Is it beneficial to race in more of a ‘speed’ shoe is there an increased risk of injury with the less cushion? I love my Hokas and train and race in them but just asking what other Hoka folks do.
I’m doing 100% of my training in Hokas (Bondi Bs) but race in Scott T2 Comps. The Scott shoes are
really not a true racing flat in my mind, more like a lightweight performance training shoe.
I just raced an olympic in the Bondi speeds. They are a touch on the heavier side for short stuff so I was a little concerned but not an issue really in terms of impacting speed. My recovery has been quicker than when I raced in newtons which was the main benefit. In my opinion, the speed with which you can run downhill in hokas makes up for any added weight and time penalty associated with that.
I train in the Bondis (Road) and Stinsons (Trail) but race sprints in Mizuno Wave Universe 4. I will also do track intervals in the Mizunos. I like these shoes sockless with the Xtenex laces.
I am trying a pair of Mizuno Wave Evo Cursoris as a possibility for longer distance tris / road races for a little more padding compared to the Wave Universe. I also want to try the Altra 3-Sum as a tri shoe. I like the Wave Evo shoes so far but do not have much mileage on them. I have done half marathons in Bondis (regular and speeds) and do not think they slow me down any.
Is it beneficial to race in more of a ‘speed’ shoe is there an increased risk of injury with the less cushion? I love my Hokas and train and race in them but just asking what other Hoka folks do.
I’m interested in the same thing, just the reverse: I train and race in Kinvaras, and I was wondering if it would help with recovery to do long (20+ mile) runs in something like Hokas. Or even maybe helping to run higher weekly mileage (like ramping up from 60 mpw to 80+)
Long runs and hills in Hoka Bondi B.
Tempo runs in Newton Motion.
Race up to 13.1 in Newton Distance S
Use Saucony Cortana 3 for 26.2.
I heard that Hoka was going to come out with a lighter weight shoe for racing ?
I train in Hokas. I will either race in my Hokas or in Kinvaras depending on the course and the race. Short course and I usually go to the Kinvara. Long course or trails and I almost always stick with the Hokas for racing.
Kivaras seem to be a popular substitute for the Hoka’s. Is there a perceptible advantage to you to use these on race day similar to using race wheels on cycling or is it a lighter, nimbler=quicker mental thing?
I do think it is a bit more mental than anything. The Kinvara are slightly lighter than Hokas so I am sure that helps a little, but I more or less just feel faster in the Kinvara because they are sleeker.
Lots of training miles in Hokas but will race up to 13.1 in Saucony Grid A5’s, Saucony Virratta’s or Altra Torins. I train a lot in the Torins also
Long runs and hills in Hoka Bondi B.
Tempo runs in Newton Motion.
Race up to 13.1 in Newton Distance S
Use Saucony Cortana 3 for 26.2.
I heard that Hoka was going to come out with a lighter weight shoe for racing ?
Yes, they are coming out with that shoe in early 2014.
I train and race in Hoka Bondi B’s, though I was mixing in training runs with the Kinvaras early in the season. I’ve since stopped running in the Kinvaras due to the lengthier recovery period whenever I run over 8 miles in them.
I’ve done everything from Ironman Cabo (hot, wet feet) to IM Lake Tahoe (freezing cold), to the 70.3 World Champs (long steady downhills and long steady uphills). And the Hokas are not a speed limiter, for certain. In some races, particularly over hilly terrain, the Hokas are probably faster.
Someone mentioned that Kinvaras are similar, but lighter than the Hokas. That seems correct in the sense of the sizing and toe box width. But the Hokas feel nothing like the Kinvaras on the road. The Hokas feel like floating on air, while the Kinvaras (if you run in them just after having run in the Hokas) feel very firm.
I train in my Hoka Bondi B2s but race in Skechers (which weigh nothing)
I liken it to a baseball player swinging with a donut on his bat then removing it when he goes in to face the pitcher.
Only exception would be the (rare) exception of doing a HIM or running a half-mara when I’ll keep the Hokas on.
I asked this question to the guy I bought my Hoka’s from, he said just wait til Hoka’s racing shoe comes out in 2014 and you will not wear another shoe again…
hokas are shoes on pillows … i do find them heavy but comfortable. for 20k and below , i still fall back to the virrata or A5 .
after a long bike ride in carbon hard shoes, the hokas are a dream to run in.
I train in Kayanos now and race and do speed work in DS Trainers. I have been thinking of going to the Hokas for training and Kayanos for racing. Hoping this might help with more milage and less injuries. Has anyone ever tried that combo and had luck increasing mileage and less injuries?
"I train in Kayanos now and race and do speed work in DS Trainers. I have been thinking of going to the Hokas for training and Kayanos for racing. Hoping this might help with more milage and less injuries. Has anyone ever tried that combo and had luck increasing mileage and less injuries? "
This was the exact combo of shoes I was using. I have been training in Hokas for about two years and have been very happy. Their tendency to run small kept me from racing in them (Stinsons). They seem to have corrected the size issue (at least with the Bondi Speeds) so I now have a racing option. The Speeds work great in races. I do not find them heavy at all. I think the Kayanos are heavier but I’m also a big guy 6’2", 180lbs so smaller folks may have more issue with weight.
Tried Newtons but they tore up my right ankle. Zero issues with the Hokas.
I do not think that I will ever purchase another brand of shoe unless they somehow have a motor in them to make me faster. 
Now if Zoot and Hoka had a baby… that might be an interesting shoe.
train in Hokas, race in Asics DS Racer. I haven’t had any problems switching between them…
Is it beneficial to race in more of a ‘speed’ shoe is there an increased risk of injury with the less cushion? I love my Hokas and train and race in them but just asking what other Hoka folks do.
I train and race pretty much exclusively in Stinson Tarmacs- LOVE them! On the larger side at 6’2" 178 (race weight) they are an absolute game changer! Previous shoes were Ascis Kayano’s and the difference is night and day. I will do some track or treadmill workouts in the Kinvara but these workouts are few and far between. The new Hoka Conquest will be out in 2014 and looks absoletely awesome! Back door brag- I completed my first Ironman in Tahoe this year and literally floated in my Tarmacs to a 3:34 marathon and a KQ M40-44!
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Is it beneficial to race in more of a ‘speed’ shoe is there an increased risk of injury with the less cushion? I love my Hokas and train and race in them but just asking what other Hoka folks do.
I’m interested in the same thing, just the reverse: I train and race in Kinvaras, and I was wondering if it would help with recovery to do long (20+ mile) runs in something like Hokas. Or even maybe helping to run higher weekly mileage (like ramping up from 60 mpw to 80+)
I did an “equivalent” test the other day. My run speed is not that good due to injuries from a crash. Anyway, I put the treadmill at 9-9.5 mph @ 5% grade and tried running in a variety of shoes from “hard” to soft:
Vibram Kso
Merrell Bare Access
Altra Instinct
Brooks Pure Flow
Newton Distance
I could run “fastest” in the Brooks and Newton. Vibram I can barely stay above 8.5 mph. Merrel Bare Access is hard, but I can hold the same top speeds as the other shoes, but for less time. Brooks Pure flow felt the best even though it is slightly firmer than the Newton. I think there is a tradeoff point between soft and “too soft” when it comes to running fast (at least fast for me), because are nervous system is searching for that “final hard contact” before pushing off. If you are on a cushy pillow, then this push off may not be as “hard”. Now running, at a slower pace, probably it is not that important to have a hard push off, but it is still an important part in sustaining good stride length.
I think people get caught up too much on the “eccentric loading/pounding” side like it is something bad. I’d debate that “hardness” is not that bad a thing, because you need something hard to push off from. If soft was better 100m sprinters would have padding in their spikes but they don’t because for best push off force the nervous system needs to feel a firm contact with the ground.
I’d contend that Hokas and “too soft shoes” may take some of that away, AND you might lose some of the training effect from less active eccentric loading upon landing. Actively using your muscles for this rather than letting the shoe do most of it, is an important part of the training effect.
Now I suppose the question is whether you get better training effect running 80 mpw in soft shoes versus 60 mpw in hard shoes. If you were only running, I would say “yes” because 80 mpw might only be 10 hours of training for you, over 60 mpw which might be 7.5 hours. But since you are a triathlete, you don’t need extra hours to maximize the cardio benefits and achieve that through soft running shoes. Instead you can swim and bike more and frankly as an Ironman guy, from what you have shared about your ability, 60 mpw is up as high as many pros go.
At least that is my thought from the outside. What do you think?