Hey all,
I am a new runner competing in highschool cross country competitions. our courses are mostly hilly and on grass, however several courses have sections which are loose gravel and sometimes have short sections (less than a km total) of asphalt. Would it be wise to use spikes on these courses? Is there an alternative that would be better? or should i just stick to general runners/flats?
Thanks in advance!
I'd just buy spikes and use those. It might not be the best for those asphalt sections but overall its probably the best solution.
If you wanted to buy 2 pairs of shoes I guess you could get some racing flats and use them if the course had a lot of asphalt and the rest was something like dry, hard packed dirt or another surface where flats wouldn't be a disadvantage.
Depends the length, if you're frequently just weaving on and off, and only staying on for short sections (not one long stretch) then go for some spikes, you'll definitely reap the rewards. If you can afford it, go with both flats and spikes, for xc I recommend the Zoom Streak LT3s/LT4s, and the Nike Zoom Victory XC 4s, both super high quality and lasted me one extended season, as I race XC from summer until mid winter. If you can only afford one, grab the Zoom Victory XC 4s, and buy some track spike blanks online, and boom best of both worlds, it'll give you some extra grip, but you won't get the feeling that your spikes are sliding around underneath your foot.
Going by your name, if you're running slower than, or equal to, 20 minute per 5k, or the equivalent of whatever distance you're running, you likely won't feel a massive difference. I'd say once you start dipping sub 17 you'll really feel it. As a sub-16 guy myself, spikes are a must have for the lightness and added grip, around the sharp turns so prevalent in XC courses.
the longst section on most courses may be 300m total. Im currently around the 20 min mark for 5km however being in australia i still have a little while until the cross country season starts and then a bit further after that to the School competitions. considering ive only just joined the sport really, i would imagine with decent training i could get down to that 16-17 min mark reasonably soon. Thanks for the suggestion!
If you're thinking that you can get there, and especially if you've stopped growing and are running track, invest in a good pair of spike! Good luck to ya.
The Asics Dirt Dog 2 is the best shoe. It comes with interchangeable spikes and rubber cleats. Too bad it's discontinued.
Get spikes but run them without the spikes. I did this while running xc in high school. Don't worry about your speed, they will still make a difference.
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