The Importance of Rotating Your Running Shoes: Why It's a Good Idea

Are you experiencing recurring running injuries, performance dips or feeling just plain blah about your training?

Running in the same shoes for every run could be the problem. Rotating running shoes is a strategy that many seasoned runners use to improve their performance, extend the life of their shoes, reduce the risk of injury or sometimes just to give themselves a psychological reset.

Here are a few things to think about when determining if you should consider rotating your shoes:

Different Shoes for Different Runs

Different shoes offer varying levels of cushioning, support, and stability. By rotating running shoes, runners can match their footwear to the type of run they’re doing. Consider more cushioned shoes such as the On Cloudeclipse or the Hoka Skyflow for longer runs. For speedwork, a shoe like the On Cloudflow 4 or Asics Magic Speed 4 will offer a more responsive feel.

Adaptability is another key consideration. Switching running shoes helps runners adapt to different terrains and weather conditions. For example, using a trail shoe like the Hoka Speedgoat 6 or the Altra Lone Peak 8 for off-road runs and a road shoe like the Hoka Clifton 9 or the Altra Via Olympus for pavement, can improve performance and safety.

Injury Prevention

Rotating shoes distribute the repetitive stress running places on your muscles, joints, and tendons by changing stress patterns. Different shoes can alter your gait slightly, which can prevent overuse injuries by varying the load on your body. By alternating running shoes, runners reduce the risk of certain overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis, which can result from repetitive stress in the same areas of the foot.

Extending the Life of Your Shoes

Using different pairs for different runs helps ensure that wear is more evenly distributed across multiple shoes, rather than one pair breaking down quickly from daily use. Just like your muscles need recovery time, so do your shoes. Rotating them gives the cushioning and support materials time to decompress and recover, which can prolong the life of the shoe.

Improved Performance

Sometimes a fresh pair of shoes can give runners a psychological boost or mental reset when it comes to training. The change in feel can make a runner more aware of their stride and form, leading to improved performance. Rotating shoes helps runners stay versatile and prepared for various conditions, allowing them to perform at their best whether they're on a long-distance run, speed training, or navigating technical trails.

There are many benefits of rotating your running shoes. Whether it’s improved performance, reducing risk of injury, extending the life of your shoes, a mental reset or all of the above, a shoe rotation strategy may be just what you need to reinvigorate your training.

Explore our wide selection of running shoes and schedule a fitting with one of our Certified FIT Specialists today! From speedwork and endurance models to selecting the ultimate trail shoe to conquer the most rugged of B.C. terrain, we’ve got you covered. The Right Advice. The Right Fit. The Right Shoe.

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