I run in Mizuno or Brooks. I see talk about Zoot and K-Swiss tri specific shoes having “holes for drainage.” I don’t get it.
Do tri-runnning shoes get more wet than when running an open 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, marathon?
I can’t recall finishing a tri or open run race and thinking “damn my feet are wet. I wish I had some drainage.”
It’s mostly marketing, but in some races where it’s really hot and you’re constantly splashing water on you to stay cool, some drainage holes would be nice.
Additionally, most marathons take place early in the morning and are done well before the hottest part of the day.
Ever run 15miles in 95 degree heat? If you run sockless then a lot of sweat accumulates in your shoes, the holes drain out the sweat. Also, when you dump water on yourself and it falls down into your shoes it will then drain out. If you don’t have socks the water will drain easily.
But the tops of the shoes are all mesh. Heat and moisture will go out the top. It does in my shoes.
I understand that to save time in T1/T2 many top athletes are now WEARING their running shoes DURING the swim…necessitating those drainage holes. They have also gone back to TOECLIPS b/c they could never figure out those new-fangled clipless pedals and kept falling over. Solves 2 problems at once! Thus, the need for drainage holes…
And, of course, there’s the “flipper” benefit of wearing your shoes during the swim. Even greater than the “wetsuit” benefit. (“In the event of a water landing, you’re tri-suit can be used as a flotation device”).
I run in Mizuno or Brooks. I see talk about Zoot and K-Swiss tri specific shoes having “holes for drainage.” I don’t get it.
Do tri-runnning shoes get more wet than when running an open 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, marathon?
I can’t recall finishing a tri or open run race and thinking “damn my feet are wet. I wish I had some drainage.”
Everyone is lying its for when you piss down your leg on the run.
Last year’s Racine 70.3 made me a believer. About 1/2 way into the run a passing shower hit us, the rain felt great, but didn’t do us any favors once the sun and humidity spiked. Every step I took was a “squish-fest” from that point on. So because of that and all the valid reasons provided by the others above I’ll be doing all my long races/training in a better draining shoe this year. I sure hope they work.
I have them in my A4’s and find them really annoying, they collect small rocks, sticks, berries, etc, and in the winter, any time you step on wet ground they act like a sponge and suck water up into the shoe.
I still need to shoe goo the holes until winter is over.
Gel Hyperspeeds have holes in the soles. I think it makes them more flexible.
One word - Kona…
In a normal 10K race shoe you are out running for about 35 minutes or so. Your nutritional needs are much lower than at 10K after a 40K bike and 1.5K swim. Take that up to the comparison of a half-marathon or marathon and the nutritional demands increase exponentially. Add to that the fact that at the end of a race, when you’re grabbing cups out on the course you might spill about 40% of what’s inside down your front and get about 50% in your mouth because you are that-much-more-tired than if you were just doing a run of that length, and those drainage holes start to seem like not a bad idea.
Plus, as mentioned, there are races like Kona, Buffalo Springs, etc. where even when it’s a relatively cool day, it’s still darn hot and your 4.5 to 16 hour day makes evaporative cooling the most important scientific principle that you can imagine. Thus, once you begin dousing yourself with multiple cups of water or wringing out sponges on yourself, anything that helps water leave your shoes helps minimize blisters.
x2 on the pissing down your leg part.
Pour water over your head a few times on a 90° day and see how much water gets in your shoes.
jaretj
I’ve never really understood this either. And today I ran in zoots and stepped in a puddle. My feet got wet because of the holes. They would have been dry in other shoes.
I do this all the time. The amount of water that gets past my hat, hair, shirt, shorts and into my shoes is barley noticed. And this even when running in high humidity and heat.
I only notice how quickly all the water evaporates. And I wear socks in a lot of longer races (most of my short races are in the spring), so it should even be worse.
Don’t get it. Looks like a solution looking for a problem, when mesh uppers are more than breathable enough.
For me the water goes down my legs then into my shoes if I pour it on my head. It’s quite likely that I sweat more than most.
On hot days without pouring water on my head my shoes are normally soaked and “squishing” after 4 miles.
I wear the Saucony Fastwitch and it’s great for drainage.
jaretj
i never got it either. maybe for aquathlons
On a hot day, I prefer a well vented shoe over others. Breathes a little better, keeps my feet a tad cooler. If it is warm and rainy, Its nice to not have your shoes completely fill up with water.
Tri shoes are not the only flats with drain holes. The Nike Marathoner (discontinued last year) had drainage in the toes.
Pour water over your head a few times on a 90° day and see how much water gets in your shoes.
jaretj
Experienced marathoners bend over and pour water on their heads and shoulders, avoiding the squishy shoes. Common behavior. If drainage holes were needed at the marathon distance then marathon runners would use them.