What Shoes to Wear Running; What Shoes to Wear Walking

I'm a runner and my mom's a walker. We live 800 miles apart so we were surprised to see that our shoes look like they could be neighbors. I'm running 5-7 miles a week in the Brooks Cadence and she walks 4-5 miles a day in Mizunos.

Mother/Daughter Running Shoes

I like the  Brooks Cadence for the "posts" under the arch. They support my outer foot and ankles when they roll outward as part of my stride. The toe box is roomy and the arch support is good. They are light but firm - they really hold your foot, unlike the Puma Faas 300 and the original Saucony Kirvanas. Unfortuantely, the left foot is a little too tight across the top of my arch so I get a cramp or tightness on most runs. Another runner acquaintance says the construction gave her blisters at the front of her arch initially. I've tried loosening the laces over the arch and it has helped a bit.

For walking in rain, sleet, snow or dry desert conditions, my mom only wears Mizunos. She walks 3-5 miles every day, so she really knows what works for her. She's mostly walking on pavement but sometimes hits the foothills of Boise, so she likes the serious tread on Mizuno. The support, quality and structure all work for her. Because she has wide feet (like me), she wishes the toe box on the Mizunos was roomier - it comes to a point, instead of being round like the Brooks

What running shoe works for you? Finding out can be expensive so, when buying, ask about the store's return policy. Places like roadrunnersports.com are pretty good about letting you test and return.

Happy trails!