Old Shoes - Gear - Runner's World

Boozeboy

03/11/2005 at 18:29

My asics 2100's are 300 miles old.
I have had a little knee pain (could be due to a fairly large increase in miles a couple of weeks ago)
So have bought some zoom elite 2's. Not like-for-like I know but have had the gait analysis done.
These are supposed to be good for 350 miles - correct ?
The asics should be good for 500 ?

I'm 6" and 12 stone.

If my asics are "gone" does that mean they are just not supporting my mild over pronation anymore, or are they now useless?

I have been toying with the idea of doing some cross country races, and many people have been asking what shoes to wear. The consensus seems to be that stability goes out of the window due to the terrain.
SO, my question is whether i should keep the asics just for these sort of events?

Thanks in advance...

Try Taffia

03/11/2005 at 18:37

If its muddy you will go on your A**e

Ultracat

03/11/2005 at 20:26

boozeboy if you don't mind slipping all over the place then I guess your old shoes are fine.

Now if you want to get good times and beat that other guy then get some proper x-country shes.

Boozeboy

04/11/2005 at 10:41

i think i'm getting the message :-)

Colin - www.colinwatts.co.uk

04/11/2005 at 11:02

Boozeboy,

Also bear in mind the x-country may well have some hardish surfaces, road crossing, towpaths, etc, and when it's eventually dry again hard anyway.
Also knackered shoes are knackered. I'd go with the recommendation of some proper x-country shoes.

Colin

David Bennett 2

04/11/2005 at 12:24

Most XC shoes are much lower to the ground to try to minimise the effect of uneven terrain on twisted ankles as well.

djb

hammerite

04/11/2005 at 13:19

So Boozeboy will you be looking at spikes? or as like me (so it sounds) a bit of a beginner going for something where you might get a bit more use out of?

I've gone for fell shoes (NB RX terrains) as I'll be able to use them in some of the local fell races too. But I suppose if your not living in an area where fell racing is possible trail shoes would be more appropriate.

What is the suggestion of the more experienced on here?

Colin - www.colinwatts.co.uk

04/11/2005 at 13:26

I wouldn't reccomend spikes for anything except track racing, although I have not seen what spikes look like since I left school... umm 20ish.. 25years ago.
I do virtually all my running off road, and have a pair of Inov8 and a pair of Merril shoes.
I'd use both of them for either mild XC stuff and for more out and out fell type stuff.

Colin

Boozeboy

04/11/2005 at 15:24

Not sure as yet.
Carrying an injury so will wait till that clears up before i enter a masochistic sub zero december cross country :-)

Try Taffia

04/11/2005 at 20:02

boozeboy,
Im the oppersite to colin I wear spikes but for some reson hate fell shoes.

Horses for courses try diffrent ones on.

Boozeboy

05/11/2005 at 10:36

What is the difference between fell and trail please ?

Colin - www.colinwatts.co.uk

05/11/2005 at 19:38

boozeboy,

I think that(open to corrections.)...

Fell have more aggressive treads, like Walshes.
Trail are more aggresive tread than road but not as extreme as the Walsh type shoe.
Anyone got a better explanation?
Sor of like a middle ground.

Merthyr Taffia, I am guesing that the spikes you refer to are not what I remember as 'track spikes' but something more general. Not the little screwed in metal drawing pin type things a'la Linford Christie?

Colin

Blisters

05/11/2005 at 23:57

There's a variety of spike shoes now on offer.

spikes designed for track are very light, and probably have a springy base. Sprint versions are feather light and have no protection, middle distance spikes have the briefest of cushion in the heel area.

Cross country spikes have got a bit of knobbly stuff on the base as well, especially in the heel area. This reduces the potential for going A over T on steep wet grassy downhills.

Walsh/Innov8/Mudroc etc aren't spikes, but have micro studs across the base. They are apparently superb in mild mud, steep slopes, but they excel on mixed terrain. I would not contemplate wearing spikes if I had to do a cross country which had over 800m of tarmac. However some folks can't get on with them. I'd guess that this is because they are are poor road shoes. Does this make a Range Rover a poor car?

It's your choice. It depends upon how often you are likely to wear them, how often you want to do cross country, what sort of x/c it is. Me? I use old track 10k spike shoes with longer spikes. Because I'm cheap.

hammerite

06/11/2005 at 19:24

Well my RX terrains had there first outing this morning and performed very well at the Dovedale Dash. It was very muddy!!

If you go for the fell shoe option be carefull on wet rock!! (spikes are probably the same on rock too though.)

Colin - www.colinwatts.co.uk

07/11/2005 at 09:31

I've now done s proper test in a race with my Inov8 Flyroc and I didn't slip around at all.
This was on Sunday, the Over the Hills Bradord on Avon, which was definatly muddy and wet.
I have no complaints about these shoes, but as suggested earlier this is probably a personal preferance type thing, so you'll mayeb need to try what suits you best.

Colin

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