I was watching How It's Made on The Science Channel and they were showing how speed skate boots were made for elite speed skaters. Each boot starts with a cast of every athlete's foot so that the boot can be custom made for that individual. I'm wondering if elite running shoes are custom made in the same way.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
Being that it's their "apparatus", I'd think so but if I had to gambe, I'd say that I *think* Ryan Hall takes his shoes "off the shelf". Though I know Asics mails him his shoes so maybe not. Maybe they have a custome insole installed before they're sent to him.
I know he usually trains in Cumulus and he's mentioned repeatedly how he loves his Speed Stars for racing. (though I don't think they're made anymore so who knows what he races in)
From the biking world, it's funny cuz I stood in front of & nearly made love to a "Peter Sagan" edition Cannondale road bike that costs $10K. Yet, I know that's only about half the money (or less) that goes into Peter Sagan's real bike that you see him ride on the TDF. (Ditto for probably every top 50 guy on the Tour).
Being that shoes are so much cheaper, why not customize them to the hilt???
(shrug)
Randy
Kara Goucher posted in her Ask Me Anything thread on RWOL that she wears Nike Structure Triax and the Lunarglide for training and the LunarRacer and the Zoom Marathoner for racing. But I wouldn't be surprised if she gets custom versions of these.
Here's an article about a handful of top elite's shoes. Some are just stock models in special color schemes.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mo Farah is apparently being built custom shoes from the ground up by a large team of specialists for London.
Hall wears the Hyperspeeds for racing and while he gets custom colors for races, the actual model is supposed to be "off the shelf," yes.
Goucher and Flanagan have raced recently in the Zoom Marathoner which is no longer being made. So Nike is finding the shoes for them out of warehouse stock they have? Kara has also raced in the LunarRacer and has mentioned that she has arch supports installed in those.
I think Rupp wears standard issue Nikes... He mentioned his feet were torn apart recently during a race where he wore a pair of brand new shoes for the race.
I know a lot of the athletes do get to try out the new model up or a new model before the public gets it. Brooks athletes were trying the new Transcends months before the release date.