Capitalism. You have disposable income and nothing to spend it on, so you buy super shoes, because why not?
Same with golf. People spend $3,000-$4,000+ on golf clubs so that they can shoot a double bogey or worse on every hole.
Really simply question. Next one please.
It's a fair bet that 10% of them ride bikes too or do triathlons. And if they already have a mental equipment budget of thousands each year, then $200 for racing shoes will feel like a bargain. Running is cheap
One Yorkshireman wrote:
Racing flats? Do you think you are a pro or something? What's the point of that when you are running 16:00s and 17:00s? Back in my day the kids running that slow weren't even given shoes. Some would tie a bit of brown paper to their feet with twine to look like they were good enough to wear shoes, but it was just sad. I see a loser running as slow as you wearing shoes and I just laugh. What's the point? You need to train a bit harder instead of wasting your money on shoes. Loser.
Minimal racing flats are cheaper than trainers. I like to challenge myself to get a time, and sometimes do well enough to get some prize money or a nice little gift certificate to the local running store. So basically a metro area sub-elite semi pro.
They can afford them and you can't. Don't be bitter.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
Hi, your local elitist hobby jogger here. My local road racing scene is pretty non-competitive except for a few races out of the year. Regardless, I still try to race about once a month for fun and training motivation, and usually run in the 16:00s and 17:00s. I just wear traditional racing flats rather than super shoes, mostly because I'm cheap and old school, but also because I rarely do a half or full marathon, so I don't see the point in spending $200+ on a pair.
I do happen to notice that the super shoes are becoming quite common among runners that are like 18-19 minute 5k runners, if not slower. I simply don't understand why people are getting and wearing these shoes for a 5k. It strikes me as complete overkill for your local 5k, 5 miler, 10k, etc., especially when training a bit harder will produce better results.
Why the heck are mid pack runners wearing these shoes for local dinky road races? Is it just an outcome of group think, wanting the latest and greatest, and keeping up with the Joneses? I can see the top end competitors at the bigger races benefiting from the super shoes but I haven't noticed any differences in competitiveness or times at the smaller races. I simply don't understand why mid packers have jumped on the super shoe train as well.
Another "If-You-Can't-Run-As-Fast-As-I-Think-You-Should-Then-Don't-Bother" thread that misses the whole point of running.
It's almost as if people run for their own person reasons, and not to please Random Slow-Shoe Guy.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
One Yorkshireman wrote:
Racing flats? Do you think you are a pro or something? What's the point of that when you are running 16:00s and 17:00s? Back in my day the kids running that slow weren't even given shoes. Some would tie a bit of brown paper to their feet with twine to look like they were good enough to wear shoes, but it was just sad. I see a loser running as slow as you wearing shoes and I just laugh. What's the point? You need to train a bit harder instead of wasting your money on shoes. Loser.
Minimal racing flats are cheaper than trainers. I like to challenge myself to get a time, and sometimes do well enough to get some prize money or a nice little gift certificate to the local running store. So basically a metro area sub-elite semi pro.
LOL. This is the funniest thing I've read on here in days! 16-17 min 5K is sub elite semi pro for a female.
I think this elitist stuff just isn't needed. What does it matter if somebody runs 14/15 minutes, 16/17, 18/19, 20+, etc.? At the end of the day we're brought to the start line for similar reasons and none of us are professionals. One of the best things about the running community is how encouraging people are no matter where you finish in a race. People are buying shoes because they help and the best in the world wear them. You gonna tell every middle schooler playing rec league basketball to stop wearing Lebron's/Durant's/Curry's? Super shoes are legal in road racing (for now). Somebody might break 20 or 19 in the same way it might be a little easier for you to break 17. You still need to do some training. It's not gonna bother me if people follow the sport, want to wear what the pros wear, and want to shave off some time. They still are runners & did some workouts to prep for the race.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
Minimal racing flats are cheaper than trainers. I like to challenge myself to get a time, and sometimes do well enough to get some prize money or a nice little gift certificate to the local running store. So basically a metro area sub-elite semi pro.
So, if you bought supershoes for the extra 50-75 bucks and performed even better in your local races, they would pay for themselves after a couple of races. Or you can sit on your high horse and run slower times. Doesn't seem like much of a dilemma.
The simple explanation: It's their prerogative. If they can pay for them, they can flaunt them. Isn't this a free country?
If you have a problem with that, you got serious issues brother.
One Yorkshireman wrote:
Racing flats? Do you think you are a pro or something? What's the point of that when you are running 16:00s and 17:00s? Back in my day the kids running that slow weren't even given shoes. Some would tie a bit of brown paper to their feet with twine to look like they were good enough to wear shoes, but it was just sad. I see a loser running as slow as you wearing shoes and I just laugh. What's the point? You need to train a bit harder instead of wasting your money on shoes. Loser.
Oh, so you had a bit of paper with twine did you? Bloody posh boy. We had to run with used toilet paper wrapped around our feet and we'd think ourselves lucky. If we got blisters we were grateful for having a dog to pick them clean. Kids these days don't know they're born
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:Another example. Let's say you have a gallon of gas to power your car engine. The gas represents your energy and ability. You drive a Honda Civic. For your training drives, you have four season tires. For your drag races at the clandestine local strip, you throwing on the summer tires. Gonna give you some better grip and performance but still the same gallon of gas powering the car engine.
Let's say you take that same gallon of gas (your energy and ability) and put it in your Honda Civic, throw on the summer tires, but also introduce a small electric engine to power the rear wheels. So now you have improved grip and performance in the tires, but a little extra to push the car along and also be more efficient with gasoline usage. It's not the same.
They're just shoes man. I think a better terrible car analogy would be to compare traditional racing flats with a Michelin TRX (great tires...in the 80s) and vaporflys with a modern Michelin Super Sport. You'll get better lap times on modern tires all else being equal, but you still have to move your legs. The shoes don't have batteries and electrodes that inject extra power into your body or anything like that.
What point in time do you think should shoe technology be permanently frozen at?
Who wouldn't want to go from 19:00 to 17:50?
What better proof is there that the shoes don't work? These are slow people who don't know any better falling for a marketing gimmick.
The real irony is this gimmick has been recycled for decades, and many of the runners falling for it fell for it before too.
People want to believe SO BAD.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
One Yorkshireman wrote:
Racing flats? Do you think you are a pro or something? What's the point of that when you are running 16:00s and 17:00s? Back in my day the kids running that slow weren't even given shoes. Some would tie a bit of brown paper to their feet with twine to look like they were good enough to wear shoes, but it was just sad. I see a loser running as slow as you wearing shoes and I just laugh. What's the point? You need to train a bit harder instead of wasting your money on shoes. Loser.
Minimal racing flats are cheaper than trainers. I like to challenge myself to get a time, and sometimes do well enough to get some prize money or a nice little gift certificate to the local running store. So basically a metro area sub-elite semi pro.
16/17 minute 5k is not even close to sub-elite. I don't know where a 16/17 min 5k can win a race but why are you even wasting your money on race entries? Just run on the sidewalk because there is no point showing up to a race if you're that slow, you're just a mid-packer masquerading as a sub-elite in a podunk town.
i fall into this range and for me the answer is simple...i make a lot of money and i enjoy running and trying out different shoes. for me its less of a performance thing, but rather seeing what benefits there might be for durability.
NERunner00053 wrote:
I think this elitist stuff just isn't needed. What does it matter if somebody runs 14/15 minutes, 16/17, 18/19, 20+, etc.? At the end of the day we're brought to the start line for similar reasons and none of us are professionals. One of the best things about the running community is how encouraging people are no matter where you finish in a race. People are buying shoes because they help and the best in the world wear them. You gonna tell every middle schooler playing rec league basketball to stop wearing Lebron's/Durant's/Curry's? Super shoes are legal in road racing (for now). Somebody might break 20 or 19 in the same way it might be a little easier for you to break 17. You still need to do some training. It's not gonna bother me if people follow the sport, want to wear what the pros wear, and want to shave off some time. They still are runners & did some workouts to prep for the race.
I agree, the elitist stuff isn't needed. I hope people can figure out that I use that term in an ironic manner. Anybody and everybody should be welcome, including fitness runners and people that like to compete. I also think that $200+ shoes that have become the norm for most hobby joggers is pretty elitist and creates a barrier to entry for many people. I am surprised to see them on other people like myself that get very little monetary gain from this sport.
what a moran wrote:
16/17 minute 5k is not even close to sub-elite. I don't know where a 16/17 min 5k can win a race but why are you even wasting your money on race entries? Just run on the sidewalk because there is no point showing up to a race if you're that slow, you're just a mid-packer masquerading as a sub-elite in a podunk town.
I would never seriously claim that I am sub elite, lol, I know that I am a couple notches below that. I show up to races because I like somebody putting on a race and also to help motivate myself to run every day. Cars aren't going to stop for me when I try to break a 5k PR running on the sidewalk.
Bad Wigins wrote:
What better proof is there that the shoes don't work? These are slow people who don't know any better falling for a marketing gimmick.
The real irony is this gimmick has been recycled for decades, and many of the runners falling for it fell for it before too.
People want to believe SO BAD.
I hate to admit that I actually partially agree with Bad Wigins for once. The shoes do work but they are also a huge marketing coup.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
Have We Done This Before wrote:
Here I am OP, on the wrong side of 40 and carrying a few extra pounds. I have a pair of Zoom Flys that I used to successfully (!) sneak under 20m in a few 5ks
What would you like to tell me about my:
a) income
b)shopping addiction
c)"pointless" goal setting, and poor achievement level
or fill in any other topics as you see fit. Trying to understand just how ashamed I should be.
I don't have anything to say to you, really. But you seem quite self conscious of how others might perceive you.
I'm the self conscious one? I'm not the one asking the questions nor making the bold claims. You have claimed over and over again in this thread with your valiant (?) non-sequiturs and absurdisms with the occasional ad-hominem that what others are doing is somehow worse than the way that you've decided to do it.
Obviously you think of highly of yourself [self rated sub-elite local pro?], with relatively pedestrian times [16? or is it 17? I cant keep up], but you've decided for some reason to look down on those who are either slightly or significantly faster than you.
I assure you it is not I who am self conscious. I am well aware of my limitations, I am merely asking your level of hypocrisy.
Obviously I am slow. I bought some speed, anyone not running barefoot did the same.
And even if we have decided to wear shoes, clothing, or whatever, who cares? Obviously there are diminishing returns. Everybody loves the blue collar work ethic. So what if super shoes are 'only' worth 20s or something in a 5k to someone stuck around 21 minutes.
Your post is a sad admixture of anti-consumer culture and elitism, ironically.
hobby jogger extraordinaire wrote:
Hi, your local elitist hobby jogger here. My local road racing scene is pretty non-competitive except for a few races out of the year. Regardless, I still try to race about once a month for fun and training motivation, and usually run in the 16:00s and 17:00s. I just wear traditional racing flats rather than super shoes, mostly because I'm cheap and old school, but also because I rarely do a half or full marathon, so I don't see the point in spending $200+ on a pair.
I do happen to notice that the super shoes are becoming quite common among runners that are like 18-19 minute 5k runners, if not slower. I simply don't understand why people are getting and wearing these shoes for a 5k. It strikes me as complete overkill for your local 5k, 5 miler, 10k, etc., especially when training a bit harder will produce better results.
Why the heck are mid pack runners wearing these shoes for local dinky road races? Is it just an outcome of group think, wanting the latest and greatest, and keeping up with the Joneses? I can see the top end competitors at the bigger races benefiting from the super shoes but I haven't noticed any differences in competitiveness or times at the smaller races. I simply don't understand why mid packers have jumped on the super shoe train as well.
I'm 64 and in the 19:00 group. I've got a beat up pair of 4% that have lasted way longer that advertised and use for long runs and fast sessions, and a pair of Next for racing.
There is absolutely no doubt that they are quicker. Since I want to be as competitive as possible - my motivation for training - why wouldn't I use the fastest shoes available? Ten years ago that meant the lightest shoe, now it means a carbon plate shoe.
Considering I would have bought other shoes anyway, it's probably a marginal cost of $300 or so for the two shoes over a two year period.
In addition to being able to race faster, as others have said, they are a fun-feeling sensation, and the definitely result in less beaten up legs (which you'll appreciate when you are 60+ and do most of your running on road).
Same rationale that makes people do all sorts of dumb S.
What’s the rationale of short women wearing high heels?
Whats the rationale of lifted trucks for people who never see trails?
What’s the rationale for anything?
Quit hating
I can’t tell if you’re poor or just think everyone else is. 175-200 bucks honestly isn’t that much. A couple of dinners out with a friend or going to the game with the family gets you there. And this is for something that will last you many races. People also know they can race in regular old running shoes if they’re not concerned about every last second. I don’t think this is honestly a problem for anyone or should bother anyone. When it matters in elite racing everyone has the shoes. All things considered running is extremely cheap. No gym membership, minimal equipment requirement. Paying a little extra for fast shoes not a big deal to anyone besides you and some traditionalists.