After initially being a skeptic, I became a believer in the 4%’s after trying them on in my local running store last spring. I tried on a few sizes and found the right fit, but I had to tie them pretty tight to prevent slipping in my heals (I have read that this was the solution to a common problem people had with the 4% flyknits and something they tried to fix with the next %)
I started off using them with great results in races from 5k - 10k and workouts of up to 5-6 miles (reps were a few seconds faster and felt much easier). Then, I wore them in my goal half marathon last spring, which did not come close to expectations. It started off fine and comfortable, but then I faded during the second half. At the time, I blamed it on a windy day, having no one to run with, and just thinking it wasn’t my day. However, I do recall my feet feeling crammed and feeling a lot of pressure from the upper that started getting to me in the 2nd half of the race. I had to untie the shoes immediately after the race to relieve the pressure on my feet. I didn’t think much of the shoes potentially being the problem at the time, but today, the same thing happened in another half marathon. I was running great and feeling comfortable through halfway, and then in the last 5 or so miles, I really started noticing my feet feeling the pressure and pain from having to tie the shoes tight to prevent them from slipping. I again faded and ran slower (~0:10/mi slower than I had hoped the last few miles) despite feeling okay fitness wise.
I get that my feet are probably swelling with the longer distance, but I have never had an issue in other racing shoes presumably because I haven’t had to tie them tight to prevent slipping.
It’s really hard to find anyone who has tried any version of the %s who has had a negative experience with it. Am I just a freak? I am trying find others out there who have also found that they don’t work for them when using them for longer distances. I guess I am looking for someone to tell me it’s the right choice to go back to my carbon fiber plateless/sans magic foam Adios’s.