With the London Marathon taking place recently, there’s been a lot of buzz on social media surrounding running. I must admit that I’ve never been a runner – even at school I was always lagging behind everyone else and I hated it. However, I did go through a stint when I was at uni where I thought I could possibly start running. I got myself a pair of shoes and started the Couch to 5K programme. Unfortunately, whenever I attempted to run outside (I think I made it out three times), I was either beeped at by cars or cat called by men. I put my shoes away and running was never thought about again.. until now.

Could I take up running?

I’ve been inspired by the London Marathon and the TikToks I’ve seen, especially from people who have not been runners all their lives. Now, I’m thinking that perhaps I could take up running – maybe not a marathon but I could aspire to run a 5K. I do exercise regularly now, I go to the gym and I do pole fitness and kickboxing classes, so surely I could run?

With this in mind, I’ve been looking at everything that I need to become a runner. Apart from motivation, the most important thing I need is a pair of decent running shoes. Although running is good for you, it can be really damaging to your feet, knees and hips if you don’t have the right shoes.

How do you choose the right running shoes?

When looking for women’s running shoes, there’s a lot of things that you have to consider. The first thing is your gait. It is important that you do a gait analysis to assess what type of running shoes are best for your feet. The aim is to counterbalance the overpronation or underpronation to help to reduce the risk of injury and improve running efficiency. I have flat feet, so I overpronate when I walk. This can cause issues with my knees and hips, so it is important to get the shoes that match with my gait.

You need to make sure that your running shoes have enough cushioning that they are comfortable for long periods of time but not too much cushioning. They need to fit exactly right. If they’re too big, they’ll move about and rub your feet as you run. If they’re too small, they will pinch your feet and can also cause pins and needles if they’re really tight.

Another thing to consider is the type of surface that you will be running on. If you’re just going to be using a treadmill, then you’ll need a very different outer sole compared to if you were planning on running outside. Different terrains outside also require different soles. Running on tarmac is a lot different to running down country lanes or through fields/grassy areas.

Luckily, women’s running shoes can be very reasonable these days. There’s also a lot of different styles and colours. If I do decide to take up running, then I have plenty of options!