How to Pick the Right Trail Running Shoes for Your Next Ultra

When you’re lining up for an ultra-trail event, or even simply long training sessions on mixed terrain, your shoes matter more than almost any other piece of kit. The right pair helps you move efficiently, stay comfortable late into a run, and reduce the risk of fatigue or injury.

The Centurion Running Store has a full Footwear section and is one of the greatest range of trail shoes you can get your hands on in the UK and staff like Centurion Running Founder James Elson, who run on almost every kind of trail there is. Here’s what you should think about and how to match your needs with what we offer.

1. Know the terrain & distance you’re tackling

• Chalk ridgelines, slippery downs, dunes, rocks, all demand different traction, cushioning and stability.
• For example, if you’re targeting a race on the South Downs Way (with long descents and rolling terrain) you may prioritise moderate cushioning with only a bit of grip (if it’s dry).
• On a faster race like Hundred Hills you might go for a lighter weight option for the steep hills, but with more aggressive grip for the deeper mud.

“We often look for one shoe that does everything,” says James. “But conditions change from race to race and even during the event for something as long as 100 miles.”

2. Fit & last matter

• Ensure the shoe fits your foot shape (width, instep) and offers a comfortable toe box for swelling over long efforts. You can actually try on our huge range of shoes on a store open day instead of just ordering online.
• If you are ordering online, remember a shoe that’s slightly roomy at the end of a long run often beats a shoe that’s perfect for 5km but too tight at 50 km.

“We find people have the best chance with sizing when they talk to other runners who have a similar preferred shoe in the past. Sometimes a particular brand might need you to size up or down from your useful size and another runner’s experience could help here”.

3. Cushioning vs ground-feel

• Do you want to feel the trail beneath you, or do you prefer a “buffer” that gives you more comfort?
• Long days = comfort becomes more important. Early years of ultra-training taught us that “just be comfortable” often wins over “feel every bump”.. especially in the last few hours.

“Proprioception is important for how your foot and body interacts with the ground, but as the race goes on you might not want to know just how sharp each little stone is under your foot” says Head of Endurance Robbie Britton.

4. Durability & drop

• Ultra-training means many hours. Choose brands/models known for durability if you’re going to be hitting the high training hours and asking a lot of them in big single long runs.
• Heel drop (difference between heel and forefoot height) influences how your calves, Achilles and hamstrings respond. If you’re already dealing with calf, tib-posterior or Achilles issues, the drop becomes a key variable. Check the drop on your current shoes to give you an idea.

“The benefit of using a specialist trail running store like Centurion is that you get this level of advice from the people working there,” states James. “We all run on trails ourselves and want a trusted pair of trail shoes to pass the test of time”.

In Summary

Getting the right trail or ultra shoe for you can be a bit of an experiment of one, but use the information you have access to, be it an expert in a trail specific store or your friend who’s already done the race you’re training for.

Before race day, whenever possible, test your shoes on long runs — ideally 2-3 hours or more on similar terrain to the event.

And lastly, there’s a reason the Centurion Running Store offers multiple models. Not just because everyone has different needs and different races, because shoe rotation can keep you injury free. Consider rotating two or more pairs of shoes for different days and different types of run.