MU men’s cross country team takes off from the starting line in their first meet, their brightly colored shoes on display.
Photo provided by MU Athletics
Cross Country Runners Discuss Best Shoes for Best Performance
Brandi Norton
Being a distance runner isn’t always about time; well it is, but it’s the shoes that help the runners have those awesome times. If a distance runner ran in uncomfortable shoes, their times would be reflect that. `
Fiona Frost wears Glycerin 18s Brooks. She runs in the same shoes when training, but on meet days she wears spikes, which she mentioned were lighter.
“The spikes allow me to have a better grip on the ground,” Frost said. And she doesn’t not recommend brands because everyone is different.
“When I get a new pair of running shoes it only takes a couple days to break them in,” said Frost in a confident voice. She said that Three Rivers Running Company (Fort Wayne) has the best running shoes.
Madison Hilliker is also a distance runner and she prefers to run in ASICS Kayano. She doesn’t recommend Nikes because they don’t have support for long distance running.
“It takes up to one to two weeks to break in running shoes, but it also depends on how much the person runs,” Hilliker said. She also noted that the sizes of ASICS are normal, but sometimes you have to get a half size bigger.
She also stated how the color of your shoes doesn’t matter to the team. Each person can pick whichever color they want.
“Any running-shoe store that measures and looks at your foot and how you run and walk is a good store,” Hilliker added. “I buy my shoes online because they are usually cheaper.”
Emily Ewen is a New Balance and Hoka-brand shoe wearer. “Those brands work best for my legs and feet,” she said.
Just like Frost, Ewen doesn’t not recommend anything, because everyone’s foot is different. Ewen wears flats for training and spikes for meets.
Both shoes are really light weight. “At Manchester we order from Three Rivers Running Company,” she said. “They’re an awesome company! They’re also a small business so they really take the time to work personally with each customer.”
Hayley Musser is another distance runner who wears ASICS. Musser said she wears the same shoes to train, but when it is time for the race she switches into her flats or spikes, whichever she is feeling that day.
Musser likes to rep the MU school colors, so her spikes are gold and white. “Tri n Run, Fleet Feet, Three Rivers Running Store, are the best options to purchase shoes,” she said.
Marina Abner wears New Balance and has three pairs of shoes. She trains in two pairs and wears the other pair for meet days.
She said it takes her about two weeks to break her shoes in. Abner prefers the dark colors for her shoes so they won’t look as dirty as if the colors were brighter. Abner also recommended Three Rivers Running Store as one of the best shoe stores in the area.