Spikes for marathon training?

espenhb wrote:

What are the benefits of doing some track work in spikes for someone mainly doing 10k to marathon on the roads, if any?

Benefits: mile races and other track races are fun. Training for the mile/mid-distance races will let you work on paces that you probably ignore as a road runner. A good block of mile training in the spring was good preparation for some summer 5Ks and a big HM PR in the fall for me. Also, shoe companies put out lots of spikes for high school athletes, so it's often not hard to find good distance/XC spikes on sale for $30, at least in the off season.

How should I go about getting used to them? Start out with a few strides and play by ear from there?

Yes.

I don't see an advantage for the OP. In the video, Molly changed to spikes when she moved from the mile repeats to the 400s. She ran the 400s in 73. You really don't need spikes to run 73 second 400m intervals. OTOH, you don't want to run intervals in heavily cushioned road shoes. Combined with the cushion of the track, it feels like running on a carpet. There's no energy return. I don't know what model she was wearing before she changed, but it was a pretty thick shoe.

Spikes will help you run faster... maybe a half to a full second over 400m. You also might feel faster, which is pretty cool. But since you won't be racing in spikes, there is no advantage to training in spikes.

Spikes provide less support to the heel and arch. As a result, they increase the risk of injury. As you get tired, you tend to heel strike more. Because you're trying so hard, you don't notice it, but you can wind up with a heel bruise after you finish.

If you watch the pros or go to a college meet, you'll see that most runners change into their spikes at the last minute and change out shortly after the race.

However, I wouldn't run intervals on a track in my normal road shoe. I'd suggest a lightweight performance shoe.

There's definitely benefit in doing speedwork, but I'd say the comparative benefits between wearing spikes vs. tempo day-type shoes would be negligible. However, the risk of injury increases with spikes because of the lack of support and cushioning.

With that said, if you want to actually race on a track and do it in spikes, then it would probably be a good idea to ease into using the spikes and then start doing some workouts in them. Kofuzi did this recently with a SC race prep, might be worthwhile to check those videos out.

the map the territory wrote:

There's definitely benefit in doing speedwork, but I'd say the comparative benefits between wearing spikes vs. tempo day-type shoes would be negligible. However, the risk of injury increases with spikes because of the lack of support and cushioning.

With that said, if you want to actually race on a track and do it in spikes, then it would probably be a good idea to ease into using the spikes and then start doing some workouts in them. Kofuzi did this recently with a SC race prep, might be worthwhile to check those videos out.

LOL. Golden.

Something not mentioned is keeping the lower legs strong especially for people who go back and forth between road and track