Any serious endurance athlete, or budding endurance athlete, will have come across discomfort in some form with their feet during their career. Pins and needles, “hot foot”, too tight in certain areas, toes touch the corners of the toe box, too flexi/too stiff in the soles, not enough arch support etc.

These concerns have been a huge industry in Running for many years. There are now big chain-stores now that perform video analysis on heel strike etc…and they estimate the best type of shoe for you within 15mins.

Because your feet are the main contact points for the rest of your body to leverage power from, they have to brace and support a lot of weight and force and over long periods of time.

But I think the first step needs to be looking at your feet and understanding their shape. Sounds pretty simple, but for years I always raced in shoes way too small for me. It must have been ingrained in me from when I was a kid…that the nice old man at the local shoe shop did when I was 7 trying on school shoes with Mum…placing his big thumb on top of my big toe making sure I had at least one size to grow into! But what we never checked was which toe was the longest…?! And as it happened, my middle toes are longer than my big toe… (freak!!!)

I found this out for sure during my first marathon, when I ground my middle toes to pulp, running in shoes a size too small. So now, I carefully choose a style of shoe that has a very square toe box…and funnily enough, check for middle toe clearance.

One of my recent bike-fits I did for a lady, I measured her foot across and it was 11cm wide. Her foot was cupping once inside the shoe, and she was getting what is called “hot foot” after only a few minutes. This occurs when the nerves in the foot are being compressed by the long metatarsal bones in the ball of your foot. I suggested she invest in a certain brand that is known for wide soles, and even though they were very expensive, she made the investment now can cycle over an hour with blood flow in her feet! There are also inner soles on the market now that have a ‘metatarsal ball’ built into the sole to release this pressure.

Like any sporting equipment, technology is at the forefront. There is a lot of carbon fibre, ratchets, dials, and Kevlar out there. But this doesn’t guarantee performance…and you may not be looking at performance. I think fit and comfort should be the two main keys when looking for a new pair. 

One of the latest innovations from one brand is a type of vacuum/ form-thotic that moulds to your foot - so the shoe is custom to your own foot shape. This takes care of high (or no) arch in the foot…and improves pedalling efficiency because your foot doesn’t move around in your shoe when you are climbing etc. Your foot needs to be supported well in the shoe but without a lot of pressure of over-tightened buckles and straps.

If you are having ongoing or serious and painful problems with your feet, or even if your knees are getting sore, I’d advise seeing a sports podiatrist.  

So to recap on the points to look out for when buying new shoes:

• Study your feet. What do they look like? Do you need any support in your other shoes (running/walking/other sports?)

• Try a friend’s pair if you think they could be suited to your feet if you are looking at upgrading. It’s always better to go for spin around the block…than just standing up in a show room at the bike shop.

• Remember your foot spreads out when you pedal…especially when you are climbing out of the seat. Keep this in mind when trying new shoes on…also take a pair of cycling socks in with you so you get a real feel for fit.

• Talk to other riders when out riding, ask around stores and do some research before buying shoes. Remember, your foot might only suit 2-3 brands available.

• Buying expensive doesn’t guarantee premier fit or performance. In most cases it dictates what upper materials were used and what country they were made in.