When to use flats

pkumohideeile

I'm an orienteer. I do alot of terrain running and do recovery runs on the grass. I also do one grass interval session a week in my normal pair of asics. I've never used flats before, i do my intervals in terrain with orienteering shoes, so i'm just wondering what other runners use the flats for. Obviously you might race a cross country race in them. I might do that myself in flats.

Do you do your interval sessions in them? (ie warm up in normal runners then switch to flats for the session). Do you do a tempo run in them? (again do you warm up in normal runners first?)

I'm curious to know how people use them.

petermijackson

What are flats? And what is the benifit to them over ordinary runners?

asimonov

Racing flats are just lightweight trainers. They are lighter because they typically have little or no support (duomax type stuff in asics for example) and very little cushioning. The real benefit is this reduced weight but they also give a better connection to the surface you are running on. They are cheaper to buy but are less durable.

I don't wear the very lightest shoes but have Brooks ST4's that offer some support, and i'd wear them for all track work (400 - 1k workouts) and i'd wear them for the warm up and cool down as well. Also, they get used regularly for 3k / 5k pace workouts on the road. For tempo runs i'd tend to go back to my ordinary runners.

I'd wear the same light shoe for racing any distance up to half marathon (and may well wear them in my next marathon).

There seems to be a bit of a buzz around saucony kinvara's at the moment, but everyone will tell you their favourite brand is the best

digme

pkumohideeile wrote: »

I'm an orienteer. I do alot of terrain running and do recovery runs on the grass. I also do one grass interval session a week in my normal pair of asics. I've never used flats before, i do my intervals in terrain with orienteering shoes, so i'm just wondering what other runners use the flats for. Obviously you might race a cross country race in them. I might do that myself in flats.

Do you do your interval sessions in them? (ie warm up in normal runners then switch to flats for the session). Do you do a tempo run in them? (again do you warm up in normal runners first?)

I'm curious to know how people use them.

I only run in flats,be it interval training or long runs.

NeedsTraining

Which flats do you wear?

GoHardOrGoHome

asimonov wrote: »

but everyone will tell you their favourite brand is the best

Asics DS Racers are the best!

pkumohideeile

digme wrote: »

I only run in flats,be it interval training or long runs.

As sort of crazy as that sounds i'd like to hear the uses people put their flats to. I'd probably just use them once a week myself for the grass interval session. Or sprint orienteering races.

NeedsTraining

Any of you use Asics Gel Noosa?

What is the difference between these and the DS?
Noosa look cool

NeedsTraining

Anyone?

If you have recently started using flats, have you noticed much of a difference?

T runner

pkumohideeile wrote: »

As sort of crazy as that sounds i'd like to hear the uses people put their flats to. I'd probably just use them once a week myself for the grass interval session. Or sprint orienteering races.

Hi. I believe in the idea that you should use the lighest shoe possible for teh given occasion.

For a standard aerobic run i would use lightweight trainers. Use flats for interval sessions, races and any training on grass. Sometimes use them for ordinary runs. Foe recovery runs i would use a heavier pair.

erring on the light side means that you are encouraging your foot to feel the ground and turn over more quickly and more efficiently.

digme

pkumohideeile wrote: »

As sort of crazy as that sounds i'd like to hear the uses people put their flats to. I'd probably just use them once a week myself for the grass interval session. Or sprint orienteering races.

Running in the big cushioned nikes were causing me to get pains in my knees,Achilles, etc. Now I don't get an ounce of pain and my leg and feet muscles are way stronger,I use them for all my running.

I wear 100 grams ones


http://zerotwohero.wordpress.com/200...ng-adizero-pr/

digme

NeedsTraining wrote: »

Anyone?

If you have recently started using flats, have you noticed much of a difference?

You won't land on your heel that's one major difference.

dario28

Currently I have Adidas supernovas - I only got them on recomendation with sports shop in Oz they did that foot analysis thing.....

I have had no problems with them , all halves sub 90....

But cause I run on outside of my heel , would flats suit and if so what pair would anyone recommend ?

AJCOT

Only started wearing flats in the last three/four races & have had much improved times & consecutive PBs. The downside has been sore soles, I'm used to Gel Nimbus cushioning & never had these aches before. Still, it's a small price to pay for a faster finishing time.

mloc123

I have done all my runnig for the last 3 months in flats, I had used Adidas Supernovas before that. I don't think I could go back to using a big heavy shoe now, I did however spend the winter changing my running style from a heavy heal lander to little less heavy mid to fore foot lander. The change in style help with my pronation also.

aero2k

I have shoes varying from heaviest - Asics Kinsei II (never wear them as too heavy) down to lightest - Asics Gel Hyperspeed III which I wore in last Sunday's Edinburgh marathon. Having come out of that race with no ill effects other than tight calves - probably not helped by the downhill start - I intend to stick to light shoes in future, nothing heavier than DS Trainers from now on.

tempo

digme wrote: »

You won't land on your heel that's one major difference.

you will land on your heel if you are a plodder(no disrespect)but most people are.
I use racing shoes in races and if I ever train for track(which is once a decade)I will use them for longer intervals but as I get closer to races I will wear spikes on anything less than 600m reps.

the lightest flats arent always the best,some people go for a performace shoe with suppor it the asics ds trainer or the Mizuno Elixer.The weight of the user can be a big decider when choosing a flat and also brand,just cause u use a certain brand to train in doesnt mean their flats will suit you.Be open minded with brands when it comes to picking one.

digme

They're my first pair,so I will take your advice on board as I am very open minded in general.When you say plodder how fast are you talking?For my normal runs I go at 12kmph and at 180-200 steps a min.

Bambaata

I was looking into this some time ago and was more inclined to get a light shoe with some support. Being 77kg im towards the upper end of what most flats seem to be best advised for. Has anyone any thoughts on the Mizuno Wave Elixir?

I as even more out off flats due to the fact that i havent found many shops with them in my size. I called 4 shops a few weeks back and none had any in my size! I was hoping i could try on a few but they dont seem to be all that common in the larger sizes. Thus the Elixir might be an option!

dario28

Would you consider these as flats ?

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/nike-lunarglide-mens-2009-6

I currently have these

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/adidas-supernova-cushion-7-mens-2008-5

menoscemo

dario28 wrote: »

Would you consider these as flats ?

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/nike-lunarglide-mens-2009-6

I currently have these

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/adidas-supernova-cushion-7-mens-2008-5

Lunarglides are definately not flats, In fact the heel is very high. I use Lunarglides for recovery and long runs, for speedwork and short races i find them inappropriate (I use Asics DS trainers- which are still not exactly flats but have a very low heel).

TFBubendorfer

dario28 wrote: »

Would you consider these as flats ?

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/nike-lunarglide-mens-2009-6

The Lunar Glides are definitely nor flats. The Lunaracers (and Lunaracers 2) are the flats in that particular family.

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/nike-lunaracer+-mens-2009-5

dario28

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

The Lunar Glides are definitely nor flats. The Lunaracers (and Lunaracers 2) are the flats in that particular family.

http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/view-shoe/nike-lunaracer+-mens-2009-5

Ahh right thanks.....the are FUGLY !!!

SnappyDresser

For the vast majority of athletes racing in flats would i think be a bad idea due to the high risk of injury. Yes there are exceptions but there is a reason why trainers for the average plodder are needed for cushioning, support etc. What is point of wearing flats? to knock a few seconds off one's time? and then the next race you dont have any extra advantage except against some other athletes where you might go from 55place to 47th. Big deal. Most of us are no mark racers and frankly I think mid pack runners wearing flats is silly. Unless you are a top athlete where very small margins matter stick with the safe trainers.

bazman

I've tried several types of racing shoes (about 20 pairs at the moment) and best pair I would say are the Nike Marathoner. They are very light & yet very cushioned. The balance is perfect. I've used them on hill runs and road races between 5k & marathon. If anyone is just going to own one pair of racing flats the Nike Marathoner would be my #1 recommendation. The adidas adios is a close second. I was an asics fan, but I don't find the DS racer light or cushioned.

I have tried ultra light racers, including the adidas PR, but I wouldn't highly recommend it. The recovery afterwards is just too long, so I would only wait an ultra light shoe for a key race.

Going back to the original question - a cushioned racing flat like the Nike Marathoner will serve you well for interval training, road racing & hill racing in dry conditions.