80s & 90s runners: how did you survive the terrible shoes?

Can you clarify? I think you mean that there are many 80s and 90s shoes that you would still wear over any of today's shoes, but also it kinda reads like literally anything available today would be better than many 80s and 90s shoes.

The shoes were bad, at least for me, in the 80s and 90s. Fortunately, I was able to do a lot of my runs on dirt or bike paths.

By the mid-1990s, I had multiple chronic foot problems. I tried orthotics, but whenever I changed shoes or when the shoes got worn down, the support would change.

A fellow runner referred me to a prosthetist. That's the person who actually makes prosthetics. He measured my foot, went into the back and returned with basic foot orthotic. He measured it on my foot, took it in the back and I could hear a grinder running as he ground down some spots. He returned and said, "run around the block." I did. He asked how it fit. I told him about the hot spots that were uncomfortable. He went into the back, ground it again, and returned. I had a custom orthotic!

It was great. When it eventually wore out, I had moved to another state, but I looked at it and thought, "I can make this myself." After a little trial and error, I had my own orthotics and I've been making them now for over 20 years.

I've written about the process many times on this forum and even posted a video a while back on how (and why) I do it.

Old school Nike Waffle Racers for the win

Shoes are over-rated. Zola Budd won the world cross country championships running barefoot

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You're off by a couple of decades shoes from the mid-70s to 2010s didn't change a lot, incremental improvements. Now if you go back to the 1950s, '60s or early '70s the shoes were not nearly as good. Leather. Thin hard soles. And not much else.

Yep. EVA midsoles with significant heel drop, (and nylon uppers) were a game-changer back in the day.

I raced in the original Mariah, loved it, and then trained in it for years in the early 80s.

For XC, I raced in Zoom X spikes. Good enough for Carlos, right? Track I wore the Zoom.

It was weird to race roads in the same shoe I trained in all week, but I got over it.

the picture of a "racing flat" with a thick cushiony midsole says it all.

All your overuse injuries come from squishing along on these midsoles, underusing your arches and using a form that sends the force of impact from your heel into your knees.

Minimalist shoes with no midsole could have saved you, but you got turned away by ridiculous things like Vibram five fingers. There are real ones that are better than anything with a midsole.

Gimmicky bounce shoes have too many of you thinking you're "super"

In the '70's (19 not 18) we were minimalist runners and didn't even know it! I knew guys that had shoes with over 1000 miles on them...I couldn't wear Nikes because they were not wide enough for my 4E foot...New Balance, Etonics, Brooks and Reebok worked for me...I got a cool pair of racing flats made by Kangaroo given to me by Reno Stirrat; he was sponsored by 'Roo...

Best shoes ever (for a guy who retired 20+ years ago).

This is why people should actually learn to run. I took a few classes and they had us buy metronomes and run barefoot on AstroTurf and analyzed our posture. I rarely ever get injured unless it’s some freak thing like stepping in a pothole in the dark or being stuck in a car all day after a hard workout and straining something that was tight to begin with.

80 mpw, switch it up between mushy trainers, carbon plate shoes, minimalist flats, standard trainers. I keep tricking my feet to make them stronger.

Jim Ryun NEVER had training shoes that were available in the early 1980s. I ran on those Ryun era shoes in the early 1970s. Leather shoes that you had to break in. Tore your feet apart until you were able to callus the skin. The Lydiard shoes were the worst. The leather hardened by sweat and moisture and dug into your toes. Bloody heel blisters and raw skin were the norm. By the early 80s the training shoes were fine. I ran an 8:50 2 mile in a brand new pair of New Balance 990s in 1982. They were just fine. By the early 80s racing flats were usable without a breakin period.

They have Pegasus, Skylon, Asics Gel Lyte. The trainers were not that bad. If you're young and fast, I don't think trainers matter that much. I think older and slower runners would benefit more from better trainers they have now.

There many shoes I liked from the '80s and '90s but the Oregon wasn't one of them, at least until after breaking them in. I remember them to be really stiff for a few weeks. My first running shoes were adidas Bostons in '85, and the EVA under the forefoot was visibly squished after the first run, but they still lasted 1,000 miles and were more comfortable than the Oregons.

Some shoes that come to mind as ones I'd still enjoy running in:

1990ish New Balance 830 and 840 were fast lightweight daily trainers

The mid-'90s adidas Response Trails were the first shoes I had that felt really springy as well as cushy. Had a few pairs.

'80s Converse Lydiard Equinox were super lightweight but with a decently thick, soft/cushiony midsole that felt great to run in. I had a few pairs. I did have the uppers come of the soles in at least one pair, so not the best quality though.

Late ‘80s ran in the ASICS Gel Lite. In hindsight I blame my constant HS knee pain and shin splints on them.

It’d be interesting to run in a pair now and see if they actually seem like a problem.

This is the major difference between your generation and mine.

I too would race in the Mariah today and train in the Terra TC if available. great shoes.

I miss Nike shox :(

I ran in Reebok gl6000. Nice daily trainer. In 1991 I started using Pegasus.