How much room should I have at the end of my running shoes?

We usually feel that you should have approximately a half thumb to a full thumb's width at the end of the shoe depending on the size. This becomes even more important if you will be running more than 10 or 12 miles at a time. When you start reaching this sort of distance your foot swells significantly. At the start of a marathon you might have a 1/4 inch of room in your shoe but at the end you'll probably have none!

If you are getting black toenails or they are falling off you are probably getting your shoes too small. The best time to try on shoes is late in the afternoon because your foot is largest at this time of the day. It is also important to use a pair of socks when you try on your shoes that are similar to the ones you will be running in. Changing from a thin sock to a thick sock can change the size shoe you need.

A good starting point is to get your running shoes one half to a whole size larger than your dress shoes. Shoes can be sized differently even within the same brand so don't assume that since you wear a size 10D Nike Pegasus that you'll also wear a size 10D Nike Max Moto.