Shoe replacement time

Could you just wear your new shoes for training and go back to the old ones for just the race? That way you don't have to worry about breaking them in?

I wouldn't even be thinking about this if the race weren't a Half and I think that the new shoes might really help during the race.

How long does it take to break in shoes anyway? I've run 5Ks in new shoes with no problem. But then again its not a half mary.

If you're concerned about breakin, use the old shoes since it got you this far anyway. Will your new shoes make a big difference anyway? Are your new shoes race shoes or training shoes?

Depends on the shoe. When I break mine in, I use the new ones for my weekly runs and my old ones for my long. I do this for about 2 weeks and then they are sufficiently broken in. But, I am wearing the exact same shoe with the exact same modifications. Small insole, slit bottoms. When changing to a different shoe, it may take longer. Doesn't much appear to cause issues with shorter runs, but when you are running for 2 hours, it can make a difference...

Today's running shoes don't need to be "broken in," they're good to go right out of the box. You may want to get your foot used to the new shoe, especially if it's a different make or model, but a few runs over the next two weeks would be plenty for that.

I'm not sure if this helps you or not. But I switched to the Brooks running shoes about a year plus ago and recently purchased the Axioms. The main reason I switched was for their stability. When I went to purchase my axioms (from a running shop I've been going to for years and trust), they told me that my old shoes weren't even worn in yet. I told them that I had over 400 miles on them and they told me that the Brooks shoes are very durable. While I did purchase the Axioms so I would have two pairs of running shoes, they told me that 500 plus miles on Brooks is not unheard of.

That being said, I don't know the condition of your shoes, but my guess would be that you could definetly race in them and then retire them. But I do agree with Bear that shoes are ready to go out of the box and a few runs in the new ones would make them ready as well.