Design trends

How often to replace your shoes

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October 18, 2026

On June 2, 2026

Most running shoes last 600 to 800 kilometres, roughly five to eight months of regular training.

Watch the midsole, not the tread. Once it feels flat, or your knees start aching after easy runs, it is worn out.

Signs to watch for

Flat creases across the forefoot or a tilted feel when standing in them both mean it is time for a new pair.

Close side view of a worn pair of unbranded running shoes sitting beside house keys on a pale shelf, showing worn-down o

Pair of new unbranded running shoes stacked on a bench next to a water bottle, bright blurred outdoor window background

Three pairs of unbranded running shoes in different colours standing on a bare concrete floor against a whitewashed bric

Close-up of two worn and new running shoe soles and heels side by side showing tread wear, on a light grey background

Flip your shoes over and check the tread. Uneven wear on the outer edge or heel is normal, but bald patches or exposed foam mean the grip is gone, even on soft Cape pavements.

Checking the tread

Press a thumb into the midsole near the ball of your foot. If it stays dented instead of springing back, the cushioning has given up and it is past time to replace them.

Bright sportswear shop-style flat scene with a pair of running shoes, folded running kit, a water bottle and a gym bag a

Thabo Nkosi – Club Runner

I used to run shoes into the ground because they still looked fine on top. It was only when my shins started aching on easy runs that I realised the cushioning was long gone underneath. Now I mark the date on a new pair the day I start wearing them, and I replace at around seven hundred kilometres whether they look worn or not.

Bright outdoor sports shop corner with running shoes on shelves and a round white counter, for a Cape winter training an

Nadia Petersen – Parkrun Regular

My parkrun time crept up for weeks before I worked out why. It wasn't fitness, it was my shoes. The soles had gone smooth without me noticing, since I only ever looked at the laces and the upper. Checking the sole every month now takes me ten seconds and has saved me more than one slow Saturday.

Two pairs of running shoes, one worn and one fresh, side by side on a light blue shelf with a water bottle and towel, il

Sipho Dlamini – Half Marathon Finisher

Training for my first half marathon is what taught me shoes have a shelf life. Around the fourteen week mark my knees started complaining on long runs for no obvious reason. A fresh pair sorted it out within a week. I now plan a shoe change into any training block longer than three months.

Pair of unbranded running shoes and a folded technical jacket on a clean studio floor against a blue-green wall, for a w

Lindiwe Mahlangu – Trail Runner

Trail shoes wear differently to road shoes, the lugs go before the cushioning does. I keep an old pair for muddy days once the grip starts to round off, rather than throwing them out completely. It means I always have a fresh pair for the technical routes where grip actually matters most.

"I ran my longest training block ever in one pair of shoes because I genuinely thought if they still looked okay, they were still okay. My physio set me straight. Now I replace on distance, not on looks, and my knees have thanked me for it ever since."

"I kept two pairs on rotation without realising both were already past their best. Tracking kilometres on each pair separately showed me they were older than I thought. Replacing them together made more difference to my running than any training change I made that year."

"Shin splints took me out of training twice before someone pointed out my shoes were the common thread. I replace mine every six months now regardless of how they look, and I have not had the same problem since. Cheap insurance for the amount of running I do."

Buying before you need to

Keep a second pair on rotation once your main pair passes 400 kilometres, so you are never stuck racing or training in shoes that are already on their way out. Order the next pair before the old one gives up completely.