After three years of gains, sales of running shoes in the U.S. fell slightly in '09, according to data from research firm NPD Group. The decline, however, was mitigated by higher average sale prices. Overall, sales of running shoes in '09 posted modest gains despite signs of softening in some key global markets. Canada and Japan posted growth in '09, while the five biggest European markets -- Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the U.K -- were down slightly. The fastest growing brands in Japan and Europe last year included adidas, Asics and Nike. Saucony, Puma and Brooks saw an increase in success in the U.S. Listed below are total sales volume percentage changes for global running shoes sales for '09 compared to '08 (NPD Group).