Running Shoes - Homewood,IL

Way to go! I have no advise , about shoes. I believe you get what you pay for & you've gotten great ideas below.

Been there... last year in fact (except I never have done an actual road race).

Have you started running at all yet? If you have, what are you currently wearing (and why did you choose it)?

If you have a running store nearby, make the effort to stop by one day and ask them to analyze your stride/footstrike. If you pronate or supinate, you will want a shoe that helps correct for that (it's how far your foot rolls in or rolls out as you move through the foot strike). Also, it will be good to know how you strike the ground---do your feet hit mid-sole, or more at the heel or do you keep it up and have more of a ball of the foot strike.... Knowing this will help you figure out what sort of shoes you will be most comfortable in. If you are a heel-striker, you will want a good padded heel. If you hit more mid-sole then padding is less important in the heel.

Most running stores will do this for free. The one I used has a pad you stand on that analyzes how you hold your body weight (which parts of the soles of your feet, and also which foot if you don't stand balanced evenly on both feet--some people don't). And then they put you on a treadmill with a video and analyze your stride/footstrike.

Then they use that information to suggest some shoes. You don't have to buy shoes from them. I promise. And I wasn't under any pressure to do so at all. But you will walk out knowing what kind of shoe you should look for. I happen to have a neutral stride and midsole footstrike, so I can pretty much pick up any neutral shoe (as long as it is comfortable to me) and go. If you supinate, you will want to look for shoes that address that tendency... and they are labeled accordingly when you go shoe shopping at any sports store.

You can start out with a "cheap" pair of new balance, or aasics, or whatever (just not keds or something with no arch support whatsoever)... just start SLOW. The biggest mistake is trying to do too much, too soon. Take it very very slowly. Once you can run for say, a mile. Do not add more than 10% distance per WEEK. That's right... per WEEK. So, if you are running a mile now... don't increase beyond 1.1 miles for an entire week... and so on... pretty quickly you will be able to increase it as much as you can run... When you get to 3 miles, going to 3.3 miles is noticeable. Or you get to 3.3 and you try to go to 3.6... you notice it. So don't rush at the beginning... it will only get you injured.

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ETA: What I mean by increasing as much as you can run is that it will be difficult to suddenly increase your distance by more than the 10% rule. Maybe when you get much greater distances than my max, that changes and you can just go and go and go... but I've not hit that distance... and my husband hasn't either. His longest run is usually around 5 miles. If he tried to suddenly run 6 miles... he would be very aware he was seriously increasing his distance. My longest run was around 3.7 miles. I got slack, and am sort of having to start over again though... :(

Good luck. Congrats, and feel free to PM if you want. I am 44... and never ran a day of my life until Jan 1, 2012.

I just want to second the advice you've received. Find out what sort of shoes are right for your feet. I find that Zappos.com often has good prices, but once in a while our local running store's prices are just as good. You may find that a well-made pair of shoes will make your neighborhood walks more comfortable as well. Be sure to get yourself some good socks, too - ask for a recommendation. Nothing makes 5Ks less fun than blisters!

I ran - well, my running speed is other people's walking speed - my first 5K when I was in my late 50s! I usually try to do one a month in the spring and summer, although that isn't happening this year because of other commitments. Compete only against yourself, make your goal to finish the course (since it's your first one), and choose to have fun! I may be in everybody else's dust, but nobody enjoys the race more than I do!

Try http://www.eastbay.com/

I bought all of my kids athletic stuff from here. You can find really good deals, don't forget to check out their clearance section.

Go to a running store and have them video your gait.
You need a shoe that is good for your feet.
Let them show you a shoe that is good for your foot. Buy it once there and then when you need replacement shoes, you can get them on the internet. If you get the wrong kind of shoe, you will injure yourself.
LBC

i'd also recommend getting fitting at a specialty running store. shoes, particularly for running, particularly just starting out, are NOT something to go cheap on. you're talking about your knees/hips/back - you could potentially really mess something up. i LOVE brooks, my husband does better with new balance, our kids wear brooks(for running ONLY, not just to play in) - if you wear them only for running, they'll last a long time. good luck!

I also recommend going to a running store and having them analyze you. It's fast and free. You can even go in and say that you're not looking to purchase today but are interested in what would be the proper shoe for you once you are ready to buy. Then you can wait for a sale or try to find an older version of whatever they recommend on line. For example, I over-pronate (ankle rolls in) so I need a stablility shoe. I purchased a pair of Asics Gel Evolution 6 for $120 two years ago. It was like buying a new pair of feet - haven't had any issues with my achilles or plantar fasci (sp?) since getting them. They're now considered an old model so the same pair now would cost about $60.

I know it's tempting to just go with something cheap but honestly, there's only one good piece of equipment you need for running and it's shoes. Don't cheap out or it will ruin the whole experience for you. I wore cheap shoes for my first year of running and look back now and wonder why. I had shin splints, ankle problems, etc. I didn't have enough support and didn't even have the right size (running shoes should be about half a size larger than your regular shoes) and suffered needlessly.

Seriously, go cheap on other things - you can get perfectly good shorts, pants, capris, bras and shirts from the Champion line at Target for next to nothing. If you have a smart phone, you can put music on there instead of using an iPod. Heck I trained for my first 5K in 2008 using - I kid you not - a digital kitchen timer (my Flylady timer) that I held in my hand because I didn't have anything else to measure my intervals with.

Just about every runner I know wears Asics or New Balance. I do have a few friends who are Nike fans but they tend to be very lightweight runners with no pronation issues so they can run in something very light without a ton of extra support.

Everyone is different. That's why there are gazillion choices! I used to be an Etonics-only gal, but now nothing but New Balance makes my feet happy. Go to the shoe store, and don't be swayed by the fancy marketing campaigns and flashy colors. Try on all brands and styles, and when you find the pair that makes you feel like you are walking on air, you will know you have the right pair. Good luck!

Three little letters - DSW. My husband also just started running last year at age 44 and he purchased his Sauconys at DSW. He loves them and has run several 5Ks and subsequent 10Ks in them since. He swears by the brand. I bought a pair of Sauconys from DSW myself and must say I love them also. I am not an avid runner, just a few miles a week on the treadmill. But I exercise daily and have enjoyed them for many activities. They've held up well! DSW also sells Nike, Adidas, New Balance, and a host of other brand name running/athletic shoes at a great price. You will definitely save off of suggested retail. Plus unlike sites like Zappos and others, you can try the shoes on in-store so you know you like them before you bring them home. Happy running!