In the old days, when people picked a pair of "tennis shoes" to exercise in, they would mainly go for one that looked cool and had nice colors. Now, we're smarter. Shoes have also gotten smarter.
A Plug for Specialty Running Stores:
Selecting the perfect shoe for you is as critical as getting "the one" wand for you from Ollivander's. A wizard wouldn't just pick any old cool looking wand. There's a special relationship, a necessary link fit-wise and functional-wise, that needs to go on between the shoe and the runner. Get a shoe suited for someone else, and injury results.
You've probably noticed how each person has a particular type of walk (gait, pace, etc.) that allows you to ID him/her from across a field. You may even notice how each person has her own funny way of running (the funny part sometimes from inefficient form). The strategic distribution of hard vs. soft foam, embedded gel, grooves in the outsole, specialized lacing, ventilation, shoe width, and much more, determines how fast you'll be, how hard you'll have to work, and how you'll feel during and after the run.
It is soooo worth the investment. Don't even buy online basing decisions off of descriptions and pictures. I could've gotten my Brooks cheaper, but to go and feel and test drive was priceless. You won't run in shoes that hurt you. Sitting out for the season is not worth the $25 you might save.
And running's great. You can get this sport's state-of-the-art technology for $200 at the very most, whereas with cycling, it's $3000 just for a competitive bike (and that's still on the lower end). Then, you have to add in maintenance, transport inconveniences, accessories (well, I guess running has its own - IPod, glasses, reflective gear, watch, HRM, clothes).
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