How many shoes in your rotation?

I'm about the same.

2 trainers, 3 flats (training, racing, dirt), 1 track spikes, 1 clunky trail runners

1 Pair of trainers I use for all my distance runs and pretty much all of my workouts, and 2 pairs of spikes. (one pair for xc and one pair for track)

Back when I had money to spend I had 3 pair. One was a heavier cushioned pair for mid-week and end of week long runs. One was a flat for track workouts and races. One was a light weight pair for the other medium length recovery days. Now I only have one pair and that pair is worn out. Now I am sad.

Rick D wrote:

7 pairs for me.I have 3 trainers, 2 pairs of flats(1 workout and 1 for racing)..1 pair of trail trainers and 1 designated treadmill trainers. Is this excessive ? I enjoy them all.

Jesus, I thought I was bad. 4 for me: lightweight trainers, trackwork flats, heavier trainers for easy days, and racers.

I never had any rotation of shoes back on the day.

Probably why I had so much foot pain that still bothers me years later.

For those who have more than one pair of trainers (excluding flats and spikes) for their rotation, how has that helped your running and/or prevention of injury? Did you used to only run in one pair of trainers.

I only ask because right now I have one pair of trainers for all my recovery, long runs, progression, and some tempo runs. I have a flat for workouts, but have been toying with the idea of getting more cushioned shoe for recovery runs and the occasional long run.

I switch between pairs of the same model that have different wear on them, so there is a little bit of differentiation between runs, but still, it's the same model (Adidas Boston 3). I love the Boston 3, but it is on the lighter, less-cushioned end of trainers.

So far since I've started wearing them my running has been great, but I do run into nagging injuries a bit too often, especially lower leg/feet, so I wonder if a new shoe in the rotation would be good.

A lot. Maybe too many. I rotate based on my workouts and easy running. I also hate running in shoes that are still wet from a morning run or the day before.

NB: 890 v1 (for recovery running), 890v2 (2 pairs for general running), MR10 (2 pairs for general running), MT20 (trail), 1400 (speed work), 1600 (speed work and racing), 800 (spikes). And a pair of the Brooks Pure Connect for general running.

A gazillion pairs! Well OK, maybe 5. Kayano's for recovery, newer DST's regular runs, older DST's speed/tempo/racing. Legs seem to like the slight variation in foot plant this rotation gives me.

Keep the faith, keep the pace.

NB 890v.2 for easy/Long

Saucony Kinvara 3 for tempo/speed

Saucony Gridtype A5 for short-mid races

Saucony Fastwitch for Long races

I'm bad -

I basically have two of everything - wet and dry

lightish trainers: 2

racing shoes: 4

heavy trainers: 2

No idea if this helps for injury protection, but it makes for more fun running.

7

2 trainers for my "main runs" (long runs, easy runs, some workouts)

2 trainers for my "second runs" (strictly recovery runs, usually 6 miles max) - once I get 2 new trainers these will become yardwork shoes and my primary trainers will get demoted to this status

3 flats ( mostly races - depending on distance, and some workouts)

I like my system. I don't use flats very often, so they can last a while, and I can typically get ~1,100 miles out of a pair of trainers until they're demoted to yardwork shoes. I also have a pair of spikes, but haven't used those in well over a year.

MagnumRunner wrote:

For those who have more than one pair of trainers (excluding flats and spikes) for their rotation, how has that helped your running and/or prevention of injury? Did you used to only run in one pair of trainers.

I don't know if it's helped my injury prevention, although it certainly hasn't made me MORE injury prone. One thing I've noticed is that I almost double the mileage I used to get out of a pair of shoes when I only trained with one pair of trainers. I don't know why that is, maybe I just didn't push my shoes very far before, but it certainly saves me a lot of money.

3 pairs: 2 road flats and some trail shoes. When the flats get too old to race in, they get demoted to easy day/double shoes.

3 pairs:

Light weight trainer: usually in the 9-10 ounce range

Two beefy flats: 7-8 ounce range for some training runs, tempos, and repeats

1 pair of brooks launch for the every day stuff, pure flows about once a week, and then about 4 pairs of lighter racing/workout shoes that just depend on the day + track and xc spikes. so 8-10 depending on the racing season

Zero.

890v2/kinvara 3 - Easy days.

Flow x 2 - main runs

1400's - track

Kinvara trail/MT110 - trail

T6/Puma - racing

Shay/(some older than dirt Asics) - track and XC

Plus a few others I'll throw on occasionally.

I guess that makes 11+. Damn, I need to run more.