How to Choose the Right Women?s Running Shoes

Finding the right women's running shoes comes down to comfort. Running shoes that are too short or too narrow will squeeze your foot until it’s numb, and shoes that are too long or too wide will make you feel like you’re wearing flippers. So it’s important to find a shoe that fits properly.

The best way to find the right running shoe is to try them on first. Go into a store and lace the shoe up. Is it comfortable when you stand and walk? If it’s not, running will only make it worse.

Then check the length and width. You should have about a thumb’s width of space between your toe and the end of the shoe. Similarly, your feet should not be spilling over the side of the shoe; if they are, the shoes are too narrow.

Find more information about How to Choose Running Shoes on the Fleet Feet blog.

There are also different types of women's running shoes. Women who overpronate might benefit from different running shoes than women with a neutral gait, and women looking for PRs might want different kicks than women out for an easy weekend jog.

The main types of women's running shoes are:

• Women's neutral running shoes
• Women's stability running shoes
• Women's trail running shoes
• Women's racing shoes

Some women's running shoes, though, are engineered specifically for different sports, like track and cross country. These shoes are meant for a singular purpose: to give you and edge on race day.

• Women's track shoes
• Women's cross country shoes