Running Shoes - please help!

[mrsjy]

I went to Runner’s Need back in November and came away with some Brooks.

I ran in them for months and they seemed mostly fine but I did notice that after long runs (20km+) all around my knees would really hurt for a few days afterwards. I saw Nike were advertising anti-injury shoes so I bought a pair and swapped to those. They gave me bad blisters but no knee pain so I thought I'd carry on. Last weekend I ran only 12km in them, and since that run I've not been able to run since due to really bad pain down the side of my left foot.

I figured I probably needed to go back and have another gait analysis so I found a local running shop open and went today. He said I didn't really over-pronate anywhere (interestingly the guy in November told me different) and sent me away with some Hoka One One Rincon.

I guess my questions are:

• Has anyone ever used these shoes before?
• Has anyone had a similar injury and what do you think it was?
• What, in your opinion, is the best running shoe you've found? I'm desperate to go back back outside...

What models were these shoes? Depending on how long you had the Brooks, they may just have worn out. Cushioning tends to go about 500km or so. Also depending on the heel-toe drop swapping between different models of shoes can cause issues.

Gait analysis is errr, I won't say snake oil, but it's not far off in my opinion. I bought the worst trainers I've ever had after a gait analysis at a shoe shop.

Unless you have a biomechanical issue you're already aware of, my advice to any new runner would be try on the classic neutral workhorse road shoes (Nike Pegasus, Brooks Ghost, Saucony Ride etc etc) and buy the pair that is most comfortable on the shop treadmill.

I will also give you some more advice which is now that retail running shops have re-open they are going to start heavily discounting their spring/summer shoes in the next few weeks because autumn/winter stock is going to start coming into the shop soon and they haven't sold anything for months.