Ode To Old Running Shoes

Normally I write straight-shooter tips on running tips and strategies.

Today I thought I’d write about my old pair of running shoes which I still wear.

They’re still with me after over two and a half years of pounding.

They’re old and beaten, completely lost any form or bounce… and any normal advice would tell me to ditch them.   But for whatever reason, they’re still my go-to shoes at least once a month.

I first bought a pair of New Balance 1010v2‘s back at the tail-end of 2014.   I’d been running in fairly minimalist shoes for a couple of years and wanted a trail-oriented shoe.   The NB was a perfect match – lightweight but robust, minimal drop and a wide toe box.   They became my only running shoes.

Fast-forward to mid-2015 and I realised NB was moving on.  It was time for the annual cycle of releasing new shoes and they were re-vamping the Minimus line.

I managed to stock up on a couple of more pairs of 1010v2s before they were completely phased out.  Today, I’ve got one remaining pair still holding in there.

I’ve run with these shoes in Sri Lanka and Cambodia.  They still have thorns in the soles from a 100km race in India.    This pair of shoes has seen well over 1000km of running in their days.  And now, as the inner lining has gone all loose and is gradually wearing away, I take a bit of extra care with them and only take them out for short training runs.  The soles show relatively little wear, but the form of the upper is relaxed and loose. They don’t spring like they used to.

Sometimes the fickleness of shoe manufacturers can be frustrating – especially when you’ve found a particular shoe you like.   They continue to roll out new models and push the latest features.   Fair enough.   I now rotate a few different pairs of running shoes, but I’m yet to find a pair that suits me as well as my old 1010v2’s…

Thomas Watson

Thomas Watson is an ultra-runner, UESCA-certified running coach, and the founder of MarathonHandbook.com. His work has been featured in Runner's World, Livestrong.com, MapMyRun, and many other running publications. He likes running interesting races and good beer. More at his bio.