Has anyone tried running marathon distance in a shoe like the saucony A2 or similar lightweight neutral shoe?
For the last year I have been doing all of my training and racing in the Saucony Fastwitch 3 (the slightly medially posted version of the A2) or the Asics DS Racer (even lighter). This was including the marathon at IM Wisco. I spent 3 months at the beginning of last spring transitioning over from using the Asics GT 2120 as my regular trainer and the DS Trainer as my lightweight shoe. I gradually added miles in the racers to let my feet and legs adapt and once I was all the way shifted over I have never looked back. You have to pay attention to your form more and commit to mindfully develop an efficient and “light” gait (if you let yourself clomp along in racing flats you will pay for it) but ultimately the transition has improved my running beyond just the weight savings.
I’ve run marathons in
Adidas Adizero RC - 7.1 ounces
Nike Streak Ekiden - 7.x ounces
Nike Zoom Streak - 8.x ounces
Nike Air Triax TC(+) - 9.x ounces
I intend to run Boston this year in the Nike LunaRacers which are 6.1 ounces. Incredibly cushioned flats though.
I’ve trained/raced with Nike LunaRacers since last summer; I’m on my 3rd pair now. No problem with NYC Marathon and my daily 10+ miles of NYC pavement. Before LunaRacer, I was on Free 3.0; no problem w/Marathon distance as well.
Ease into the racing flat you intend to use, you’ll know if it’s the right shoes once you can do your weekly long runs in them.
I’ve run more marathons in flats than not in flats. I always wear flats when I’m running them hard.
I just set my marathon PR in lunaracers. I’ve worn flats for all my marathons (about 5 previous). Normally my feet feel beaten up, this time no problems.
Styrrell
i always race in flats…any distance. 5k, marathon, ironman, whatever. note that i race at <150lbs, though.
Let me give you some hard won Nike-customer advice. Perhaps you already know this but just in case, here goes:
If you like these or any othe rNike shoes as much as it sounds like you like them, STOCK UP. Go buy several pair now!
If there is one thing that has ticked me off about Nike it’s that as soon as they make a a shoe which I love, they either discontinue it or “improve” (read: “ruin it”). I would say about 5 times over the past three decades they’ve done this to me. The last model where this happened was the Nike Air Triax TC. I knew it was coming and stocked up.
I’ve only done one race in the LunaRacers but I already know that they will be number six. I’m expecting them to be cut any day now.
any idea how the fasttwitch or the other shoes you mention compare to the zoot neutral trainers?
always. Last one I raced in 5oz brooks T5 … I was 180 lbs.
Remember, use common sense here, there are alot of people that can wear racing flats to race any distance in, that being said it truely depends on a wide range of factors-your mechanics, your weight, how strong/weak, how flexible, your training, and so on…use common sense!! Also, remember that your mechanics can break down in longer distances and depending on what you are amining for the diff between a racing flat and a lightweight trainer may be very small in the long run…
This depends on what you are trying to run in the marathon. i really don’t think that it is needed to run a racing flat if you are much over 6:30 per mile pace. The light weight trainer is the ticket unless you are really going for it. In my younger days I used them all the time for my fast marathons now I use the lightweight trainer for long races. Like Joe O I used them when I ran very high mileage now in my mid 50’s it is not needed as much as extra protection is needed. Listen to what Joe O has to say about Nike products because this is a problem that I have had with Nike for over 20 years. Great shoes but when you need another pair of shoes in a month or two they are gone. This is the reason I switched years ago to Asics and then Mizuno. They make modifications to the shoe but still make the shoe.
I need your help! I’ve been working for about 1.5 years to change my foot strike from heavy heel to mid-foot and I believe that I did it! Now the problem that I have is that I have not been able to find a shoe that I like, I want something with little build in the sole, something not so soft, I like the more firm feel of good flats, and a friend who helped me in my technique recommended the nike free 3.0, the problem is she is not running long any more, in fact she hasn’t run long in five + years. So I want to know how will the free 3.0 or the other you are talking about feel for training and racing long, if they last long (about how many miles) and how true they run to your size. Also were do you buy 3.0’s the only place I found them is the nike web store, and the problem is they don’t have much info there.
Thanks!
I did a marathon in flats when i was 18. Asics don’t remember the model (not the ds trainer though, the flats). after i finished my lower back hurt so much i was on the ground for a good 30 minutes. of course i didn’t train in them (stupid) and i didn’t train much with other shoes either (even stupider).
I just set my marathon PR in lunaracers. I’ve worn flats for all my marathons (about 5 previous). Normally my feet feel beaten up, this time no problems.
Styrrell
+1 on LunarRacers. More cushioning than many lightweight trainers, and crazy light. The midsole softness and the low heal rise mean more calf stress than trainers, so do some longer runs in them first.
Like you, I switched from heal strike to midfoot strike a couple years ago and found that my shoes were getting in the way. I then stumbled on some Nike Free 5.0s a in a discount bin, loved them and bought two pair. Because you aren’t buying these for support, they seem to last forever - there isn’t any foam etc. to wear down. Last fall I finally bought another pair off the Nike ID shop because that seems to be the only way to get the original 5.0. They sell 5.0 version 2 on their regular web site and if you ever find a shop that sells them, that’s probably what they sell there as well and my understanding is that they beefed up the shoe a bit with version 2. I liked the old one, so I spent the extra bucks on the IDs. Interestingly, that new pair came with an insole that said 5.0 and an extra set that said 4.5. The 4.5’s have a bit less padding in the heel and ball. I guess the 3.0s have even less padding and support, but these work for me and I see no reason to change. The sizing seems about right. I got the same size I wear with other shoes and they seem a bit tight, but not overly so. I’m using the 4.5 insole now because it leaves just enough extra room for me. They say to work your way into these shoes, but I ran infrequently enough when I first got them that I was able to wear nothing but the Frees and have never run in anything since then, including several marathons and an ironman. You should try to find a running shop that will order you some 3.0s and 5.0s and see what you like. I’d hesitate to buy shoes on the Internet that I’ve never worn before. These are like nothing you’ve probably run in before, so just putting aside the sizing, you should see whether these are really for you and if you like one version over the other.
So I wore the LunaRacers for Boston this year and they were every bit as excellent at that distance as they were at 10 miles. I still cannot believe such a light shoe can have so much forefoot cushioning.
wow! that is the best answer I’ve got here in ST ever! thanks so much for the detailed advice U ROCK man! thanks. I have not been able to locate a store that has 3.0s but given your advice I might start with the 5.0 and keep looking until I can try a pair of 3.0 and then compare.
Thanks I’ll tell you how it goes once I get them.
GM
Order a pair online: http://www.become.com/shop?q=nike+free+3.0&&qet
You can always return them; all you’ll be out is ~$5-$10 for shipping. Well worth it imo if it helps you find a great shoe.
wow! that is the best answer I’ve got here in ST ever!
Not too sure if that’s a complement to me or a reflection on Slowtwitchers’ usual tendency to careen wildly off topic, but thanks.