As a runner, you're lucky. Your sport isn't equipment-intensive like football, baseball, ice hockey, or lacrosse. All you need is a good pair of daily training shoes, and a pair of spikes for racing, and you're ready to go.
Of course, while you don't need much equipment, those shoes are absolutely critical to your success. So you've got to make sure you find and buy the right shoes. Which can be difficult, considering the factors involved-fit, your race distance, your body type, and all the high-tech materials that shoe companies build into their products.
The solution? At Runner's World, we always advise that you visit a specialty running store to consult with the experts there. The personnel should be knowledgeable runners, and the stores carry an extensive selection of running and track shoes. In the sections below, we'll tell you: (1) how to prepare for a visit to a running store; and (2) what points to consider before buying your training shoes and your track spikes.
Let's Go Shopping
In a specialty running store, you should feel right at home, surrounded by people who love running and have years of experience. Still, the more homework you do, the more they can help you. So follow this list:
1 Don't go empty-handed. Bring your old shoes with you, a pair of your favorite running and racing socks, and your orthotics, if you use them. All of these will help guarantee that your next pair of shoes work perfectly for you.
2 Have your foot remeasured. You may think you know your size, but it keeps changing (even after you become an adult). Stores have a traditional device, called a Brannock measuring device, to measure your foot length and width. Make sure you get measured.
3 Take your time. Don't rush through the shoe-buying selection process. Relax. Talk to other runners and clerks in the store. Set aside enough time to try on several different shoes from different brands. Unless a shoe feels absolutely perfect, try different sizes to find the best fit.
4 Go for a run. Sure, why not? Most running stores encourage it. The dynamics of running change the feel of a shoe from just standing around in them. "When runners first try on a new pair, they typically say the shoes feel good," reports Jerry Kokesh, owner of Marathon Sports in Chesterfield, Miss. "After a brief run outside, they come back and say the shoes didn't feel as good when they ran in them."
5 Consider the online alternatives. If you don't have a local specialty store, or the local store doesn't carry a wide enough selection of track spikes, you can turn to the Web for help. These two sites offer a wide range of track spikes: www.eastbay.com and www.trackspikes.com.
Training Shoes
It's a good idea to buy a new pair of training shoes before each track season. Your old shoes are probably worn out. If you don't replace them, you could run yourself right into an injury. But don't throw out your old shoes. Take them to the store with you to show the person who helps with your new shoe selection.
He or she will inspect the shoes to learn more about your biomechanics-that is, the way your foot moves when you run. You can play Sherlock Holmes yourself in the following manner: Put your shoes on the edge of a table and crouch down so you're looking straight at the heels.
If the heels have a distinct inward lean (toward the arch), you're probably an overpronator. If the heels are relatively straight and tall, you are a neutral runner. If the heels lean outward, you're probably an underpronator.
These aren't social diseases by the way. They're simply the three categories that all runners fall into. Your biomechanics are important because they help determine what type of training shoe you should buy: motion-control, stability, or a cushioned shoe. "An overpronator will want a motion control shoe, which limits the rolling motion of your foot, making you less likely to injure yourself," says Rob Wallack, owner of the Runner's Den in Phoenix.
Stability shoes are similar to motion-control shoes, but they are lighter, less rigid, and work for runners who don't have major motion-control problems. A neutral runner does well in these types of shoes.
"Cushioned shoes are for underpronators and very efficient runners who generally have a high arch and a stiff foot," says Kokesh. "They also work for runners whose heel barely touches the ground." Look at your old shoes if you're unsure about your heel strike. If the heel doesn't show much wear, it doesn't touch the ground much.
Track Spikes
Spikes make it possible to run your fastest on the track or in cross-country. The key is to have the right shoe for your ability and distance. "Sprint spikes have cushioning, but a rounded-off heel," says Paul Carrozza, Runner's World's shoe editor and owner of three RunTex stores in Austin, Tex. "This spike assumes you will be up on your toes and not heel striking too much.
"Middle-distance spikes have a 2- to 3-inch heel pad," adds Carrozza. "The moderate cushioning is perfect for distances from 400 to 800 meters, or up to the mile for a very efficient runner. Distance spikes have a full heel pad that goes from the heel to the ball of foot or all the way to the toe." They cater to runners who use their whole foot and will be running a mile or more on the track. The spike plates come in three principal forms: (1) smooth plastic; (2) rugged plastic with "shark teeth"; and (3) plates with "lifters." The smooth plastic is for hard tracks, and the shark teeth for high-quality, rubberized tracks. The plates with lifters are for sprinters and middle-distance runners racing on rubberized tracks.
Track spikes should fit tighter than training shoes. In fact, they should fit almost like a glove, so that your toes are very close to the front of the shoe and low to the ground. You don't want a big bulky shoe, even if your parents want you to buy shoes with "growing room" in them. The extra room will slow you down and could lead to injuries.
Some distance runners should consider wearing road-race flats for track racing. These flats offer more support and cushioning than track spikes. "They work best for the young, developing runner or for runners in longer races," says Carrozza. "If you are a heel striker, you definitely need to be in these shoes."
Lastly, if you have a pair of spikes left over from cross-country season that are still in very good condition, you can use them for track racing. They won't be as light as true track spikes, but they'll do. You can get different kinds of spikes, appropriate to each track you race on, to screw into the spike plates.
Breaking Spikes In
It takes time to break in your new track spikes. Don't wear them straight out of the box in your next race. Instead, wear them several times a week during early-season practices to get used to their feel and function.
Here's a simple two-week schedule you can follow (pick any two days in your practice week). If your spikes still don't feel right after two weeks, extend the break-in period.
Week One
Day one: Warm up in flats. Then do 8 x 100-meter strides (not sprints!) in your spikes.
Day two: Warm up in flats. Then do 6 x 200-meter strides (not sprints!) in your spikes.
Week Two
Day one: Warm up in flats. Then do 6 x 100-meter sprints in spikes.
Day two: Warm up in flats. Then do 4 x 200-meter sprints in spikes.
