Every pair of shoes comes with an expiration date, or an expiration distance, the distance you can run with a shoe before it stops giving you the support you need for healthy running.
However, there are other factors that come into consideration when ‘deciding’ (that sounds kind of random, doesn’t it?) the life of your pair of shoes, besides what the manufacturer recommends: the surface you run on, weight, stride, speed, biomechanics, weather, etc.
I’ve been following manufacturer recommendations this far, because I don’t feel experienced enough in running to realize when a shoe is past its prime, and I don’t want to risk injury.
But ideally, knowing from past experience what running with still good shoes feels like and taking into consideration manufacturer recommendations, we’ll be able to tell when it’s time to change shoes.
For those of you who, like me, like to keep track of the KM/Miles on their shoes, I am attaching an Excel chart where you can calculate the distance ran on up to 7 different pairs of running shoes.
Shoe Mileage Tracker
Instructions:
1) Download the excel file in this post, by clicking on the link above, and save it to your computer.
2) Under Shoe List (cell A2 to A8), write a description for your running shoes.
3) Under code (cell I2 to I8), insert a code for the shoes. I use a 2 letter code, but it could be anything else. The code you insert, will be automatically updated on the Weekly Mileage per Shoe chart (below to the right, not shown in picture).
4) Under Max Miles (cell M2 to M8), insert the maximum mileage you plan to run in those shoes. If you prefer to calculate in KM, enter the maximum KMs.
5) Every week, log your running distance for each day of the week under Miles (you can enter as KMs as well) column for each day, and the code of the shoes you wore each run. The days you don’t run you can leave blank.
6) After the week is over, if you wish, you can hide the row for that week.
7) When a shoe reaches the maximum distance you specified, the column (J/K) showing total Miles (or KMs) will turn red.
8) Kiss the shoes goodbye, and go get yourself new ones.
2 Cups 'N Run 
Thanks for sharing your spreadsheet! Will start tracking once I’m back up to full speed!
Grrr….why doesn’t the Like button let me click more than 1 Like????
Anyone who uses Excel is A-OK in my book. (Yes, yes, I am an Excel Junkie!)
Question though – you mentioned early on about an expiration date/distance for shoes that’s normally given by the manufactuerer … how does one get that info? Is it on the shoes somewhere? Or the shoebox?
Actually not that I’m aware of. I usually search online for all kinds of information on the shoes I’m planning to buy, as well as the recommended mileage.
For those that use the Nike gps with and/or the Nike running app you can track your shoe mileage there as well.
Great idea and implementation here with the excel file.
This is awesome! Thank you for posting this!!!!
This is so great! Once again, I’m impressed.
What a brilliant idea I generally just wear mine until I start getting aches that I don’t usually have and then think about buying new shoes. Not the best approach, I will have to change this now that I am planning on running more after entering for my first half 🙂
Wow! I don’t run anywhere near the amount of miles to need this kind of tracker, especially not at the moment. But I’m still super impressed by this. What a brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing 🙂
How do you like those shoes? I’ve been intruiged by this brand lately. And nice way of tracking everything.
Which ones? I love both brands I run in.
I like it! Thanks for sharing!
So organized! Love it!
Oh, I love this!! Thank you so much!! I will definitely be using this!
Surprised fitbit doesn’t calculate this. I go by feel.