These are our top five tips to choosing the best running shoes:

Plan Ahead: Looking to get into a consistent running routine? Or maybe take on your first race? No matter your goals, create a plan around the surface you want to train on and how you want your shoes to feel while you’re running.Get Started By Walking:Running shoes are great to walk in, and walking is often a segue for beginning runners as you feel out the way your body moves for prolonged periods of time.Learn How You Move: The natural alignment of your joints and the degree to which you pronate can make a big difference in how you search for shoes to support your body. Using our in-store fit process or at-home wear analysis can help you determine how much you pronate and what kind of running shoe to buy.Find Your Fit: A good rule of thumb to determine that you’re wearing the right size is to keep a thumb’s width of space between the end of your toes and the tip of the shoe. Your foot should feel secure from heel to toe, without any squeezing or pinching. Pay attention to the way your foot aligns over the midsole to determine if you need a wide size shoe.Put On Some Miles: Once you find shoes with the support you need and a comfortable fit, hit the road! The average running shoe lasts about 300 miles for regular runners.

A runner’s shoe closet is like a golf bag. Different shoes are better suited for different types of runs, just like different golf clubs are used for different shots.

The typical lineup looks something like this:

A versatile everyday trainer for most of your runsA pair of lightweight race shoes for race dayA set of trail running shoes for when you go off road

But, like you wouldn't use your putter to chip out of a sand trap, you wouldn't lace up you race shoes to tackle a trail run, either.

In this guide, we'll teach you the key differences between trail running shoes and road running shoes, when you should use each type and why they're well-suited for their specific jobs.