With the new rage for fitness affecting everyone in today's society, you may find yourself trying to exercise more. One of the best ways to get outside and exercise is to run. You may be wondering what kind of shoes will I need or do I need shoes? Well, there are many types of running shoes and they have all changed in performance and design throughout history. You could also try or learn to run barefoot. Depending on the type of running you're doing, you may need a different type of shoe. There are two main types of shoes you can use for running: "running shoes" or "trainers." Running shoes or commonly known as “tennis shoes” or “trainers”. This type of shoe has a thick layer of foam or cushioning along the bottom of the shoe (Mahoney). The most commonly known track shoes are “track spikes.” These shoes are very lightweight and have ¼ inch to ½ inch metal spikes that screw into the bottom of the shoe ("Prima"). Before you go out and buy one of these shoes you need to have some more information. Tennis shoes are the shoes you will need if you want to go out and run on the sidewalks of your city. The design of tennis shoes has changed recently and with new studies and technology it will probably change again. The tennis shoe heel design was first discovered when a man put rubber in his waffle iron, leaving an imprint in the rubber. On January 24, 1899, Humphrey O'Sullivan was granted the first patent for a shoe with a rubber heel (Bellis). This model became very popular in the early and mid-20th century. Today rubber has been replaced with air-cushioned, gel-filled soles which are becoming superior to the rubber sole (Woodpecker). The exterior of the shoe is now available in any color you can think of. The material of the whole...... middle of the paper ......f, Christine. “When should you replace your running shoes?” About.com Running and jogging. Network. May 14, 2014. http://running.about.com/od/shoesapparelandgear/f/replaceshoes.htmMahoney, Sara. "The differences between track and running shoes." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, February 4, 2014. Web. May 8, 2014. http://www.livestrong.com/article/66453-differences-between-track-running-shoes/Robinson, Roger. “A Brief History of Barefoot Running.” The runner's world and running times. Network. May 18, 2014. http://www.runnersworld.com/barefoot-running-minimalism/a-brief-history-of-barefoot-running?page=singleWoodpecker, Harwood. "How athletic shoes have evolved over the years." How sports shoes have evolved over the years. Network. May 8, 2014. http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/38998/shoes/how_sports_shoes_have_volved_over_the_years.html