Don’t stress out about footwear early on, a good pair of tennis shoes should be enough to get you going. As you grow into the sport and have longer runs, you may determine it’s worth investing in more comfort.
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Socks: There are a lot of special socks for running, people recommend different materials and different structures with arch supports etc. Today I run with pretty basic socks I wear every day, they are a cotton and polyester blend. You also have a choice in height, for me ankle works best. It lets your legs breathe but makes sure your foot isn’t rubbing on your shoe and doesn’t slide down like no-show socks do for me all the time. I do try to replace my socks relatively often, once I start getting signs of thinning or stretched out material, I will get new ones. Dickies Men’s Dri-Tech Moisture Control Quarter Socks is what I use. I do not fold the tops over and they seem to last longer. Though this is something I try to replace at the first sign of wear because of how critical they are.
Compression Socks: Compression socks are another popular option. I have tried some knee high socks and compression sleeves and don’t notice a huge difference. Early on I do feel like they may have helped with swelling and recovery after long runs, but recently I don’t think its necessary. CTHH Compression Socks are what I’ve tried in the past, I will start the Marathon with them, though do not consistently use them. Rymora Calf Compression Sleeves are another thing I’ve done a bit of testing with if you’d like to try them without the hassle of putting on compression socks.
Basic Shoes: When you get started, basic tennis shoes are fine to get outside and suitable for shorter runs. It’s important to make sure they fit well and are snug. Sketcher Afterburn Sneakers are my basic shoes I wear on day to day, I’ll occasionally use them for running, but try not to do too much.
Running Shoes: As you start building longer runs or if you notice things hurting, it’s worth looking into dedicated running shoes. I would strongly recommend going to a running shoe store. I have done this a few times, a few places and the staff is very helpful and has great tools to help find the right shoe for your stride. This will cost you a bit more, they’ll likely encourage you to buy some socks to go with them, personally I gave them a try but have gone back to basics. If you have shoes you’ve been running in, sometimes they like you to bring those in as they can see the wear patterns that may shed some light on your running style.
Note about running stores: As an overweight athlete that was was doing very little, very slow running at the time, I was embarrassed to go into the store. The last time, my feet were swollen, I was very inflexible and struggled to put on shoes and socks. The staff was very supportive like most of the running community and understood that we all have to start somewhere. I would hope your experience would be the same, if it’s not, try another.
Order Shoes Online: Once you find the shoes that work for you, you may want to continue frequenting the store due to the service, though you can also order shoes online to save some money. I would recommend going back in for a review periodically to see how your body is adapting, especially if you’re losing weight. Hoka Bondi 9 have been my go-to, though sometimes I have better luck with selection on the Hoka website.
Note about minimalism: There is a debate among runners in picking shoes that are structured for your feet vs minimalist options. Most of the shoe industry has been built on building more complex shoes to fit your foot, absorb impact and offer other features. The minimalist running shoe concept has been gaining popularity, in part by the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. The minimalist movement is essentially based on the fact that your body will adapt to what you give it by either correcting itself when you don’t give it support and potentially getting worse if you do give it support. I have heard both sides, both seem to make sense, I’ve tried some very light shoes as well as some barefoot running in the grass. Right now, I do feel I do better with more cushion but haven’t gone so far as to looking into insoles or more substantial corrections. When I lose more weight, I will give minimalist shoes another try.
Multiple Pairs: Once you find shoes that work for you, you may want to invest in multiple pairs. I’ve heard that it takes up to 48 hours after a run for the padding to regain it’s springiness. While I haven’t witness this, it does seem to make sense but mostly I like having multiple pairs so I can phase one in and phase one out and you don’t have the big changeover from well broken in and worn shoes to a fresh pair, especially if its not well timed for an event.
When it’s time for new shoes: Different sources will tell you different things about shoe life. You can set up Garmin (or likely similar programs) with your gear to track this for you. Most of what I’ve seen is 200 to 500 miles. I would rather error on the side of caution, especially as a bigger runner, I target 200 but go over if needed as is the case with my current pair. Today I have a pair at 16 and a pair at 202. I didn’t get the 16 started soon enough so I’m going to stick with the 202 for a long run tomorrow and Marathon in a couple weeks before making the 16’s primary and adding another pair.
Shoe Laces: Shoe laces just need to keep your shoes tight and snug. I am a fan of lock laces for my running shoes. They keep my shoes snug and give it some stretch so they can adjust as your feet swell during running.
Blisters: When you’re building from new, you likely won’t have any blisters. At this early stage, it’s not something you have to think about a lot, but I would also take some simple precautions to prevent it. Make sure your socks seams are properly placed and not going to be a problem with rubbing on your toes. Avoid running in wet shoes and/or socks, if you’re running in the rain, something I actually enjoy, they’re going to get wet, but don’t start the day in anything wet if you can prevent it. Check out your feet after longer runs to get an idea of where trouble spots might be and plan to take preventive measures or be ready for issues. Personally, I have corns on the outside of my right foot, I haven’t found a good solution for them yet, but they also don’t slow me down most of the time. On longer runs, I do have issues where my big toe rubs on my second toe, this happens on my right foot around 12 miles and my left foot later. For my long run tomorrow, since I have the Marathon coming up, I will bandage both of these because I don’t want any trouble. For training runs that are further out, I will bring band aids to add during a break later in the run. My goal is to run as much as I can without this because it’s less work, but more importantly, I should be building some resistance up.