The Monday Shakeout: Why Two Shoes are Greater Than One
By Matthew Klein
In this week's Monday Shakeout Matt discusses the benefits of having at least a two shoe rotation in their lineup, and shares some typical rotations one might have.
Despite over a decade of running and time spent in the running industry, I have yet to find a single perfect shoe. I have searched for years to find the "do it all" shoe that checked off every box for me. While versatile shoes like the ASICS Superblast series have come close, given the variety of training that I do, I have found that a rotation of shoes fits my needs far better than any one shoe can. While a bit more expensive that just having a single shoe, there are benefits to having at least two shoes to rotate throughout a week of training. Prior evidence has suggested that "parallel use of different running shoes" during training can actually reduce running injury risks (Malisoux et al., 2015). Additionally, different types of footwear have different risks and benefits, so using a variety can often maximize the benefits while reducing the risks. The next question often asked is, "How do I find an optimal shoe pairing or rotation unique to me?" To answer that, you must first establish your running needs.
Typical Shoe Rotations to Consider
One of the more common pairings for runners is a daily training shoe and a racing shoe. The daily training shoe, such as a Saucony Rider, Nike Pegasus or more premium trainer like a Saucony Triumph or Nike Vomero, serves as the daily mileage and long run shoe. The racing shoe, in today's world a super shoe like a Saucony Endorphin Pro or Nike Vaporfly, may serve as the shoe utilized for faster workouts and races. The majority of mileage is still done in the training shoe but the racing shoe provides a unique stimulus for both faster running as well as being lighter and often more aggressive. This pairing has been a staple among runners wanting different options for different efforts but still having consistent choices for those efforts.
For those who do not engage in racing/faster running or do not have a difference between their normal and race paces, a racing shoe may not be necessary and instead, two different training shoes may be a better option. The common thought would be to get two pairs of the same shoe and rotate between them. While that certainly can increase the longevity of the shoes (more time for the foam to recover after use), it will do little to create a variety of stimuli to the body and get the benefit of reduced injury risk mentioned above.
The goal of picking a shoe pairing should be to find two shoes that are comfortable but unique enough that your body gets to experience different things. The idea is similar to cross-training, whereby different shoes will load different parts of the body and potentially reduce the risk of overload to certain tissues (to clarify this does not count as cross-training). The difference can be a single factor or multiple, including heel drop/offset, stack height, cushioning (soft vs firm), foam type, weight, shoe fit, and more. Those with somewhat sensitive Achilles tendons may want a higher drop shoe for most days with a lower drop option to work on calf strength. Those who want to work on their foot strength may want a minimal running shoe they can do shorter runs in with a higher stack/more traditional shoe to do the bulk of their mileage in. Those who want a firmer more responsive shoe one day and a softer, slower shoe the next will find plenty of variation while still staying in the training realm. There are plenty of options and combination of the above. Taking time to understand what your body wants/needs will help you find the right pairing.
Other Pairings of Shoes
Having at least two pair of shoes can be helpful to expose the body to different stimuli, which may both reduce injury risk and increase the longevity of the shoes. There are different ways to create pairings, from a training/racing option to two different trainers that provide variation in the characteristics you need/want. For those who have additional disposable income, moving beyond two shoes into a full-blown rotation of shoes is also an option. Those who are racing-inclined may have a traditional trainer for daily miles, a lightweight trainer for workouts and a race shoe for race day. Others may choose a variety of trainers that create even more variations in the combinations listed above. Others may want a daily training shoe, a long run shoe and a workout/race shoe. A trail shoe can also be an extra addition for those who also spend time on trails. Those who are full-blown trail runners can also use the same combinations as above in the trail running world with the addition of traction and terrain specificity added in. What you need will depend on how much variation you want and in how much variation exists in your training.
Regardless of how you want to do this, there shoe (editor's note: haaaa) be at least some variety in the running shoes you use as that may reduce the risk of overuse injuries. Smart, consistent and progressive training with appropriate strength training is still the best way to reduce injuries and should the priority long before you deep dive into a shoe rotation. However, this is still an area that may reduce injury risk and may increase running enjoyment, so we encourage those that have the means to do so to consider having a least two shoes in their arsenal for training.
References
Malisoux, L., Ramesh, J., Mann, R., Seil, R., Urhausen, A., & Theisen, D. (2015). Can parallel use of different running shoes decrease running‐related injury risk?. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 25(1), 110-115.
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