Does Vaporfly work UPhill?

There has been a lot of talk about Vaporfly, but nothing specific about running in them UPhill.

Do they work effectively on hilly courses?

Your input is crucial prior to Atlanta 'thon trials = a hilly course.

No reason why they shouldn’t. With such a small sample size, there will be a lot of random noise. If you include the men’s results, the VF (4% and Next%), claim all but one podium spot at the hillier marathons (Boston+NYC).

https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2019/11/nike-vaporfly-shoes-claim-31-out-of-36-podiums-in-2019-world-marathon-majors/

Boing boing!

LoneStarXC wrote:

With such a small sample size

Yes, the sample size is small. Most vaporfly wearers prefer downhill marathons.

Very good. That's why I like reading posts on here, people come up with ideas that others haven't thought about.

I have a 5k race in my Vapors next month and will pay attention to the performance in the hills. My sense is that there is no change and this is based on a comparison with runners in the race around me. When the hill comes I don't lose any ground relative to them and I was the only runner with those shoes on (about 600 runners).

They don't, you have to take them off before going up hill, and then put them back on before you go down. It's better to wear other shoes because of the time it takes to put them on and off.

Great post.

I guess someone needs to run uphill in pair.

The shoes Are not magic

Way too small of a sample size to make a generic statement like that. Look at the mens same exact chart of that and only one of the shoes is not a VF.

I'd guess they're more effective on downhills and less on uphills. Only a small fraction of these courses are uphill.

The steeper the hill, the less assistance. That is simple math. Once you are walking or climbing, no benefit.

Predictor wrote:

The steeper the hill, the less assistance. That is simple math. Once you are walking or climbing, no benefit.

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. How do they feel running uphill for you?

university of philadelphia?

Also, the pink version is faster than the green one by far. Your infographic supports this.

How on earth does a shoe that doesn't extend over the ankle limit its range of motion!?

vaporflys will be banned. A lot of athletes might want to think twice about bringing them to atlanta. Even if they aren't banned yet, how would it look if members of the us team qualified for the olympics in banned shoes. USATF should get ahead of the game and ban them now before rnr az, houston, and the trials.

This is a good question. In my one race so far in the Next% (HM, sub 1-:20), there was only one small hill. The Next% performed fantastically for me in the race, but they definitely felt different very suddenly when I hit the uphill, and not really in a good way, and I've been wondering the same thing myself.

ferally striated wrote:

This is a good question. In my one race so far in the Next% (HM, sub 1-:20), there was only one small hill. The Next% performed fantastically for me in the race, but they definitely felt different very suddenly when I hit the uphill, and not really in a good way, and I've been wondering the same thing myself.

I brought this up because when running uphill I completely crumbled, even on gentle hills. This was in training and on most training occasions. I live in a hilly area (can't avoid them) so I am not a hill virgin.

My take is the Vaporfly is rigid (unlike the Nike Free) and does not allow full ankle flex and the extension/drive you need for running uphill.

I think the Atlanta Trials will be an unmitigated disaster for Vaporfly wearers and they will crumble on the many hills on that loop course. It is not just the hills, but the gentle rises. I crumble on them as well.....and I don't crumble as noticeably in other shoes.

I personally feel the Vaporfly don't allow you to stride.....it only allows you to run (sort of).

Would really like to hear from Vaporfly wearers who ran either NYC or Boston.

Wejo needs to conduct a survey post-Atlanta to see who ran in what shoe and how did they do.

I feel there is a false confidence in Vaporfly wearers that they are invincible. And that Atlanta will shake their confidence to the core.

How say u?

Kvothe wrote:

vaporflys will be banned. A lot of athletes might want to think twice about bringing them to atlanta. Even if they aren't banned yet, how would it look if members of the us team qualified for the olympics in banned shoes. USATF should get ahead of the game and ban them now before rnr az, houston, and the trials.

Who cares what shoes they wore. You think anyone is questioning the Beijing Games swim roster because those suits got banned?

I hate to break this to you but no one cares about these shoes except a handful of people on running forums. That includes the pros.

Race what will make you run fastest or what will make you some money. That's all that matters to these guys.