This running shoe has a grooved sticky rubber outsole that grips the trail, keeping your foot — no matter what its shape — steady on loose twigs and gravel. It also features a gotta-love-it blister-proof lining and super-cushioned heel. Our tester says: "The 840s transitioned really well from dirt and grass to rockier trails and were amazingly lightweight, which I loved." — Nancy Kleinrock, 48, from Trumansburg, New York, averages 75 to 85 miles a week on New York's Finger Lakes Trail. New Balance 840, $84 WIN a prize a day! Because your feet take a beating on bumpy paths, the Adidas Supernova Riot has additional padding under the ball of your food and a structured toe box to guard against stubs. Adidas Supernova Riot, $95 These lightweight sneakers are great for fast-paced trail races or training runs. Pearl Izumi Peak XC, $109.99 These sneakers give traction and support on uneven surfaces, even going up and down hills. Asics GEL-Trabuco 11 WR, $94

The tough soles on these sneakers protect feet from rocks and blisters. Brooks Cascadia 3, $97.99 These sneakers grip well, even in wet conditions. Mizuno Wave Ascend 3, $92.99 The Vibram outsole on these sneakers gives them awesome grip on uneven terrain. Saucony ProGrid Xodus, $100 The extra protection in the toes of these shoes is there to keep your feet from getting stubbed on rocks, roots, and whatever is in your way. New Balance 874, $89.99 We love the reflective material, great for safely running at night. Reebok Premier Minocqua TR, $89.99 Brand new to their line, this shoe's sole protects your feet from rocks while the tongue is attached in a way that keeps out dirt. Adidas Kanadia Trail, $64.95 Made out of microfiber and mesh, this trail shoe is super breathable. The perforated sock liner and outsole on this sneaker makes for easy water drainage. Ryka T2 Trainer, $74.96 The typical high school cross country season is slightly over three months long.

During that period of high-intensity training and racing, the body is subject to tremendous loads and torques -- and a significant injury risk. The primary purpose of a training shoe is to provide a protection level that will allow you to train hard while remaining injury-free. If you have a local specialty running store that can provide help in fitting and choosing your shoes, be sure to tell your fitter that you're a cross country athlete and describe your injury history, if any. best sneakers for the gym 2015The fitter will then assist you in finding a well-fitting shoe that's suited for a short season that consists of multi-speed training on varied terrain. nike basketball shoes modelsFor example, most styles that are in the "lightweight stability" category are particularly well-suited for those conditions.adidas womens running shoes sale

If you must choose your shoe yourself, focus on flexibility and fit. Every shoe company has good models; choose the one that fits you best. Examine each style by first grabbing it around the back of the heel and pushing the toe straight into the ground. The shoe should bend in the front, where your foot bends, but not in the middle, where your foot doesn't. Ensure a proper fit by tying and then standing in both shoes and checking to see that the widest part of the ball of your foot sits in the widest part of the shoe, that you have a thumbnail's length between your longest toes and the end of the shoe, and that the midfoot fit is comfortably snug. where to buy nike cheetah shoesFinally, make sure that you feel some support under the rear portion of your arch, under your ankle bone, but recognize that off - road running requires a shoe that twists and adapts.nike shoes china website

Steer clear of both overbuilt and underbuilt shoes. Cross country athletes don't need a shoe designed for a year's use of slower running on concrete roads, or heavy trail shoes designed for mountain treks. Alternatively, training shoes that do little more than cover your foot have no ability to absorb impact loads or reduce unwanted twisting unless you are already an accomplished athlete used to such shoes. Consider buying running shoes an investment, even if that means paying a little more than you would like. buy golf shoes online south africaSaving a few dollars on a cheaper but inappropriate model can become quite expensive if injury and medical treatment is the result later in the season. On race day it's acceptable to throw caution to the wind and choose performance over protection. Cross country racers are designed with that philosophy in mind. There are only two ways to run faster: increase your cadence or increase your stride length.

Switching from a training shoe to a cross country racing shoe should result in both. A cadence increase results when a lighter shoe is worn -- and the typical cross country racing shoe is one-third lighter than the typical trainer. Stride length also increases as shoe weight decreases -- and as traction increases, as well. Cross country racers provide excellent traction through the use of aggressive outsoles, which can be spiked in most states. There's little to no performance difference between the various cross country racers. When shopping, therefore, choose based on fit. Choose a style that fits like a glove from heel to toe, with no pressure points. If choosing a spike, make sure that the shoe still flexes under the ball of your foot.The single most important piece of equipment in virtually any kind of exercise program -- running, aerobics, hiking, tennis, basketball -- is the right pair of shoes. A good pair of sneakers can make or break your workout. And it’s easy to go wrong.

Here are the five biggest shoe mistakes people make. 1. Grabbing Whatever’s Handy "The biggest mistake people make when they start running, jogging, or some other exercise program is just reaching into the closet and pulling out an old pair of sneakers," says Tracie Rogers, PhD, a consultant for the American Council on Exercise. An old pair of shoes may no longer have the support you need. And even more problematic, that pair of shoes might be inappropriate for the activity you choose. 2. Choosing the Right Shoe -- for the Wrong Workout You need to choose the right type of shoe for the kind of workout you’ll be doing. A shoe made for running is very different from a shoe made for basketball or tennis. "Running shoes have no lateral stability built into them because you don’t move your feet laterally when you run. You’re only going forward. A running shoe is built to give you support and stability as you move your foot through the running gait cycle," says Joe Puleo, the author of Running Anatomy.

Puleo says basketball and tennis shoes both need to be stabilized laterally. That's because you move your feet side to side a lot when playing these sports. "You can’t build a running shoe that has lateral stability," he says, "and you can’t build a shoe for basketball or tennis that doesn’t have it." Even walking shoes differ from running shoes. Runners land more on their forefoot, while walkers have a heavier heel strike, says Catherine Cheung, a foot surgeon with the Post Street Surgery Center in San Francisco. "So for running, you want a shoe that has more cushioning on the forefoot, while walking shoes should have stiffer rubber to support the heel." Can’t you just get a good cross-trainer and use it for everything? “There’s no specificity to them -- you can’t do any one thing well,” Puleo says. “They have some lateral stability, so you can play a game of basketball with your kids occasionally. You can run a mile or two. But most of them are not very good shoes for any particular activity."

Then again, some people aren’t heavily into running, hiking, tennis, or any one sport. They go to the gym occasionally, maybe play tennis with a work buddy once in a while, or shoot a few baskets with the kids. For them, a cross-trainer might be the best choice. "A good cross-trainer will allow you to do the treadmill, some walking on asphalt or on a track, and light jogging," says Kathleen Stone, past president of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). "Not mileage, of course. But I like them for people who are doing a variety of athletic endeavors casually." To choose a good cross-trainer, Stone suggests you look for: Good support (you shouldn’t be able to bend the shoe too easily) Light weight (you don’t want to add a lot of pounds to your feet) But the APMA recommends that if you’re going to participate in a particular sport two to three times a week or more, you should choose a sport-specific shoe. 3. Loving Them Too Much "Your workout shoes should be your workout shoes and not your running-around-town shoes," Rogers says.

"You’ll break down a pair of shoes standing in them or wearing them to the mall and running errands much faster than when you’re running or exercising." So buy yourself a pair of casual tennies for running around town, and stow your good workout shoes in the closet as soon as you get home from your run or your tennis game. 4. Loving Them Too Long Another big mistake many people make with athletic shoes is not replacing them often enough. "They think they should replace their workout shoes when they start looking bad," Rogers says. "But shoes start to break down while they’re still looking good. The support -- the reason you buy the shoe in the first place -- is gone, and you’ll start feeling strange aches and pains in your knees, hip, and back." Most experts recommend that runners replace their shoes every 300 to 500 miles. If you don’t run enough to have a mile count, or running’s not your sport, you should replace your athletic shoes at least once a year.

"If you’re exercising on a casual basis, you can make your shoes last a year," Stone says. "But if you’re working out every day, 6 months is pretty much your limit." You should also have your shoe size rechecked every year, Cheung says. "Foot size doesn’t stay the same; our feet tend to grow bigger as we age." 5. Doing It Yourself Unless you’ve been playing your sport for a long time and have learned exactly what shoe is right for you, it’s a bad idea to just walk into a sporting goods store, try on a few pairs of shoes, and walk out with what you think is best. Instead, go to an athletic shoe specialty store to get an expert insight on the right shoe and the best fit. "The staff there will do a real fitting, evaluate your foot, and take a history of your athletic activities and what shoes may have worked for you before," Puleo says. "They’ll watch you walk or run on a treadmill or outside." They’ll take three measurements -- not just one -- on the metal plate known as a Brannock Device that we’ve all seen in shoe stores.