long-term effects of training in racing flats

I am also curious, and have listened to many people tell me how great it is. Obviously I need to hear 9,000 more responses before I actually go through with it. It seems like a stupid idea, but when you look at the physiology and mechanics of it, it seems smart. Give it a shot, everyone is different so noone is going to be able to tell you if you will be "done" at 50. Your body will adjust and be able to handle the shock? Maybe?

they break down faster than trainers. you will spend more money.

they do not have much medial side posting, so if you are an overpronater you may start to experience hip, knee or joint pains in the legs. anything is possible.

finally they are not as cushioned. doing that kind of pounding require some cushion and in the long run you arent getting it.

go get some trainers and leave the flats for tempo runs, speed sessions and races.

I have been training in racing flats and XC shoes mostly on roads at about 40mpw for 38 years. I've never had any significant injuries or mechanical problems. Do whatever seems to work best for you.

I train in heavier racing flats (i.e. 8-9 ounces)which have cushioning and race in the lightest racing flats or spikes that I can find, which are under 6 ounces. I have been doing this for 30 years without any problems caused by my choice of training flats.

You maybe done at 26 or 41...? Run fast now, forget about being 50 till you get there. I believe now that if your feeling a lot of shock as you say, your running incorrectly anyhow, no shoe can or will save you.

Just another data point...

My best friend and cross teammate in high school was the #1 miler in the country his Junior and Senior year (3:50 1500m). Like everybody, I was a 4:30 miler. My friend ran in racing flats every day. He was fine all through high school. I ran in training shoes every day. I was also fine all through high school.

In college, my friend spent four years fighting through stress fractures in the bones across the tops of his feet. I stayed healthy and went on to run faster times than him in college.

It's one data point, but, man, I would opt for the heavier, more cushioned shoe...

Hoovis

Depends on what surfaces you train on. If you stay on grass, dirt, sand, rubberized tracks, you should be able to get by with light weight shoes. If you do all your running on the roads better stick with cushioned trainers.

I do nearly all of my running on the roads. I made the switch to lightweight shoes about a year ago.

For those easy days when I am running 7:30 pace, I wear lightweight trainers (Asics Gel Lyte, I think 10 oz.).

Anything fast I wear 7 oz. racing flats, and of course I wear spikes for track workouts. I have found I simply cannot get away with flats on the easy days. I am a heel striker when running easy, and my knees ache if I wear flats. When running fast I am more neutral.

If I run on dirt I can wear flats when running easy.

Perhaps this will change as I get more used to wearing shoes with "less."

It is also an affordability issue. I get about 300 miles out of my shoes. I remember getting 600 out of the NB 715.

Something to think about....

The heel in a heavy training shoe is more built up than the heel in a racing flat or even a lightweight trainer. So when you run in a heavy training shoe your heel is higher relative to the forefoot so the calf isn't stretching as much during the stride as it would if running in a flat or lightweight trainer. The heel relative to forefoot height is smaller in the lightweight trainer or flat so you are able to put more of a stretch on the calf. This lack of stretch in a heavy training show can lead to chronic tightness of the calf and could even lead to achilles problems. This is compounded by running in flats during races while training in heavy trainers. This sudden change in heel height could overtime lead to injury.

Alan

Are the heels in lightweight trainers almost as high as "normal" training shoes? When making the transition th eflats from trainers what is an appropriate period, how long at first etc? Just wondering. Ran in flats today short period of time felt great while running, a little sore tonight.

I agree with the rest of the post (effects of running with high vs. low heel), but I would like to know what shoes you are talking about. XC flats and spikes have much less heel - forefoot difference than training shoes do, but with a few exceptions (and I mean few), most training and racing shoes alike have a heel - forefoot thickness difference of 10 - 12 mm in a size 9. Most training shoes are 24mm - 12mm, some 23 - 11, some 22 - 10. A few are 20 - 10. I can only name about two current road flats off the top of my head with less than a 10 mm forefoot - heel difference (NB 150, Nike Air Streak Vapor). The rest, for the most part, are thinner all the way, but with the same slope.

[quote]runningart2004 wrote:

The heel in a heavy training shoe is more built up than the heel in a racing flat or even a lightweight trainer.

For whatever its worth, none of the runners at my school did anything other than interval workouts or strides in racing shoes, and many of them still managed to spend a good deal of time in the bleachers with bags of ice at their meets.

I believe that there are 3 types of runners who do their daily running in racing shoes:

1. Very efficent runners who can run in just about anything without any problems. You won't see them on the bleachers with bags of ice during their meets.

2. Physically fit runners with no severe physical deformities (feet with no arches whatsoever) who are trying to become more efficient. If they stick to it, most of them will become more efficient, stronger, and less dependent on their shoes to soak up the excess shock that they generate by hitting the ground very hard in thick shoes that let them hit the ground very hard without any indication that it's a bad idea. They'll might get injured more often until they acclimate to the reduced cushioning and support, and then they'll be fine.

3. Idiots that think "I should train as fast as possible every single day, and I need racing shoes to train as fast as possible." They're going to get injured anyway, no matter what they put on their feet.

I'm old. I'm big. I switched to full time running in racing shoes in 1995 and have had no injury problems. I was having knee problems when I made the switch. They went away almost immediately.

bump

Do you measure heel-forefoot differences? I always notice a difference in heel to forefoot height when wearing a racing flat or lightweight trainer compared to a regular training shoe. I feel my heel drop down more in a flat than a training shoe.

Alan

What flats and what trainers do you wear? I measured the Asics DS racer at 10 mm difference. I think it's believable that it has about the same heel - forefoot difference as any Asics trainer that I've ever worn. I don't think the heel of the Mizuno Phantom or Spacer feels any lower than it does in any other Mizuno training shoe, and according to their catalog, the difference for all of their current models, training and racing, is 12mm. Supposedly, the Phantom will be reduced to 11mm and the Spacer to 10mm in upcoming models, but the difference between the 12 mm lift in a training shoe and 10 mm lift in a training shoe is about one twelfth of an inch. Sure, its less, but its nothing like standing barefoot or wearing a track spike. I never measured, or for that matter even bought, any Nike flats, but I always thought that their heels felt too high. I have yet to put a shoe on my foot that feels like it has more heel lift than the Nike Span does. I haven't worn many Adidas or Saucony shoes. Perhaps in those, there is more difference between the heel lifts of training and racing shoes.

I've put a cork 'lift' in the forefoot of a few pairs of shoes. I bought a roll of cork at a craft store. It's about 1mm, maybe 1.5mm thick. Not much, but it did stop the heel scuffing I was experiencing in a pair of NB 761's.

Go one step further and try running barefoot. I am trying to make the transition and if I don't get hurt and take my time building up the mileage I think my running will benefit from it greatly. From what I have read online the benefits far out way the possibility of getting hurt.

One way to make the heel - forefoot difference less, is cut an insole in half, and put the front half under your present insole. This will work if your shoe has sufficent toe and forefoot room. I've done this with numerous pairs of shoes with too much heel lift, and it does help.