Road running trainers for an elite athlete

[happyinherts]

What's hot? Looking for road running trainers for an elite athlete looking to train 100 miles a week? Nike perhaps. Anyone any recommendations?

My experience is athletes, elite or not, are very brand loyal and particular about their running shoes. I'd consult first (orator least find out what they are wearing now).

Surely that’s such a personal choice/fit that it’s something you can’t buy for someone else?

Something which the specialist shop recommends for that person after a gait analysis on a treadmill.

This isn't a suitable Xmas present unless they have told you the exact trainers they want. They will have a preferred type. Several in fact - one for racing, one for road training, one for trails....

Definitely don’t buy surprise ones! Just not the done thing, if I got some they would be going straight back I’m afraid.

I'm a bit boggled by this post tbh.

You must know this person very well to be buying such an expensive present (running shoes are c. £100 these days), but you apparently don't know them well enough to realise they won't want someone else choosing their trainers.

Even knowing the make isn’t enough. Do they overpronate? Where do they tend to get blisters, etc?

One model of Brooks will give me shin splints, another won’t.

I agree, it’s really not something you can buy for an elite athlete.

Unless the athlete is you and you’re just looking for recommendations?

I agree, only something that the person wearing them can buy.

Vouchers for a running store?

Don't buy shoes, especially running shoes, for someone else.

This is nuts.

Two years in a row my dh bought me trainers for Christmas. Two years in a row they sat in a box waiting for a child to grow into them for PE.

Trainers are highly personal and a runner will have to get them themselves. Being an elite runner has nothing to do with it. Also if they are running 100 miles a week (I max out at 70 and still do this), they'll be changing their trainers daily in any case.

If it is as a gift, don't.
An elite runner will have preferred brands and models that they will use, as pp.
For someone running 100 miles a week, they will be going through a lot of running shoes, and a pair will not seem much of a gift. I wouldn't buy clothes either because they are ' equipment' and the runner will know what suits them.

A gift voucher for their favourite sport retailer would probably be a safer bet. Maybe they could upgrade their tech with it or something.

I'm not an elite runner but I wouldn't buy Nike running shoes, possibly because I haven't tried the £££ ones.

100 miles a week is a lot of running. Almost 5 marathons a week.

I meant 4 not 5.

Elite athletes normally have sponsorship and will get their shoes through them. Or they'll buy them themselves because of fit but also because they're tax deductible, assuming this is their career and not a hobby.

Unless the athlete is you and you’re just looking for recommendations?

Mumsnet is not going to be the first post of call for an elite athlete looking for information on running shoes!

My other half runs marathons (in a very decent time, too!) and does triathlons. No way would l buy him a 'surprise' pair of running shoes unless l knew exactly the make and model (?) he favoured. You can get shin splints, muscle strains/sprains and worse from the wrong shoes. Unless they've said exactly what they want/need, you're throwing money down the drain.

I know, but it’s the only plausible reason I could come up with!

I guess OP has got the message now...

OP did say elite athlete, so I woud guess that the runner would have sponsorship.