- Just like you're training and preparation would vary
for different types of race and terrain,
so should your running shoe.
Now, it's common to see athletes spending huge amounts
of money on their bikes,
trying to make them more aerodynamic,
shaving off weight, etc.
But for a much smaller investment,
having the right running kit,
and specifically the right running shoe,
can see significant gains in your race.
Now with so many options on the market,
I'm going to look at various race scenarios,
and what shoe would best suit which situation.
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Before we go any further, I am aware that you might only
have one pair of trainers that you wear day in and day out,
irrelevant of the type of training session,
the weather, the terrain,
and the thought of having a second pair
might sound rather extravagant.
Well, just hear me out a moment,
because having the right type of shoe for the right
situation, can give you massive gains,
especially when it comes to racing.
I'm not actually going to be addressing what type of
support you might need for your
specific personal gait in this video,
but if you are buying a brand new trainer
and you don't know where to start,
we've made a video to help you with this,
that you can find in the description below.
Now, the first thing you need to do,
is work out what type race you're
going to be running in most regularly.
Because realistically, you're not going to be able to
have a running race shoe for every different
type of distance or terrain
that you're going to be running in.
It gets a little bit expensive to justify.
If, for example, you know you're always going to be
racing in 70.3 half Iron Man distance races,
then the choice becomes much easier.
Well, I'm going to be covering different
race scenarios and then you can work out
what sits best in the middle ground for you.
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Weight and cushioning are probably the most significant
differences between a training shoe and a racing shoe,
and it's about finding that happy medium.
Now, research does show that you spend more
aerobic energy the heavier the shoe.
That said, the heavier the shoe, the more cushioning,
but then, the more cushioning,
usually the less energy return you get.
If you look at the pros racing the ITU circuit,
over the sprint, and Olympic distance,
they're all going to be wearing
what is known as a racing flat.
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So, this shoe is designed for those who want to have
a light weight shoe and prioritise that over
the need for support.
Now, the average running flat comes in at around 150 grammes.
Although, as you can see, these aren't mine,
they are Mark's so they're probably going to be
slightly heavier in this huge size.
But compared to an average trainer,
that weighs around 250 grammes.
For this distance of 5 or 10K, speed is everything,
and that includes your transition.
So you can actually get tri specific race flats
that will have an inbuilt type sock that's designed
to prevent, or at least reduce chafing,
so you don't need to wear a sock with it.
And some will even have a loop on the heel
so it's easy to get them on,
or an exaggerated tongue with a hole in it,
where you can put your finger through to help you
get your shoes on that bit faster.
Well, whiles we're on the topic of speedy transitions,
it's probably a good time to address elastic laces.
Now, as you can see, Mark's actually got elastic laces
here in his flats, and this just allows you to
be able to get your shoe on really quickly without
worrying about getting your fingers in a twist
as you're trying to quickly do up your laces and tie a knot.
With that said, you don't need to have elastic laces for
all of the distances, because the longer the distance
becomes, the less significant transition is
and maybe comfort and having that exact support
becomes a little bit more important.
So, it's up to you to decide when you want to transition
from elastics up to normal laces.
The final point on shorter distance racing,
your gait is likely to look very different
than what it would in a marathon at the end of an Iron Man.
Now, your form is likely to be much better,
so you're not going to require
that same cushioning and support.
And the reactivity of a racing flat
will make sure that you get that energy return
back up from the ground that you need
to feel good and feel fast.
Right, where is that other shoe I need.
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The half Iron Man, or middle distance races do,
unsurprisingly fall into middle ground,
not just in distance, but also in choice of shoe.
So, if you look a the pros,
you will see some of them running in racing flats,
and then you'll see others wearing slightly more supportive,
heavier type shoe, and it really does
come down to personal preference.
But if you look to the age group field,
the majority will be wearing shoes that offer
a little bit more support than a pure racing flat would.
There are actually shoes on the market that are designed
to fall exactly into this category.
So that's somewhere between a racing flat,
and a training shoe, and it's actually this type of shoe
that I choose to use for the 70.3's
that I did last year because they are lighter
than your normal trainer,
but they do offer more support
and cushioning than a racing flat.
As you move to this distance, remember the triathlon,
you're going to be more fatigued
than if you were running just a pure
half marathon and as a result,
your gait will change and your likely
to start to move towards more of a heel strike.
So, that's when you will want to have more cushioning,
just to help absorb that extra shock.
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If you've entered an Iron Man distance event,
then you're going to need something
pretty supportive and cushioning,
that's going to look after your feet
for 26.2 miles of pounding on asphalt.
Now, when we look at the pros,
it's when we start to see quite a spectrum,
because you will see some that have
huge thick, mid-sole cushioning, with lots of support,
and then others will be racing in something more
like the previous shoe that we looked at.
And then if you look at the professional marathon runners,
well, they'll be in something more light weight again.
But, most of us age groupers,
by the time we get to the marathon,
our legs are already going to be pretty fatigued
and are looking for that added support.
With so many shoes aimed at this type of mileage,
it really does become a bit of a mine field.
But you might find that the shoe that you use for training,
fits the bill perfectly.
And if that is the case,
I would recommend buying a second pair,
making sure that you've worn them in really thoroughly,
but that they still stay fresh enough
so they're not going to be compromised
from miles and miles of training.
And you put them to one side,
carry on training in you're other pair,
and you've got a nice fresh,
but worn in ones when it comes to the race.
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If you plan to race Xterra,
or any other type of cross triathlon,
then you are going to need to invest in a shoe
that offers a bit more grip.
Because there's nothing worse than trying
to race someone up a hill,
and the more effort you put in,
the more you slide,
and the same goes when it comes to descending.
But beyond the grip on the bottom of the shoe,
you will need the upper to be slightly stronger,
as your foot needs that support.
It needs to be held securely in your shoe
because if you think, when you're running off road,
it's going to be moving in all sorts of directions.
And if you are doing long distance off road racing,
you might want to consider a waterproof upper,
that's just going to help keep your
feet a little bit dryer and warmer.
As for that cushioning verses weight debate,
well again, it does depend slightly on what distance
that you are racing, so the same rules
from earlier will apply.
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Some of you might choose to run in pure running races.
Now, if you're sticking to road,
the shoes that we have already covered
should meet your needs sufficiently.
But if, like me, you dabble in a little bit
of cross country during the winter,
then it's worth investing in a pair of cross country spikes,
just to give you that extra grip
while still being ultra light weight
in order to be competitive.
And if you are feeling brave
and you want to venture onto the track to run a fast 5K,
then again you might want some track spikes.
But I warn you, your legs will certainly
feel it for a few days after.
I've covered a huge variety of race types,
and therefor, also race shoes.
So now you need to decide what you want to get
from your racing shoes and what type
of race you're most likely to be doing most often.
Once you've got this information,
I suggest going to your local running shop.
Because they are there to advise you
and they will help you find
the right shoe for your requirements.
Now I personally find that having a race specific shoe,
helps me both psychologically as well as physically.
But please remember,
if you've got a nice brand new pair of racing shoes,
please wear them in adequately,
and make sure they've at least passed that comfort test.
Now, if you've enjoyed this,
hit the thumbs up like button.
And to make sure that you don't miss any more of our videos,
hit the globe to subscribe.
And if you want to know when to replace your running shoes,
if you're worried that they're running out,
we've made a video on that, just over here.
And if you want to know how to pace
your next running race in a triathlon,
we've made a video on run pacing, just here.