How to find the right running shoe

Pulling a running shoe from the shelf at random can spell depleted performance and even injury. A specialist running shop in Dublin offers an alternative.

By Robert Carry

“We’re not a fashion store,” says Ash Senyk, manager at Dublin’s running shoe Mecca, Runways. “We’re about matching the person with the runner.”

While there are plenty of places selling decent running shoes, the service offered to Runways customers sets them well ahead of competitors.

When you turn up at the store, found opposite the Ilac Shopping Centre on Parnell Street, staff hook you up to a treadmill, record your running style and then feed the video through their gait analysis software. This then makes a series of recommendations based on what type of runner is most suitable.

The team then match you up with the brand and style best suited to the type of running you plan to do. In all, the process takes about 15 minutes. And how much does it cost? “It’s a free service,” says Ash.

Runways stocks Asics, Mizuno, Brookes and other brands found elsewhere, but also some more harder-to-find offerings: “We have a special range that can't be found anywhere else in Ireland, with a good variety of walking, running and track and field footwear. We also provide specialised running and leisure apparel.”

In-depth

For those with running issues like shin splints or people looking for a more in-depth examination, Runways offers a second service. “It’s more extensive and done by appointment,” explains Ash. “We bring in a specialist who carries out an in-depth examination. He looks at everything from your gait and foot arch to your bone structure, physical movement and the injuries you are potentially exposed to. We then compile a detailed report and a series of recommendations. It takes about an hour.”

Those on the market for runners have much to benefit from a pre-purchase examination: “There are vast differences in peoples’ requirements but quite often, they buy on the basis of fashion or on urban myth. Sometimes they manage to pick the right runner and they live happily ever after. On other occasions poor choice of runner leads to injury.”

Ash believes the staff at Runways are another factor which gives customers a shopping experience beyond what they get in their local Lifestyle. He points out, “All our staff are runners so customers get a service from people who know what they are talking about.”

Runways is open seven days a week. Click here for more information.