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Run faster with light weight shoes

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Light weight shoes make you run faster…  that’s a fact!!

So if you are trying to improve your times, are doing speedwork, or even want to have days when you feel lighter on your feet then you want to check this out…

With faster running:

What you want is a shoe that makes you feel as if you are hardly touching the ground…  light, easy and FAST!!. 

Read on to see:

This is what you will find with lighter shoes…

#1. LESS WEIGHT

They make it easier to run faster for longer thanks to reduced weight. Your feet are the part of your body that moves the most so every gram off means energy saved.

#2. MORE RESPONSIVE

Racing shoes and lightweight trainers do not block your normal action as much as a trainer. Your running form changes at faster paces and becomes more effective and efficient.  A lighter more flexible shoe supports a better running technique while also reducing the loss of force in propulsion.

#3 LESS INJURY

Running stress can lead to injury. By alternatively wearing two pair of shoes with a different amount or type of support you change the stress that is on your feet.  This changing stress leads to better adaptation, stronger bones and tendons, and less injuries

#4 HOT LOOKS

Racing shoes are brighter and flashier. When they look great you feel great.  Red was scientifically proven to be faster in a landmark study on confounding variables.  If you are going to run faster you might as well look the part at the same time.

#5. MAX SPEED

You will run faster in a racing shoe for many of the reasons explained above. Depending on the shoe and the person it can be anywhere from 3 to 10 seconds faster per kilometre.  That translates to a PB.  One thing you need to consider is that you are trading protection for speed in a race.  You will be sorer after using racing shoes especially when you first start.  Give yourself more recovery afterwards and you will learn to thrive on a lighter shoe.

THE LIGHT WEIGHT SHOE GUIDE

Light weight shoes are categorised by weight.

This is our classification guide:

Racer / trainers:

Light weight shoes that bridge the gap between a racing shoe and a training shoe.  These are perfect for your long races such as marathons, great for speedwork and if you still want a little more support.

They are categorised because they have more cushioning, are stiffer than racing flats and can be quite soft.

“I consider myself a slower runner…  Can I wear light weight shoes too?”

The answer to this is really dependant on how smooth you feel running in a lighter shoe.  But, YES, certainly a lighter weight shoe than your main training shoe wil definitely help.

The best way to decide how light you can go is to come and try a few different shoes on in our shop on the 25 m track we have.  This way you can feel which one you feel most comfortable in.

Need more help to choose your light shoes?

TAKE the “How to choose a fast shoe test” quiz or BOOK in to see one of our podiatry team.

The light weight shoe test will show you where on the spectrum of “Shoe Lightness” you are likely to sit when it comes to choosing the weight of a shoe suitable for you.  This is just a guide as the truly best way to know which shoe will suit you is by coming into intraining Running Centre.

We’ll talk you through how to choose the right shoe

TRYING THEM ON is the single most important factor in choosing your shoes.

Steve ‘The Footman’- Podiatrist, Running Coach, Founder of intraining Running Centre

P.S.  BOOK a shoe fit appointment with our running podiatry/physiotherapy team.  This is perfect if you have a more difficult foot or just want a podiatrist’s opinion