One of my dearest friends has convinced me to do 10k in October.

I don't run. Period. Just don't. I do yoga and pilates, which don't require specific shoes.

What would you recommend I buy so my feet aren't aching as I start the couch to 10k?

I have vans and kids' light-up sketchers. I know those won't work


Nike?
Addidas?

I would rather not spend 150 on them if there are cheaper options, but that is the budget I have set the maximum for.

Pretty colors would be good too but not needed


Thank you

https://www.runningwarehouse.com/LearningCenter/gaitanalysis.html

Send a video of yourself running on a treadmill and they'll provide you recommendations. I'd say go to a running store but that's likely going to be more expensive.

Going to a running store will be your best bet. Not only can a good one take a look at your gait but they should have multiple shoes to try out. For my foot and stride ASICS seem to be the best, Brooks are a close second. They should also have inserts which can also help.

Tanya, don't write off Skechers. I've run hundreds of miles in various $50-60 Skechers. And my fastest marathon.

Pilot's advice is good tho.

Brands and models are different for everyone. Typically, I haven't found Nike, Adidas, or New Balance that I like. But plenty of Asics, Brooks, and Skechers that work great.

Really depends on your feet and gait.

Hoka One One Bondis are the greatest shoes I've ever had for running, but that's because they work great on my feet (more manufacturers need wide widths!)

But you may need Brooks or Asics for your feet and gait.

Like others have said, you really need to go to a running shop. When I was first fitted I had never heard of Brooks shoes. But I tried them on at the shops recommendation. I haven't ran in anything else for nearly a decade now.

There used to be a whole running shoe thread, but don't know what happened to it. The options have gotten more complicated in the last few years, but here's a high level attempt to break it down.

Shoes tend to come in two varieties(there's really more but for the sake of simplicity)

Neutral
Support

Someone else can explain the finer points of what that means. A good running shop will look at your feet/gait and tell you which of those two you need.

Within those two categories each manufacturer will usually have two options. So let's use Brooks as an example. I run in a support shoe. They have two options. One costs $130(Adrenaline), one costs $160(Transcend). For the extra money you're usually getting more cushioning, and maybe some different lace patterns or upper materials. Tell them your budget and good shop shouldn't try to push you into a $160 shoe if you don't want it.

These prices/options are fairly typical across all the manufacturers. Fitting is important because the different brands have different base shapes/molds(called lasts). Those will be pretty common to their whole lineup. If you don't like one model, it's likely you won't like any of their other models.

Some brands are wider in the toe and narrow in the heel. Some run wide everywhere. Some are tight on the instep(middle of the foot. Which one works best for you depends on the shape of your foot. You'll find that people often stick with one brand for many years.

Hope that helps. You may want to look around local facebook groups for recommended shops. Good luck.