I’ve learned a valuable lesson on running shoes: don’t cheap out and wait too long to buy new shoes. A couple weeks ago, I started getting shin splints again. Since I hadn’t change intensity or distance, I was a bit perplexed. I took about a week off to heal, but I also realized my running shoes were almost a year old. So I decided to get a new pair. Sure enough, the new shoes felt much better. I would have never thought that I could have felt such a difference in the shoes, but the new ones felt like they had much more cushion. I felt like I was running on a bouncy, almost springy surface, rather than hard concrete. You are supposed to change shoes every 200-500 miles, and I think I was closer to the top end. And the guy at the running store said you should also get new shoes at least every six months. So I’m definitely convinced. While shoes can be expensive (mine are $130), that’s worth it if they keep me injury free. And running is still a cheap sport as compared to cycling.