When Should You Replace & Recycle Your Running Shoes?

By RunDNA

Published on May 29, 2024

3 min read

Running shoes are your #1 essential in your running wardrobe. Understanding the lifespan of your running shoes is an important part of caring for your feet, as well as your ankles, knees, hips and spine.

Worn-out running shoes can adversely affect your body alignment and proper running form. Neglecting to replace your running shoes when their expiration date is ticking can impede your performance and puts you at greater risk of common running injuries.

Although you've probably heard running shoes should retire anywhere between clocking up 500 - 800km, what does that actually look and feel like?

Upper

The upper acts as the breathable ‘shell’ of the running shoe and is often made of lightweight mesh or knit materials. Like any fabric it can wear out over time, developing holes or areas of weakness as it stretches with use and becomes exposed to the elements.

Signs of a worn-out upper include:

Wear and tear such as the deterioration of the stitching
Tearing where the upper connects to the midsole
Your toes have punched through the toe box
Weakened heel counter is no longer supportive

Midsole

The primary goal of the midsole is shock absorption – protecting your feet, ankles and knees from repetitive impacts on hard surfaces. The deterioration of the midsole is often undetectable from a visual inspection, but it is usually the first part of the running shoe to wear out.

A collapsed midsole can be felt in your stride where soft, cloud-like landings and smooth transitions give way to a jarring pounding feel underfoot. If you experience pain points or new areas of soreness, a worn-down midsole could be to blame.

Signs of a worn-out midsole include:

You can feel that the cushioning has deteriorated – no longer providing the responsive snap or springy out-of-the-box feel
The midsole is compressed – it doesn’t bounce back into shape or dampen impacts like it used to
There's visible wrinkles or creases in the midsole on the lateral and medial side of the shoe
Do the twist test – unless they’re barefoot shoes like Vivobarefoot, if the running shoe can twist or fold in half easily without resistance, it’s time for the midsole to retire

Outsole

The outsole is the tyre of your running shoes – allowing you to get a grip on running surfaces. Flip your running shoes upside-down and you’ll find it’s easy to locate the areas of outsole wear.

Signs of a worn-out outsole include:

Bald spots on the outsole where the tread has flattened and become smooth – like worn-out tyres, the traction has deteriorated
The outsole has worn through to the midsole
The outsole is fraying at specific areas of high impact – like the back of the heel for heel strikers
There is an obvious tilt to the running shoe when positioned on a flat surface - for overpronators (runners that roll their feet excessively inward), this usually occurs on the inside edge (medial side) of the shoe, and for supinators (runners that roll their feet outward) it occurs on the outside edge (lateral side).

Give Your Pre-Loved Running Shoes A New Life

Sportitude has partnered with UPPARAL to make it easier and more rewarding than ever to give your pre-loved running shoes and running clothing a second life. UPPAREL allow you to recycle or repurpose your running shoes - saving them from landfill to keep you feeling good in every stride.

Check out how UPPAREL can help you make a positive difference.

Please contact our Sportitude shoe experts for running shoe advice and guidance on achieving your ideal fit.

If you liked this, you'll love:

What To Do When Your New Running Shoes Arrive

How To Break In Your New Running Shoes

How To Clean And Care For Your New Running Shoes

Happy running!