Have you ever wondered if you should wear a racing shoe for your marathon? I have read a lot of blogs lately regarding what shoes to wear in a race. Experience is helpful, but if you are inexperienced, how do you know what to wear? A while back I started looking into the subject and found some excellent advice in Pete Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning.
Every ounce counts in footwear. Most competitive marathoners should lean towards the light end of the shoe spectrum. But does that mean that you should wear a "racing shoe"?
Elites wear "flats"- true racing shoes- that have minimal support and much less heel lift than training shoes. But they are whippet thin and have excellent biomechanics. The lack of support increases the risk of injury, making certain muscles work harder. And the lower heel puts added strain on the calf and Achilles muscles.
Another option to consider is the "performance trainer". These shoes are lighter than many of the high-mileage trainers, making you feel lighter as you go. What they DO have is support that is missing from a racing flat- and enough in the heel/midsole to protect you during a LONG race, as you begin to fatigue.
Go into a retailer and compare a racing shoe with a performance trainer and you will see what I mean. For instance, recently I compared two Adidas shoes. One was a racing shoe and one was a performance trainer. The difference was about 2 ounces, cushion vs. virtually NO cushion, some heel lift, and a pro-moderator device designed to add stability.
Following are some guidelines (listed in Advanced Marathoning) regarding top candidates for flats in the marathon:
Male:
Faster than 2:40
Weighs less than 160# (73kg)
History of being relatively injury free
Good Biomechanics
Female:
Faster than 2:55
Weighs less than 140# (63kg)
History of being relatively injury free
Good Biomechanics
Lastly, it is always good to introduce a racing shoe or new style of shoe incrementally to your workout schedule. Start by using them in some tempo runs a several weeks out from your marathon to make sure they will work for you.
Weigh it out. Consider the choices and the potential outcomes. Make a good decision and have a GREAT RACE, whatever you run in!