vaporfly 4% for 10k?

Yes they're still good at 10k, I'd say 5k is the area where there might be some other options coming into play. On a track I'd still go spikes for 10k. Maybe steal Gwen Jorgensen's custom 4% spikes.

Still good at 10k wrote:

Yes they're still good at 10k, I'd say 5k is the area where there might be some other options coming into play. On a track I'd still go spikes for 10k. Maybe steal Gwen Jorgensen's custom 4% spikes.

I agree with the above except for track, I would still use flats or the vaporflys. Spikes don't help you in a 10K and only increase soreness.

The Grand Valley study found that the vaporfly was more efficient than a track spike even for a 3k:

"It also found that the Vaporfly was 2.6 percent more efficient than Nike Zoom Matumbo track spikes, and observed an average improvement of 1.90 percent in 3,000 and 5,000-meter track times—new territory for a shoe that’s mostly been marketed to marathoners."

https://www.outsideonline.com/2367961/how-do-nikes-vaporfly-4-shoes-actually-work

Sesamoiditis wrote:

The Grand Valley study found that the vaporfly was more efficient than a track spike even for a 3k:

"It also found that the Vaporfly was 2.6 percent more efficient than Nike Zoom Matumbo track spikes, and observed an average improvement of 1.90 percent in 3,000 and 5,000-meter track times—new territory for a shoe that’s mostly been marketed to marathoners."

https://www.outsideonline.com/2367961/how-do-nikes-vaporfly-4-shoes-actually-work

Wasn't that study done on the treadmill? I think the main advantage of spikes over vapes is the traction on the track. I used to think that 10 miles was the threshold for where vaporflies were the best shoe, but lately it seems like they're so good I would use them for anything over 5k on the road. At 5k I think you can make the case for streak LT / reebok pro / NB RC 5000 being the best shoe.

I set a 5k PB of 18:20 at age 44 wearing Vaporfly’s.

Yes it was on a treadmill, but it was essentially a track treadmill. It was built for the specific purpose of accommodating track spikes.

I ran a 3200m time trial in the Next%. I wasn't going at my PR pace, but I wasn't far off and it was crazy hot and humid. Nonetheless, my legs felt absolutely incredible and if it had actually been a race I would've kicked for the entire last 1000m. This year, I intend to use them at the 5000m and 10000m. I'll be experimenting with Matumbo's and the New Balance 5280 as well.

I have raced numerous distances in them.....they help in anything. Even a 100 meter stride

racinsoon wrote:

I've raced in VF4% once during a marathon and felt a benefit. Has anyone ever used them for a 10k?

I typically go with the zoom streak 6 for 10k but am curious to hear what others think.

I'm a 33:30-34min guy right now.

I personally know a guy that ran 35:15 in October and this week ran 33:14. He used to next%. HOWEVER he did dedicated 7 weeks of 10k specific training, so I guess the shoes had something to do, but not EVERYTHING to do with his improvement.

Good luck!

Yes. N = 1, but I set lifetime PRs at 5k (15:4X) and a few weeks later at 10k (31:5X) on the road wearing the VF 4% this past fall. I'm in my late 30s, and while I never raced these distances in college (I was an 800/1500 guy on the track), these times are pretty consistent with my collegiate best in an XC 8k (25:4X). I had a good few of years of training leading up to this season, but I'm very sold on the value of the VFs at these distances. Excited to race a marathon in them this year.

bugattiaron wrote:

Yes it was on a treadmill, but it was essentially a track treadmill. It was built for the specific purpose of accommodating track spikes.

I ran a 3200m time trial in the Next%. I wasn't going at my PR pace, but I wasn't far off and it was crazy hot and humid. Nonetheless, my legs felt absolutely incredible and if it had actually been a race I would've kicked for the entire last 1000m. This year, I intend to use them at the 5000m and 10000m. I'll be experimenting with Matumbo's and the New Balance 5280 as well.

Were there spike pins in the matumbos though? I think most of the advantage comes from the extra traction.

Not that I don't believe the VFs could be better, but I feel like we'd be seeing them more in shorter track races if they truly were better than spikes. Right now they seem relegated to 10ks.

Elite’s marathon pace are faster than your 10k pace. They’re fine for any distance you run.

bugattiaron wrote:

Yes it was on a treadmill, but it was essentially a track treadmill. It was built for the specific purpose of accommodating track spikes.

I ran a 3200m time trial in the Next%. I wasn't going at my PR pace, but I wasn't far off and it was crazy hot and humid. Nonetheless, my legs felt absolutely incredible and if it had actually been a race I would've kicked for the entire last 1000m. This year, I intend to use them at the 5000m and 10000m. I'll be experimenting with Matumbo's and the New Balance 5280 as well.

Wrong. It was conducted on a treadmill AND a 300 meter track.

"A recent study by Kyle Barnes out of Grand Valley State University examined running economy in track spikes versus marathon racing shoes.

The study took highly trained male and female distance runners and put them through four five-minute trial sessions on a treadmill. Athletes wore commercially available Nike track spikes, Nike Vaporflys and Adidas Adios 3s for their sessions. Barnes and his team found that runners wearing the Vaporfly improved their running economy by 2.6 percent when compared to the Nike Zoom Matumbo track spikes.

The researchers also examined the differences in the spikes and Vaporfly’s using a 300m indoor track. “Nine of the participants (four male, five female) in this study had competed in 3K or 5K races in their own racing shoes (spikes for all nine aforementioned participants) before participating in this study, and then again over the same respective distance in NVF shoes.” In their sub-sample of nine runners, when wearing the Vaporfly’s the runners improved by 1.9 per cent over their respective performances in their own spikes."

I did a New Years Day Parkrun in Adidas Bostons (which I love ) and then another four days later on the same course in the same weather in Vaporflies. I ran nearly a minute faster in the second Parkrun, although I was a bit hungover on New Years Day and was standing closer to the front at the start second time. Still, I felt I could have gone faster still in the Vaporflies, and I'd only ever worn them previously for a mile time trial on the track (where I smashed my pb) and a 2K warmup and strides before the Parkrun.

Yes I got a 10k PB

I've been using the Next% for 3000m and 5000m races this indoor season. I expected that their advantage would be limited because of their rigidity and stack height coupled with the tight turns. But the opposite was true. Not only have I been smashing my PRs and winning All-Conference medals, but my legs have felt incredibly fresh. I'll be using them for the final time this season at the Wartburg Last Chance Qualifier this Saturday. Trying to run 14:40 and qualify for DIII Nationals

If it was a track race I'd hate to be the one guy in a last lap sprint wearing Vaporflys.

Had barely squeezed under 40 minutes. With the 4% VF I dropped a 38:22. With the Next% a 38:53 in a monsoon rainstorm.