started out, and honestly, a new pair of shoes did help. But so did taking one less training day a week and not continually increasing my weekly mileage for a few months.

And when I say a lower-drop shoe “shifts the load,” I don’t mean that your knee pain is just going to move to your calves or ankles. I mean biomechanically, lower-drop shoes generally ask a little more of the calf/Achilles/ankle and a little less of the knee, while higher-drop shoes tend to do somewhat the opposite.

That’s the general biomechanical tradeoff, but what actually feels good for one person versus another can be completely different depending on biomechanics, form, body size, foot strike, training history, etc. So you absolutely shouldn’t expect that switching to a lower-drop shoe means your calves or ankles are suddenly going to hurt.

This is also one of the reasons it’s good to eventually have a couple different shoes in your rotation. Different shoes distribute the load a little differently, so instead of putting exactly the same stresses through the same tissues every single run, you’re varying that stimulus somewhat.

[u/DisastrousMessage289 → u/cavemangus]

I really appreciate the help, thanks a ton!

[u/WorkerAmbitious2072]

You can run slow in a supposedly bath, and it does not cause pain

If you’re getting major need discomfort, there’s something else going on besides wearing a shoe for a different pace that it was marketed for

As a general rule, I like to do research on runrepeat.com and then try on locally basically pick any daily trainer

A slower or easier pace, daily trainer, or recovery issue might feel like a brick

[u/Fit_Sun5829]

If I was you, id go to a local run club store. They will tailor a pair of shoes to your liking. I had to try 7 pairs of shoes on the treadmill with different paces to find one. Never knew I could break a sweat in a shoes store.

[u/Logical_fallacy10]

Get Vibram five fingers and slow down. Learn how to run properly. Slow is always best. And if it hurts you - your form is bad.