Change of pace question.

 

How much of a difference would a lighter shoe make in say a tempo or interval workout?  LTH said he would use them for tempos and perhaps mid distance races.  5oz weight difference between those shoes and the trainers.  I know I can do the math (x steps times y ounces = z weight being moved forward), but how much does that translate into time?  Is it 15 sec, 1 min on a 10k race?

 

I simply do not know and do not have enough experience to judge how much of a difference it would make.  Thus I defer to this esteemed panel of runners joggers.

In my case, it is easier for leg turnout so the pace feels easier and I run faster in lighter shoes.  As to how much, I am not sure because I have not used any non-light shoes on races in years.

 

Yes, actually. I liked how they felt but got knee/ankle pain after 5 miles.

That stinks. I'm glad you found something that works. I have been through so many models in the years I've been a runner. I just go with the flow as they change the models so many times. I now know to stock up at the end of the year.

Change of pace question.

 

How much of a difference would a lighter shoe make in say a tempo or interval workout?  LTH said he would use them for tempos and perhaps mid distance races.  5oz weight difference between those shoes and the trainers.  I know I can do the math (x steps times y ounces = z weight being moved forward), but how much does that translate into time?  Is it 15 sec, 1 min on a 10k race?

 

I simply do not know and do not have enough experience to judge how much of a difference it would make.  Thus I defer to this esteemed panel of runners joggers.

Sometimes the suggestion is thrown around that each ounce shaved off your shoes translates to one second per mile faster.

There is a tradeoff when it comes to weight.  As the shoe gets lighter, you will run more economically simply because you won't be swinging weight at the bottom of a pendulum.  The tradeoff comes because something has to take the shock of impact.  When I'm wearing my heavy Nimbus shoes, it is the shoes that takes the impact.  In lighter weight shoes, your muscles take the impact.  Thus, the lighter weight shoes are more economical but only to the point that the economy boost you gain from the lighter weight exceeds the additional fatigue from your muscles having to absorb more shock.

While everyone is different, I have found through experimentation that I simply can't race longer than a 5K in my lightest shoes.  By the end of the race, my legs are sore and it's not just soreness from the exertion.  It's soreness from the pounding.  Any longer than a 5K and the fatigue in my muscles would more than offset the economy from the lighter weight.  Midweight shoes are perfect for distances up to the marathon.  I'm fairly certain I absorb more shock than most during a marathon because I read race reports and I don't hear from others about incredible pain in their calves.  But, I think the economy I gain from those 7.5 ounce shoes outweighs the fatigue from the pounding.  I think that in any distance beyond a marathon, I'd take all the cushioning I could get.

I've never tried to test the 1 second per ounce but that sounds about right to me.

Redrum, I can't really compare these to shoes to anything other than what I have had before.  Here's my take.  These don't feel like the 7.5 ounce shoes I have had in the past.  In terms of cushioning, they feel more like what I'd expect from maybe a 9 ounce shoe.  However, it is obvious when you are running that you are running in a lighter shoe.  Whether or not it's a true innovation, I can't say but I am extremely pleased with them.