Can a worn down Vaporfly work as 5k/10k racer?

Why should a marathon shoe be less responsive than a 5k shoe?

Because it has foam out the ying/yang. Because it was designed for (and only for) when bouncy Galen Rupp's legs would buckle at 20 mile. Why no Alphafly Next % in the NCAA 10,000 if no different/no less responsive than LT Streak?

Again, can you run short fast races in worn down Vaporfly as a substitute for LT Streak or some such? In other words, how does worn down Vaporfly compare to racing flats for feel and responsiveness and getting the job done at 5k?

Cause they had Vaporflys?

Nobody wants LT streaks anymore. The relevant question is whether a worn down pair would be better than a fresh pair of VFs. I would prefer the fresh pair.

I don't like foam in shoes, especially not running shoes, so the less foam the better.
The first thing I'd do is cut off all the foam from the sides with a knife, then go to work to streamline the rest of the shoe.

The foam is the workhouse in super shoes. The plate is mostly providing stability to the foam so it can return energy from compression. Carbon plates are not springs propelling runners to fast time, despite what people on here seem to say.

You'd be better off spending some money on a different shoe than trying to race in a worn out vaporfly. A fresh pair of non-plated racers would have to be better than a worn out shoe.

Does anyone here have a worn down Vaporfly, and how does it do over shorter distances.

Worn down for marathon maybe, but what about 5k?

I’ve taken Vaporflys to 900+ k’s before. I mean yeah you can still race in them. They hold up structurally quite well but the foam becomes seriously compressed in the forefoot so you’re not getting the bounce/pop.

My man, elite athletes are breaking 5k and 10k world records wearing super shoes. Do you really think they are seeking out knackered versions with 600 miles on them? Just use a fresh pair

The vaporfly is a perfectly good shoe for 5k/10k, better than most shoes marketed for that distance. A worn down pair will get the job done fine, but a fresh pair would be better

I wore vaporflies for a little over 100 miles (marathon then workouts) before I felt they no longer provided much benefit. If you're serious about 600 miles then my guess is NO, they will not serve as decent 5k/10k race shoes. From what I read, the main benefit is from the foam, not the plate. Your foam will be shot and the plate is likely crappy by then too. Personally I wouldn't bother racing in them beyond 100 miles, although I might still do some training runs after that distance.

This.
>A shoe has been proven in multiple independent tests to improve running economy

>A 5k/10k race is 99% aerobic

>Aerobic running speed is proportionally equal to VO2 max multiplied by running economy

I would go so far as to say the Vaporfly (and other supershoes) is a valid candidate for everything ~1500m and above. They say the mile is about 75% aerobic, and I fail to see how a shoe that improves running economy would have a detrimental effect on (non-sprinting) anaerobic running. ,

labratrundown on Instagram did a bunch of VO2 testing with new and used Alphaflys and determined that mileage has little effect on performance.

Here's one test:

The vapor fly plate angle is just not tuned to the velocities of a 1500m race, especially if the race is remotely tactical. Most super shoes feel sluggish and pace restrictive as opposed to spikes - and it’s much harder to shift gears with 200m to go. The only good reason to wear super shoes for a track 1500m would be to save your legs during rounds / multi-events (think championships or college conference meets). For my personal experience (how the shoes feel on foot, racing style, running form, etc), I would not wear the vapor flies for any race on the track under 3000m at least, and If i was fresh for a 5000 I’d wear spikes there too

I use my worn-down Vaporfly's for training.

Certainly not for racing.

i can't get any benefit from carbon fiber shoes so id use the LT streaks...only if i had no other

I've run 5K on worn out Vaporflys and brand new Next%, the new shoes are faster than the worn out ones, which are still faster than non magic-foam carbon shoes.

Why would you wear worn out shoes as opposed to new ones?

My Vaporfly shoes were totally trashed after 300 miles. I wore them anyway for a Half and it was uncomfortable. I weigh 145 lbs.

They were great for 2 marathons, 1 half marathon and a few long hard runs. That's it.

I would buy them again for a marathon, but they wore out pretty fast for the price.

I raced a 5k recently in a worn out pair and I haven't trained at all in over a year. The shoe did fine. And yeah the Vaporfly is clearly not a great 5k shoe that's totally why every Nike sponsored pro road racer races exclusively in the Vaporfly. It's a million times better than the Streak and I've also raced up to the half in that shoe. The shoe has proven and measurable benefits from 3000m and up even over traditional pre super foam spikes although for a last lap sprint spikes are faster. If you want to run your absolute best time they are better than spikes, if you're racing to place then maybe use spikes.