As with any other specialty sport, there are seemingly limitless styles and varieties of running shoes, and they are definitely not all made the same.

If you're just getting started, having the right shoes can be the difference between a comfortable run and painful conditions like shin splits and stress fractures due to lack of support.

Red Moose Shoes has a step-by-step guide so you get the perfect running shoe to meet your needs.

1. Determine What You Need

Are you training for a 5K or longer distances? Will you be running primarily on the road or sidewalk, a cushioned track, or on trails? In addition, if you have existing issues like plantar fasciitis, you'll want shoes that offer more support for your particular condition.

2. Get Fitted for the Proper Shoe

Once you decide what you're looking for, you can go shopping on your own and find a shoe that specializes in the kind of running that you do, but we suggest going to try it on in person instead of buying online. You want to make the sure that the shoe is comfortable right away—there is no breaking-in period with running shoes. It also helps to go in the afternoon or evening, since feet tend to swell throughout the day and while you run.

If you're looking to spend a little more on your shoes, you can go to a specialty shop and run on a treadmill to have your gait analyzed. If your foot tends to roll to the inside or outside as you run, there are shoes available that provide more support there instead of a neutral shoe, which is what is available at most stores.

3. Find a Cushion Level That Works for You

The bottom of the shoe is about comfort. If you want it to be heavily cushioned you can do that, but others like to feel the ground as they run. This will determine how thick and firm you want the foam under your foot.

4. Don't Wait to Replace Them

Generally, the life of a running shoe is between 400 and 500 miles. If you want a more accurate look, check the shoes after three or four months of regular running to see if the midsoles or outsoles are compressed and worn. And of course, keep your running shoes looking their best with Red Moose's Sneaker Cleaner or go the extra mile with our Shoe and Sneaker Care Kit.