training in racing flats?

i actually thing it would be a good idea at that age to try it out and figure what works for you. training in a racing flat will cause you to mid-foot strike which is a more efficient way to run. i wouldn't go straight into doing all you mileage in a racing flat though, build into it. maybe 10% of you weekly mileage the first wk then 20% then 30%..... you can mid-foot strike in a trainer if you understand the concept. one thing i find is if someone is trying to mid-foot strike they can get a lot of soreness in the calfs or can develop shin splints. the reason being is bc they don't fully understand the concept and tend to fore-foot strike which loads the calfs and puts a lot more strain on them. don't get too far forward on your foot is what i'm trying to say and research correct form so you understand the concept. don't go into it blindly bc u can end up injured. just remember the most important thing in running is to enjoy it! don't get caught up in rnning with a minimalist shoe and all the technical things of running. train smart and hard and you will maximize your potential! good luck with exploring your running and find what works for you.

Run easy mileage in trainers. Run speed work in flats.

I've been doing all of my running in racing flats for 7-8 months now (65 mpw), and my feet / legs have been healthier than ever before. However, I'm a fairly light woman (5'7, 120) with good form and no big pronation issues, so I think that absolutely plays a role. I agree that trying them gradually is a good approach.

I'm a pretty big proponent of training in flats, but be careful which ones you pick. I'd read this first:

http://www.runblogger.com/2010/08/on-overpronation-and-neutral-running.html

Basically what this guy is saying is that some of the cushier, narrower flats (like streak xcs) can actually pretty significantly increase pronation because you tend to kind of roll off the inside of the shoe. As he points out, nobody really knows if overpronation is bad, but his point is valid that not all flats are the same. Personally, I would recommend the Mizuno Ronin, Asics Hyperspeed, and Adidas Mana. I've run significant mileage in all of those and liked them. The only flat I've worn and didn't like was the Nike Streak xc - too narrow, not enough protection for trails, and terrible durability. Overall though I say give it a try and see how it feels. If you've been healthy in regular trainers there's no huge need to switch, so gradually try working in some running in flats and if it doesn't feel good, go back to what's been working.

ok for intervals on track or trails/grass

Do not do this for road running

Concrete does not fit in with minamalism

I've still got a bump under my foot from 20 years ago from training in racers too much on roads

Don't choose a shoe by brand. Try them on a treadmill in the running shop and pick the best for your foot

For the record, I am very light (105 5'6 :/) and I already midfoot strike in mizuno wave inspires

how many mpws are u doing

Not too many, I'd say 40-50

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Do not do this for road running

Concrete does not fit in with minamalism

Disagree. 17 years of almost 50-75 mpw in neutral, minimally cushioned racing flats, probably run on trails/off-road < 1-2% (once or twice a year).

When my son went out for his high school teams as a freshman the only real rule I made was that he was not allowed to run in conventional trainers. He's always run in things like the Musha, the Speedstar, and the adidas Adzero RC. He's in college now and had only one injury problem, none while in high school.

Having done most of my running in what we'd now call minimalist shoes, (pretty much everything made before 1980 would fall into that category,) I think I learned to protect my feet and legs with a proper foot plant rather than having the shoes provide that protection. I didn't want his feet being coddled in awkward mushy shoes. I think any young runner should start that way. An older runner who has already spent years running in really cushioned shoes may not be able to adapt to less shoe as well.

You can try it but I would not go further down than a "marathon" distance flat. As ukathleticscoach mentioned you will need at least some cushioning for the harder surfaces.

Anyway, the most important thing is to NOT focus on the landing. If you deliberately try to forefoot strike you will screw up your achilles, trust me it happened to me from personal experience. Just focus on shortening your stride and landing under your center of mass (right underneath the hips) and your foot will land in the proper position. Don't worry so much about the landing. Flats also help proper enforce the proper footstrike but don't think about it

Thanks for all the help. I think I will slowly transition into something like the musha's or the hyper speeds after trying them on in my running store.

brown derby wrote:

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Do not do this for road running

Concrete does not fit in with minamalism

Disagree. 17 years of almost 50-75 mpw in neutral, minimally cushioned racing flats, probably run on trails/off-road < 1-2% (once or twice a year).

Congrulations for the rest of us mere mortals slapping your feet on concrete does not do much good.

Is this is site a secret meeting place for annoying people? You remind me of those people who ask you how long ita takes to drive somewhere, then say say 4 hours they always say they have done it in half the time

a lot of people do all their running in facing flats (myself included as of september. ukathleticscoach, that guys experience is worth just as much as yours. you posted that the kid may get injured based on your experience. he posted that the kid may not get injured based on his experience. your analogy is bad. and your tone is worse. don't be a dick

Is your equally anecdotal, personal experience more valid? There is nothing annoying about this post. It is simply a statement and a counter-example to the generalization that you apparently made based on your own foot bump.

Nobody is advocating slapping feet on concrete. That is obviously a bad idea. For the record, asphalt is softer than concrete. Concrete should be avoided whenever asphalt is available. Slapping should always be avoided.

The OP never mentioned how much he/she runs on any particular surfaces. It is pretty ridiculous for you to assume concrete only. Cross country runners generally do a good bit of running on trails.

Ass.

I run a little less than 2/3 on road, the rest on either grass, or packed dirt

I always wonder why people say minimalism doesn't mix with concrete.

The whole point of minimalism is that if you do it with correct form there is no sharp impact as with heel-striking. So if you run correctly in minimalist shoes on concrete, it will be a lot better than heel-striking...on any surface!

Now if you want to say avoid concrete no matter whether you are minimalist or not, then that's a different matter, but concrete isn't going to increase impact more for a minimalist than someone who overstrides.

The only reason that avoiding concrete with minimalist shoes vs. the amount of time you normally do with regular trainers would be legitimate, would be because minimalist shoes wear down quicker (usually) so therefore running on softer surfaces would prolong the life of the shoes.

If you do minimalism with correct form, which takes time to perfect, the only injury risk you will face is the fact that your muscles are working a little bit differently, which is a concern. But if you improve your form and get past the initial stages (possibly soreness), you'll be glad you switched.

Go ahead f*** your feet up what the hell do I care

If you run properly, you don't need any shoes, let along racing flats.

I would strongly advise you google pose technique or even barefoot running, which will advise you on the correct form when running.

I use barefoot (minimal cushion shoes) shoes for both long runs, sessions and races. I rarely get injured.