A practical guide to understanding when your running companions have reached the end of the line, based on real wear and feel, not just the odometer.
- Kilometers aren’t everything: The 600–800 km (370–500 miles) range is indicative, but weight and running style matter more.
- Look underneath: If the tread is smooth or the wear is uneven, it’s time to change.
- Look at the side: “Wrinkles” on the midsole indicate that cushioning is dead (or dying).
- Listen to pain: Sudden discomfort in knees or shins is often due to worn-out shoes.
- Rotate: Using two pairs extends the life of both.
The Myth of Fixed Kilometers
There is a question that bounces around every runner chat: “At how many kilometers do I throw them away?” The standard answer is often “between 600 and 800 km.”
It is a good rule of thumb, but taking it as a law carved in stone is a mistake.
Shoes are the only piece of equipment truly necessary for running, but they are subject to infinite variables: your weight, your running technique, the terrain you run on (hot asphalt or soft dirt), and even how you store them.
Relying only on distance is like deciding to change car tires based solely on the date on the calendar, without checking if they are bald. We need to become better observers: the shoe sends us visual and physical signals long before the app tells us “expired.”
The 5 Signs
Take your shoes, flip them over, and look closely. Here is what you need to look for:
- The “Slick” Tread: If the hard rubber under the shoe is worn down to the point of seeing the midsole underneath, traction and protection are compromised. It is the most obvious sign.
- Pronounced Asymmetrical Wear: A little wear on the outer heel is normal. But if one shoe is much more worn than the other, or if the wear is so deep that it makes the shoe tilt when you place it on a flat table, you have a stability problem. You are running “crooked” because of the shoe.
- “Wrinkles” on the Midsole: Look at the white (or colored) foam on the side. If you see many deep horizontal creases and the foam looks compressed and doesn’t bounce back if you press it with your fingernail, the cushioning is “dead.” The shoe has lost its elastic capacity.
- The Torsion Test: Grab the shoe at the ends (toe and heel) and try to twist it like a rag. If it resists, it still has structure. If it folds limply without effort, the support is gone.
- The “Flat” Feeling: When you run, you no longer feel that elastic response, that “pop” under your foot. It feels like you are running directly on the asphalt. It is a subtle but unmistakable sign.
New Pains: When the Shoe Is to Blame (and When It Isn’t)
Our body speaks to us constantly, and listening to it is part of a runner’s awareness.
If suddenly, without having changed your training, you start feeling knee discomfort, shin pain (shin splints), or lower back stiffness post-run, the fault could lie with dead shoes.
When the midsole no longer absorbs impact, that energy has to go somewhere: it usually travels up the kinetic chain, stopping at the joints.
If the pain magically disappears when trying on a new pair of shoes, you have found the culprit.
Rotating 2 Pairs: Why It Helps
It seems like advice to make you spend more, but in reality, it is a way to save money (and save your legs).
Shoe foam needs time to “decompress” and return to its original shape after a run. If you run every day with the same pair, the foam remains compressed and lasts less time.
Alternating two pairs (perhaps different models, one more protective and one lighter and faster) allows the resting shoe to “dry out” and regenerate, extending its useful life. Furthermore, varying the footstrike makes feet and muscles work slightly differently, reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
Final Checklist
Before heading out for your next run, do a quick check:
- Is the tread still there?
- Does the shoe stand straight if placed on the table?
- Do I still feel “bounce” when I run?
- Do I have unexplained post-workout pain?
Remember: a new pair of shoes costs significantly less than three sessions with a physiotherapist. Treat your feet well: they are what carry you to the finish line.