Seeking Advice - Buying first time spikes for kids

Just do entry level mid-distance spokes for sprinters at that age. Cheaper, easier to come by, and will be plenty fast.

Remember, you’ll only get one season out of them anyway. Kid will outgrow the shoes quickly.

Thanks bio drome, appreciate it.

I wouldn’t buy them spikes at that age.

Hi Yawn, can you advise why not?

I don't know much about athletics but am trying to do best by the kids. I don't want other kids to have an advantage over them as they both are running well at state comps where most others are wearing spikes. One of the kids in particular is very talented. But also don't want to cause injury etc.

Thanks.

Get midD or even D spikes. Depending on the size you might be limited to Nike Rivals which are fine and cheap.

Check Ross, Marshalls, TJ Max, etc. They often have spikes for <$20. Size can be hit or miss.

Also check ebay.

I would get something though, at high level comp even at 11, spike are a necessity. If for no other reason that even the last place hacks will have them.

Thank you for your advice.

I guess my aversion isn’t even to spikes themselves necessarily but to kids at that age running competitively.

However, if you are set on this path, I would almost rather find them a good pair of flats. I don’t see actual spikes helping them too much. At that age I believe the speed gains from the increased traction are minimal at best.

In a Sprint event spikes are necessary. Imagine getting to a big meet and the track is wet and your the only one without spikes.

The ASICS Metasprint track racing shoes has sticky knobs instead of spikes. It also has a carbon plate. It’s super fast and great for a beginner.

At the age of 11?

Really doesn’t seem worth it to me in any weather conditions. Sure it will help a tad on a wet track but I just don’t see that much upside in putting a young kid in spikes.

Some 7th graders do either xc or track at 12 years old, so wearing spikes at 11 isn’t that much of a stretch.

Yawn^7 wrote:

At the age of 11?

Really doesn’t seem worth it to me in any weather conditions. Sure it will help a tad on a wet track but I just don’t see that much upside in putting a young kid in spikes.

??

Virtually every sport kids play has some footwear associated with it. Should field sport athletes forego cleats too? Should Bball or tennis players not have appropriate court shoes? Should I send my kid to swim workouts without fins?

Track spikes are not some exotic footwear.

Yawn^7 wrote:

At the age of 11?

Really doesn’t seem worth it to me in any weather conditions. Sure it will help a tad on a wet track but I just don’t see that much upside in putting a young kid in spikes.

They offer little advantage on paper, but my group which has dozens of kids in that range love them some spikes. All the sprinters wear spikes at AAU/USATF meets. To me? Running can be a bit boring to kids at the beginning, anything that makes it more fun is fine to me. There is zero evidence that kids need support unless they have a specific need. Although I will hedge my bets with my kids and, as some have suggested, get the MD spikes, maybe not the full on sprinter spikes. Nike Rival series by far the most popular. If the kid is in a club, ask around. We have 2 tubs full of barely used spikes as these kids grow out of them quickly. I also give all of mine away.

Thanks everyone for your input and views. I think I will take the advice and get them a no frills pair of MD spikes.

I take your point Yawn that they are only kids and this is not the Olympics. But the kids train hard and want to do well. I would not want them to miss out on qualifying or placing in a regional or state race by a nanosecond, when they were the only kid not wearing spikes (even if it actually made no difference lol).