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| Racing Spikes- The Facts (a question from an average high school frosh) (Read 286 times) |
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posted: 3/23/2008 at 11:40 PM |
Okay, so I run track at my high school, and I didn't wear spikes the entire winter season (I just wore my training sneaks). I even didn't take a pair when the team was giving them away near the end before the League Championship Meet (and now my teammates abuse me because they think they are like God, and I'll PR every time I go out in them if I wear them). So, my question is... do they actually help you get better times by wearing them? Everyone seems to think so, but I am not so sure about that. I felt like I ran pretty well for someone who never ran competitively before (see PRs below if you care).
Not sure if anyone will have an answer for me, but I'd love to hear your responses 
Thanks in advance
-An average high school Freshman who aspires to be more  |
"If you don't want to be here, then go home" -My coach
PRs:
400- 59.2
600: 1:36
1000: 3:01
1 Mile: 4:55
2 Mile: 10:55
http://avghstrackguy.wordpress.com |
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posted: 3/24/2008 at 3:16 AM |
Are spikes going to take you from a 59 to a 55, nope. You gotta put in the miles/workouts to reduce the times significantly. Spikes are like shaving your hair to swim, they only will give your fractional differences. In a tight race where split seconds count they might be the difference.
Nice times for a freshman, especially if they were on a 200 m track, keep up the good work. I was about a 52 400m and 2:05 800m awhile back when I was a senior. |
Jim Mcintire Half Marathon, May 17th, Fast Finish Progression <1:56
Grandma's Marathon, June 21st, <4:00:00
Two Town Ten Trillion Nanometer Race, July 4th |
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| view log Member Since 2008 |
posted: 3/25/2008 at 1:44 AM |
| The only true way to tell, is to try them. |
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posted: 3/25/2008 at 2:52 AM |
I didn't use to "believe" in spikes, partly as a joke, for the first three years of high school. It was mostly because I wasn't good enough. I was good enough for 27, 25 and 20-minute 5ks in grades 9, 10 and 11. In grade 12, I ran 4:45/10:42 for 1500/3000, which still isn't very good, though I made the provincial championships in cross country with our team. I wore spikes in both the 4:45/10:42. I figure the difference was maybe 3-4 seconds in the 1500 and 6-8 in the 3k. It's not huge, but why run slower?
The idea is that you'll run one second per mile faster as your shoes get an ounce lighter. So, going from an 11-ounce trainer to 7-ounce spikes means that you'll gain 4 seconds in a mile, 12 seconds in a 5k and so on.
You'll also feel faster going from trainers to spikes, and that'll help get you excited and ready for the race mentally. That's definitely a good thing. |
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posted: 4/1/2008 at 8:56 PM
modified: 4/1/2008 at 8:57 PM |
Even if they dont actually make you faster, mentally they do tend to make you feel faster. For me switching from my trainers after the warm up to my spikes before a race became party of my pre race mental warm up. I always felt ready to run once i had them on and it didn't feel like a real race if i didn't. I even had different spikes for my cross country seasons! I recommend at least trying them...you never know you could end up wondering how you ever raced without them!  |
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| view log Blaine Moore |
posted: 4/1/2008 at 9:49 PM
modified: 4/1/2008 at 9:49 PM |
Spikes make the most difference in cross country where they can help ensure that you have good footing. You get that to a lesser degree in track as well, although you are less likely to slide on most tracks that allow spikes.
Think of it this way - how much do you need to slow down to take a 90 degree turn in wet grass without spikes? How about if you knew your legs would stay under you as you made the turn because you had spikes on?
If you don't like the idea of racing in spikes, then I recommend getting waffles. They give you the bonus of having less weight to carry with a small amount of grip, but don't give you the metal in the bottom of your shoes feel.
They do feel a lot different than trainers, and I love racing in them. I don't do enough races where spikes are necessary to justify buying them now, though, so I stick to waffles and road flats. |
Run to Win
I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/BlaineMoore
"Slow down--if you wanted that time, you should have run faster during the rest of the race!"
I wish I'd been there to hear that as the line started forming in front of the finish line. No idea what I'd have done about it, but I wish I'd heard it in person instead of 3rd party. |
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