Running trainers, like toothbrushes, should be changed every 3 months really. Mine, I'm afraid to say have been stinking up the hallway for the best part of 18 months...
Used on a daily (sometimes twice daily) basis in all kinds of weather. Stuffed into my sportsbag (where they are occasionally prone to hibernating for more than 24 hours - usually when my wife is away!) And left outside people's houses after social visits; you can imagine the state they are currently in.
Once a gleaming white colour with neon orange accents, they now reside in the colour group of grubby and unrecognisable. But, they are my trusted road companions, never failing to stand up to the paces I put them through and so I can't seem to find a reason to replace them... just yet. What can I say - they are my sole mates!! (Sorry - was too tempting!) I guess it's the same reason I re-wear the same training vest and shorts for three days in a row - I mean they're just going to end up in the same sweat-quenched state so why subject more gear to the same treatment. Plus, it means less washing!! My wife should be happy - but she's not of course, she trawls the house searching for running-related items destined for the washing machine, going through my bag, under the bed and anywhere else they may have been temporarily discarded.
It's not that I'm opposed to hygiene so much as it just doesn't bother me in the same way to re-use the same shorts or shoes over and over again. I will be (reluctantly) replacing my trainers before autumn with a brand spanking new pair from the runner's treasure trove in Camden but ultimately they will end up in the same 'worse for wear' scenario as my current pair.
But really, 'worse for wear' just means 'worn for life' - the faded mud splashes and rain-drenched stench are sensory reminders of the sport you love so much. Every pair tells the stories of triumphs, falls, sporting camaraderie, races and dedication. The dirtier the shoes the better your sport.
