What to Expect at a Running Shoe Fitting: 8 Steps Our Experts Follow

You walk into a running store. There are so many shoes on the wall. The colors, the stack heights, the brand names — it can be a lot. If you’ve ever stood there wondering where to even start, you’re not alone.

That’s exactly why a proper running shoe fitting exists. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and replaces it with a process built around you — your foot shape, your movement, your goals, and your history.

At Pace Yourself Run Company, we’ve fit hundreds of runners and walkers across our Holly Springs, Southern Pines, and Wendell locations. Every fitting follows the same eight-step process, and it includes something most running stores simply don’t offer: a complimentary 3D foot scan using the Aetrex Albert 3DFit scanner. Here’s exactly what happens when you come in.

The 8-Step Running Shoe Fitting Process at Pace Yourself Run Company

Step 1: We Start with a Conversation

Before anyone looks at your feet or pulls a single shoe off the wall, we sit down and talk.

This conversation is the foundation of the whole fitting. We want to understand:

Your activity level. Are you walking, jogging, training for a half marathon, or somewhere in between?
Your current shoes. What are you wearing right now, and how do they feel? What do you love or hate about them?
Your history. Have you dealt with knee pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, IT band issues, or any other discomfort? When did it start, and what made it better or worse?
Your goals. Are you looking for an everyday trainer, a race-day shoe, a trail option, or something you can wear casually?

This isn’t small talk. The answers directly shape every decision we make in the steps that follow. A walker dealing with heel pain needs a very different shoe than a marathon runner chasing a PR.

Step 2: The Aetrex 3DFit Scan — Technology That Sees What the Eye Can’t

This is where our fitting process goes beyond what most running stores offer, and customers almost always say it’s the most eye-opening part of the experience.

What is the Aetrex Albert 3DFit Scanner?

The Aetrex Albert 3DFit is an award-winning 3D foot scanner (a CES Innovation Award honoree) that uses four Intel® RealSense™ depth cameras to build a precise three-dimensional model of both feet in under 30 seconds. You simply step onto the platform, stand naturally, and the scanner does the rest. It captures foot measurements with accuracy up to 1mm — a level of precision no tape measure can match.

In those few seconds, the scanner measures:

Foot length — for both feet independently
Foot width at multiple points
Arch length — the critical measurement determining where the shoe’s flex point should align with your foot
Arch height and depth
Girth (circumference at key points across the foot)

Why this matters more than you might think: Most people haven’t had their feet properly measured since childhood. Feet change over time — pregnancy, aging, weight changes, and years of use all effect foot shape and size. The 3DFit scan often reveals things that surprise even longtime runners: feet that are different lengths, arch structures that have shifted, or width proportions that explain why certain shoes have always felt “almost right” but never quite right.

After your scan, you receive a digital record of your foot measurements to keep. You can refer to it for future shoe purchases, share it with a medical professional, or use it when shopping online.

Step 3: We Review Your Scan Results Together

The 3DFit scan doesn’t just collect data — it surfaces insights. We walk through your results with you, so you understand what the numbers mean and why they matter for your shoe selection.

We look at:

Size discrepancies between feet. Extremely common. Most people have one foot slightly longer or wider. We always fit to the larger foot.
Arch profile. Your arch height and shape directly affect how your foot distributes impact with each step. A low arch typically means more inward rolling (pronation). A high arch usually means less natural shock absorption. A neutral arch falls in the middle.
Width and girth. Many runners discover here that they need a wide-width shoe, or that they’ve been wearing a shoe too narrow for their forefoot even though the length felt fine. This single insight resolves a lot of chronic toe discomfort.

Understanding your own foot data puts you in a better position — not just for today’s purchase, but for every running shoe decision you make going forward.

Step 4: We Observe Your Foot Structure

With your scan data in hand, we take a closer visual look at your feet to complement what the technology showed us. We’re confirming what the scan captured and noting anything structural that numbers alone don’t fully convey.

We’re looking at:

Bunions, hammer toes, or other structural variations that affect how a shoe needs to fit around your foot
Callus patterns, which are a map of where your foot has been experiencing repeated pressure or friction
Heel shape, since a narrow heel with a wide forefoot is a specific fit challenge that affects which brands will work best for you

We’re not making medical diagnoses. But understanding your foot’s structure helps us select shoes that work with your mechanics, not against them.

Step 5: We Watch You Walk or Run

This is the step customers are often most curious about — and sometimes most nervous about. Don’t be. There’s nothing you can do wrong here.

We ask you to walk (or jog if comfortable) so we can observe your natural gait. We’re watching:

Pronation pattern. Do your ankles roll inward (overpronation), stay neutral, or roll slightly outward (under pronation/supination)?
Heel strike vs. midfoot vs. forefoot landing. This determines where in the shoe you need the most cushioning and support.
Stride symmetry. Do you compensate more on one side? This often explains asymmetrical pain — the left knee hurting because of how the right foot lands.
Cadence and posture. These give us context about the demands you’re placing on your footwear.

We don’t ask you to change your gait or “fix” anything. We want to see how you actually move so we can find a shoe that supports it.

Step 6: We Select a Curated Set of Shoes — Not the Whole Wall

Here’s where our process differs from simply browsing.

After the first five steps, we have a full picture: your history, your 3D foot measurements, your arch profile, your structural characteristics, and your gait pattern. We don’t hand you a catalog or wave you toward a wall of 200 options. We pull a small, targeted selection — typically three to five pairs — that all meet your fit, support, and functional criteria.

Every shoe we bring out has already passed the test. Your job becomes finding the one that feels best within a range of right answers, not hunting for the needle in a haystack.

This is where the scan data pays off practically. Rather than estimating which size or width to try, we know with precision what measurements your feet require. We cross-reference those numbers with the fit characteristics of specific shoe models, saving time and narrowing the selection further.

The brands we carry — including Brooks, ASICS, Hoka, New Balance, Saucony, On Running, Altra, and others — each have distinct fits, feels, and philosophies. We know these products deeply and can speak honestly to the differences.

Step 7: You Try Them On and Walk or Run in Each Pair

This step is non-negotiable. You have to move in the shoes before you decide.

We lace them up properly (this makes more difference than most people expect) and ask you to walk the store, jog if comfortable, or do whatever movement most closely resembles how you’ll actually use them.

A few things we are looking for:

Heel lockdown. Your heel should feel secure without being gripped so tightly it creates friction.
Toe box room. There should be roughly a thumb’s width of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Your toes should be able to splay slightly.
Midfoot fit. The widest part of the shoe should align with the widest part of your foot — something your scan data now tells us with precision.
Immediate comfort. A well-fitting running shoe should feel good on the first wear. The “break-in period” myth causes a lot of people to tolerate pain they shouldn’t.

Take your time here. Try each shoe twice. Walk the store more than once. If you’d like to step outside briefly, we welcome that.

Step 8: We Finalize the Fit and Talk About What Comes Next

Once you’ve settled on a shoe that feels right, we do a final check before wrapping up.

We confirm sizing, double-check width against your scan data, and make sure you understand what the shoe is designed for. We also cover:

Some customers benefit from additional arch support or cushioning beyond the factory insole. The scan data informs whether this makes sense for your foot type. We carry options and can explain when and why they help.
Running-specific socks affect fit more than most people realize. The wrong thickness shifts whether a shoe feels snug or loose, and the wrong material causes blisters even in a perfectly fitting shoe.
Shoe lifespan. Most running shoes are designed for 300–500 miles. We’ll give you a realistic sense of when it’s time to replace them based on your planned usage.
Your digital scan record. Before you leave, make sure you have your 3DFit scan results saved. They’re useful for future purchases and can be shared with a physical therapist, podiatrist, or sports medicine provider.

Our goal isn’t just to sell you a shoe. It’s to send you out the door with the right shoe, a clear understanding of why it’s right, and data you can use long after today’s visit.

Who is a Running Shoe Fitting For?

Everyone. We fit first-time walkers, competitive runners, people returning from injury, older adults managing chronic foot discomfort, and teenagers just starting cross country. The 3DFit scan and our fitting process adapt to whoever walks through the door. All paces welcome — and that’s not just a tagline.