As a runner, you’ve probably wondered if you like to wear running shoes as an everyday item of clothing, because they’re comfortable, because you love them. Whether or not you’ve been through a serious running injury, as a runner you know that the health of your feet is a treasure. The basic thing is to warm up before a run and stretch after a run to avoid injury and to recover faster. But in addition to your runs, you’ll also be taking 5-10,000 steps a day, and it’s a good idea to do this in shoes that help your feet regenerate, are comfortable and don’t put too much strain on your feet.
There are pros and cons to wearing running shoes every day (and by the latter, we don’t mean they don’t look good with a suit). In this article, we’ve explored this.
Fashion and running shoes
Before we get into the objective aspects, let’s talk a bit about fashion. We are not talking about fashion while running, because for most runners, when it comes to running, functionality is more important, and the choice of running shoes is a rational decision, not a fashion one. However, what shoes we wear in everyday life is also a matter of fashion. Fashion is not something that develops by itself, it is created by fashion designers, stylists and celebrities themselves, who either by choice or as a result of “inspiration” from fashion designers and stylists start wearing a particular piece of clothing or footwear. Some of the more well-known celebrities are Ryan Reynolds, Gigi Hadid, Drake, Zendaya, Brooke Shields, Reese Witherspoon, Kevin Hart, Jennifer Garner, Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Mila Kunis – and many more – who prefer to wear running shoes for everyday wear, not just for sport. The most popular running shoe brands in the celebrity world are Nike, Brooks, Saucony, New Balance, Hoka and On Running. The latter two have become very popular in the last 1-2 years and are worn by more and more celebrities.
source: https://www.freepik.com/
What’s the difference between running shoes and everyday shoes or sneakers that you once wore?
Running shoes need to perform specific functions to be suitable for a run. They have to support the runner to achieve maximum performance, prevent injuries, which is why they have a special construction.
Weight
It’s important for running shoes to be lightweight, so they often omit or use smaller quantities of things that would be useful for everyday wear
Breathability, water resistance
When running, we give off a lot more heat than we normally do on our feet, which is why it’s important to have ventilated running shoes. In colder weather, running shoes can be more likely to get cold during everyday wear. Shoes with good breathability are less water-resistant, so rainy days will be less good for everyday wear
Resilience
Different types of flexibility appear in running shoes. Generic running shoes are more flexible, which is good for everyday wear, but midsoles that include a carbon plate make the shoe stiffer, so they may not be comfortable for everyday wear.
Drop
Running shoes are made for different surfaces, so their traction is different. A terrain running shoe even has rubber spikes, but there are fast running shoes that have just a touch of outsole, which wears quickly and may not have enough grip for everyday wear
Durability
Here again, durability depends on the running shoe. The durability of both the upper, midsole and outsole varies. A fast, lightweight running shoe upper will be too little for everyday wear, it will wear out quickly but a GORE-TEX, waterproof trail running shoe will be too much. The midsole of running shoes usually loses its grip and positive properties after 600-1000 km of running. This is a long distance to walk (~200 days), but it’s not just distance, time is also important. It is said that you should divide the number of kilometres you can walk by 3, because time is also important, not just distance when you load the shoe (if you are just standing in it, you are also loading the midfoot).
Low weight
The only thing to watch out for here is that if your footing is not right and you use stable running shoes for running, you should buy them for everyday wear.
Cushioning, shock absorption
Most running shoes have much more cushioning and shock absorption than an everyday shoe. This can be useful, but is often unnecessary.
Size
When running, the foot tends to swell by up to 1-2 sizes, so it is recommended to buy a larger shoe for running. This rule does not apply to everyday wear
Date
Both running shoes and everyday shoes have a wide variation in price, so it is difficult to compare. What is certain is that a good pair of running shoes is not cheap. For everyday use, even a cheaper pair of running shoes may be enough.
source: https://www.freepik.com/
The benefits of wearing running shoes all day
In addition to achieving better performance, the benefits of wearing running shoes all day are almost the same as wearing them while running. They are comfortable, they hold the foot well, they are well ventilated and lightweight. The benefits are that it is harder for the foot to get tired, it recovers faster and it gets worn out less. On a long day of running, these features come in very handy. If you’re doing stationary work and foot protection is not an issue, running shoes are also a good choice. If you’re a hairdresser or waiter your feet will thank you, but if you work in construction or perhaps as a chef, the comfort that running shoes give you can be useful, but they won’t protect your feet, which is a cardinal issue.
Disadvantages of wearing running shoes all day
The most important thing is to avoid the possibility of wearing the same shoes for running that you want to wear for everyday wear. They will break much faster, you’ll be able to run far fewer miles in them (not to mention the smells). Instead, buy a cheaper pair of running shoes for everyday wear. An alternative solution might be to scrap the running shoes you’re running in sooner than they break and put the last few kilometres into them by walking everyday.
Just as the advantages of running shoes were the most important when it came to the pros, so too were the cons. You will have a bad effect from wearing running shoes every day if you make the wrong choice (just like with a running shoe).
When walking, most of us arrive at our heels, we put them down. Many running shoes are specifically optimised for midfoot or toe landing. You may not feel comfortable walking in these.
If you don’t have a regular foot position, it’s an important consideration to use supinating or pronating running shoes for everyday running.
In colder weather, you may run short of a running shoe upper.
source: https://www.freepik.com/
All in all…
… yes it is a good idea to use running shoes during the day, your feet will thank you. But here again, you have to make sure you choose the right ones, and it’s very important that you don’t use the same shoes during the day that you were running in in the morning.
source of photos: https://www.freepik.com/
