I hate running on a treadmill, but once it starts snowing around here in West Michigan, my normal paths can get pretty trecherous with packed snow and normal running shoes just don’t help. I would like to continue to run outside during the winter and was considering getting a set of XC Spikes to help me not crack my head open. I see that there are various types of spikes to put in track / XC spike shoes, but cannot find any kind of online guide to help me decypher which ones are suitable for various purposes.
So. Would one / many of you help teach me what the story is with pyramid, pin, etc. spikes?
For reference, I do plan to start doing more trail running over the next year as well, so this will be more than just my snowy weather training shoes.
you should be able to find some things that slip over your shoes that are basically like snow chains for you car tires. defenitely don’t go for xc spikes. they generally provide no support at all but the thought of them does make me miss college xc ALOT!!! you just feel fast when you lace up a pair of spikes!!
If you’re set on spikes, go with the ones that come closest to trainers as far as midsole and sole under the arch. That’s the first place the shoe will be pared to save weight. NB has some XC spikes that seem decent in that regard. Asics as well. The Nike Waffle Racer spikes aren’t bad, but again, they lack material under the arch.
But in all my winter running, I’ve only needed spikes once, and I probably shouldn’t have been out in that weather anyway.
I also believe Solomon makes trail runners that have little grippies you can screw in (kinda like soft spikes for golf, at least they look the same) to the sole.
Track spikes are really bad shoes to wear if you have any pave on the run. If you were on golf courses in the ice/snow you would be ok. Even crossing a cart path in spikes could land you on your butt.
Most everything sold as a spike shoe is intended for racing. Real light but without much concern for protection and durability. They have surely gotten a lot better in recent years but back (during the civil war) when I ran track in college we only used them for races and for our fastest track workouts.
As to the ice issues I have thought about putting some traction devices on my shoes. a friend of mine made really wicked ice-tire for his motorcycle with sheet metal screws sticking out of it. Something along that line. Keep in mind that if you are worried about slipping, lots of the cars are going to be doing the same. Maybe better to stay on the treadmill when its really bad.
Just had an idea… How about taking some older running shoes and some Shoe Goo, crush up some walnut shells, and glue them onto the sole? No slipping on pavement, more support, and much like the traction tires for cars…
I coach college runners (and XC skiers) in Vermont, so imagine we deal with similar conditions during the winter that you see. XC spikes aren’t going to help you for regular winter mileage, primarily because they’re built to aid your traction during fast running (i.e., up on the balls of your feet and pushing off hard). Winter mileage should be (IMO) mostly basework which means you need more of all-around traction, not just forefoot traction.
If you deal with icy sidewalks and well packed trails the thing I have found that works best is take a pair of trainers with big lugs (Saucony Jazz/Shadow works well, Nike Pegasus also) and screw some hex head screws into the lugs. Be careful you don’t poke them all the way through the sole. You want the head of the screw flush with the lugs, not the sharp part of the screw. You can find help via google. Accumulated snow is a big challenge, if that’s what you get on your trails. For winter running in 3-6" of new snow we just go with our regular trainers and know that it’s going to be slow going and a lot of strength work. To be honest I don’t bother with the “home made spikes” much-maybe 4-5 days all winter.
As for trail running in the good weather the other 3 months of the year (haha) I have worn spikes on up to 30k trail races. You’ll hear a lot of people tell you that you need more cushioning/support for trail running over say 10k, but IMO if you run properly you should be in lighter shoes. But I’m a guy who does some barefoot running 2-3 days a week so take what I say with a grain of salt. I try to use as little spike as I can get away with for the conditions, mostly 1/4". If a race calls for less spike I usually just go with flats, and I don’t like longer spikes (3/8" or 1/2") because I’m kind of a shuffler. I like pyramid spikes in most cases. Your other options are needle spikes or “christmas trees”. I find that needle spikes pick up more debris which I personally find annoying. Christmas tree spikes are good on synthetic tracks, but I never bothered with them for trails because I’ve got a huge bag of pyramid spikes. Pyramid spikes are good all around.
Thanks to all for the feedback. To answer some of the points that were raised in the discussion:
I run on paved trails that are >> 6 feet off the road and usually has a line of trees between the road and the trail, so worrying about stray 2 ton steel objects is generally not a problem. Thanks for your concern.
I try to run “forefoot” strike as much as I can, so the motion control and heel cushioning is not that critical. I’m not a pose disciple, but I did find much less pain and much better speed as I moved my foot strike under my COG and farther forward on the foot. I continue to work this technique. I’m still not fast (still working on breaking a single mile in under 6 flat), but dammit I work hard.
I got a pair of ASICS DS Racer 6’s back in March to lead up to the 25K in early may. Every mile I’ve done since then has been in these shoes and I love 'em. The DS Racers still have more cushioning that what I have seen in XC spikes, however.
With the 25K in May, and sometimes major snowfalls around here even in the beginning of April, the winter mileage can’t afford to be all base. Yes, that is part of it, but I think that I have to start going longer and harder starting in February to be ready for the 5/3rd Riverbank Run. It was my A race this past year, and will be one of my A races this coming year as well.
I will look at the external traction aids and also look at trying some “craft your own” spikes if necessary. Just for ~$50 for XC spikes, its hard not to be tempted to try them!
If you have been running in thinner than normal shoes then you can certainly run in XC spikes. I just finished a 10-hour run week and 7:45 of that was in a pair of Brooks T3s that already had about 400 miles on them. They are so thin in the forefoot that I have to be careful about stepping on small rocks.
Look for a pair of XC spikes that don’t have a spike plate. They will give you a little bit better traction than normal, and still be very flexible. Don’t start out running a ton of miles in them. I took six month following a marathon in March to get used to running only in flats and now I run all my miles in the T3s and a pair of Asics flats. I tried to find some spikeless XC shoes because they are cheaper than the T3s, but it was the wrong time of year.
Chad
P.S. For a 25 K you don’t really need to do much speed. Just run as many miles as you are capable of and your aerobic efficiency will increase. 25K is about 95 percent aerobic endurance, so the return on your money for speedwork is low.
First to the Finish (dot com, of course), and get yerself a pair of white/blue Reebok Harrier’s for $10! They also have the updated version for $20 or Adidas Neptunes for $20.