12

Racing Shoe (Read 1342 times)


Slow-smooth-fast

    Any advice on running flats? I want some fast shoes for the Great North Run to hopefully shave a few seconds off, and for speed sessions. I currently do all my runs in Nike Vomero and speed in Nike Air Zoom Marathoner but they have seen better days.  Any advice for a good race shoe please?

    "I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009


      Slow-smooth-fast

        thanks

        "I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009

          I recommend Brooks T7: very light, comfortable and look great. I wear them for all my training and racing, including running my first marathon in them. Actually I've never worn anything else since I started running 16 months ago! They also wear surprisingly well if you run efficiently, I'm on my second pair and the first pair lasted about 500 km and even then could have gone a little longer.


          #artbydmcbride

            So light racing shoes really make you faster?

             

            Runners run


            SMART Approach

              So light racing shoes really make you faster?

               

              The word is that for every ounce lighter your shoe, you knock off up to 2 seconds off your time each mile. It all adds up Smile  I am a believer and advocate if your foot allows it. I can't train in them regularly but will do an occasional run in them and all races up to half marathon.  I love the Brooks Green Silence!!!  I am a fan of the Brooks T5s when I had them.  Have not tried the T7s.

              Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

              Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

              Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

              www.smartapproachtraining.com

                So light racing shoes really make you faster?

                 

                It seems that's the case,but I have to wonder that if someone trains in lightweight trainers if they get the same boost with the light racing shoes. The reason being the weight difference wouldn't be as much. 

                 

                My racing flats (nike lunar racers) are 1/2 the weight of my trainers. When i put them on, just for races, I feel like I'm wearing nothing on my feet.

                Plus, I really like the feel of the road during a race.

                  The word is that for every ounce lighter your shoe, you knock off up to 2 seconds off your time each mile.

                  All due respect, it wouldn't really work out that way.  If it it true, then all the marathons around the world should be won by a runner with no shoes; yet, it rarely happens (we know it happened at least once in a dramatic fashion in 1960).  With all the fads with Vibram and barefoot running, they don't seem to crack into the top 5 spots of the local road races because there IS a certain truth to shock-absorption.  Again, it's the same thing, this does NOT mean the more shock the shoe absorbs, the faster you can run--no, it wouldn't work that way either but you've got to find a happy balance between light weight and shock-absorption.  For example, I'm not quite convinced that minimalist shoes like, oh I don't know, I'm not necessarily familiar with all the minimalist shoes out there but let's say my favorite minimalist shoes, ASICS Piranha.  I'm not sure if it's a good idea for someone who would plod along a 26-miler in 5:30 to run in those simply because they are light weight and try to shove 2-seconds per mile off his marathon PR.  I think he'll have a better chance knocking off more seconds, if not minutes, by wearing more appropriate shoes to alleviate poundings.  

                   

                  That said, it's also reported that each half a pound you have below your knee (I can't remember the exact figure but I thought it was like 200g or 250g which is approximately a half a pound), it requires 2% (again, can't remember the exact figure) more oxygen to run at the same speed.  In other words, if you carry extra weight below your knees, your running economy goes out the window.  So it'd make sense NOT to wear those heavy bulky clunkers on your feet.

                    All due respect, it wouldn't really work out that way.  If it it true, then all the marathons around the world should be won by a runner with no shoes; yet, it rarely happens (we know it happened at least once in a dramatic fashion in 1960).  With all the fads with Vibram and barefoot running, they don't seem to crack into the top 5 spots of the local road races because there IS a certain truth to shock-absorption.  Again, it's the same thing, this does NOT mean the more shock the shoe absorbs, the faster you can run--no, it wouldn't work that way either but you've got to find a happy balance between light weight and shock-absorption.  For example, I'm not quite convinced that minimalist shoes like, oh I don't know, I'm not necessarily familiar with all the minimalist shoes out there but let's say my favorite minimalist shoes, ASICS Piranha.  I'm not sure if it's a good idea for someone who would plod along a 26-miler in 5:30 to run in those simply because they are light weight and try to shove 2-seconds per mile off his marathon PR.  I think he'll have a better chance knocking off more seconds, if not minutes, by wearing more appropriate shoes to alleviate poundings.  

                     

                    That said, it's also reported that each half a pound you have below your knee (I can't remember the exact figure but I thought it was like 200g or 250g which is approximately a half a pound), it requires 2% (again, can't remember the exact figure) more oxygen to run at the same speed.  In other words, if you carry extra weight below your knees, your running economy goes out the window.  So it'd make sense NOT to wear those heavy bulky clunkers on your feet.

                     

                    there's clear a point of diminishing returns. I forget where I read this but the point of the article was there's a point where your shoe is so minimal and lacking cushion that your muscles have to start absorbing too much of the pounding and it negates the benefits of the lighter shoe. 

                     

                    But for short races, it seems the lighter the better. Hence, the little pieces of plastic called track spikes...


                    #artbydmcbride

                      hmmmmmmm

                       

                      I wonder if I can spot reduce my calves before Sunday.......

                       

                      Runners run

                        there's clear a point of diminishing returns. I forget where I read this but the point of the article was there's a point where your shoe is so minimal and lacking cushion that your muscles have to start absorbing too much of the pounding and it negates the benefits of the lighter shoe. 

                         

                         

                        I'm not convinced that there's an easy prescription that works for everyone. I bet it depends on what you're used to and your individual biomechanics. I don't doubt that what you say is true for some - but I bet there are some people who'll just be faster in a lighter shoe. The top marathoners mostly seem to compete in very light shoes.

                        DoppleBock


                          For me I have to get enough training in them to race in them.  I do not wear super-duper light shoes - But even my Asics Tarther (7.3 ounces)put me in a more forward position.  I had not worn them and ran a 5k and made it 2 miles before I could not support that stride.  I have since been doing a fair amount of work in them and think I can keep a good stride through 10k ~ maybe 15k.  I am hoping to work up to a marathon in the next 3-6 months - But right now they would be detrimental to my marathon time.

                           

                          I'm not convinced that there's an easy prescription that works for everyone. I bet it depends on what you're used to and your individual biomechanics. I don't doubt that what you say is true for some - but I bet there are some people who'll just be faster in a lighter shoe. The top marathoners mostly seem to compete in very light shoes.

                          Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                           

                           


                          SMART Approach

                            I do feel it is individual. I run in regular trainers all the time and on race day, I love the light weight. Going from 11-12 oz to 7 oz is very noticable. Maybe it is more psychological but it is not crazy to assume that less weight on your feet "may" have a positive effect on performance. There are many variables involved including race distance, biomechanics, training schedule etc. However, I would not wear or recommend wearing a racing flat for a marathon.

                            Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                            Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                            Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                            www.smartapproachtraining.com

                              I'm not convinced that there's an easy prescription that works for everyone. I bet it depends on what you're used to and your individual biomechanics. I don't doubt that what you say is true for some - but I bet there are some people who'll just be faster in a lighter shoe. The top marathoners mostly seem to compete in very light shoes.

                              When I went to Boulder last month, I was reading this book on the plane; "DNA of Onitsuka Tiger".  Some older-timers should know this name; this is what ASICS was formerly known as.  It is quite fascinating and they took quite a bit of pages on a guy by the name of Hitoshi Mimura who was probably one of the first guys to have established "custom-made" shoes for elite.  He pretty much hand-built all ASICS shoes for previous Olympic champions and medalists; Naoko Takahashi, Mizuki Nogushi, Yuko Arimori, Toshihiko Seko...and some non-Japanese ASICS runners such as Bordin, Baldini, Ikangaa, Yegorova...  ASICS' idea is "top-down" (not that managements will order employees below!!  But create what works for elites first and make it available to everybody).  So it was back in late 1970s when Mimura was thinking only to reduce the weight of the shoe, using all the new materials; he found out that some runners preferred slightly heavier shoes.  Runners like Arimori or Seko who runs with high leg turn-over, preferred heavier shoes whereas more long-stride type runners like Nakayama or Ikangaa preferred lighter shoes.  This, he figured, is because those who run with high stride frequency can take advantage of pendulum effect of slightly heavier shoes.  On the other hand, he also noticed that, toward the end of their elite career, those long stride runners started to ask for more cushion; indicating their muscles in their lower legs getting weaker and not being able to take poundings.

                               

                              There are a hell of a lot more go on to the weight of shoes than just "lighter=faster".

                                Nice post Nobby, I always wondered why a similarly weighted shoe feels clumsier than another brand.  For example, my Kinvara at 7.9 (4mm drop) should feel heavier than the Hyperspeeds at 7.0 oz (6 mm drop), but when I run in them I feel the opposite.  I can tell the shoe is lighter but the stride does not feel smooth, and not sure if a 2mm difference in heel to toe drop would account for that marked difference in the feel as I am not a heel striker and land pretty much mid foot in both shoes (by the wear pattern and others who observed).

                                12