I recently moved to Florida and will be doing a 50k trail race next month that has significant sections of soft sandy trail, including a section going up and down sand dunes.
I'm looking for a lightweight shoe, probably with minimal cushioning, that might reduce the feeling of sinking/slipping into sand that I get with my regular trainers. Road racing flat? NB Minimus? FiveFingers?
I was going to say NB minimus!
Go for it. Merrel Trail Glove is also very similar to NB.
leave Florida, its for gigantic lizards and freaky bugs, not running
have you run in minimal type shoes before? if not a 50k isn't the place to try them out.
does "significant sections" equal miles and miles or a few hundred yards here and there? If it's not miles and miles, I would wear whatever you're used to wearing.
I've run in minimal shoes with little trouble before, mostly trail miles, including for ultras. No issues.
Significant means 10 miles of sandy trail with 1.5 miles of dunes.
Leaning towards a Minimus or Merell.
Would the aggressive lugs of an inov-8 shoe be a hindrance or helpful for this kind of terrain? I used them years ago and liked them.
Lugs are good in mud because they have some traction, but don't tend to pick up mud.
I'd bet on dry, beach type sand, they'd just be heavy and much more of a hinderance.
FloridaNewbie wrote:
I recently moved to Florida and will be doing a 50k trail race next month that has significant sections of soft sandy trail, including a section going up and down sand dunes.
I'm looking for a lightweight shoe, probably with minimal cushioning, that might reduce the feeling of sinking/slipping into sand that I get with my regular trainers. Road racing flat? NB Minimus? FiveFingers?
I was on Naval Reserve training in Virginia Beach for a few summers, and I was took with me a pair of FLAT BOTTOM Teva strap sandals about a half size bigger than my foot. I wear a pair of SmartWool medium thickness socks with them. I can just cruise over soft sand like I'm wearing a pair of snowshoes. Try the Hudson model.