Do I Need Spikes to Race?

The short answer is...no, but. There's always a but. 

 I don't typically try to push racing shoes onto athletes, BUT they do have advantages both physically and mentally, and they are designed for high performance. You won't generally see anyone at the front of our races without them. However, the reason I don't "push" them is because not everyone likes them, they are not for everyone, and they are an added expense, in spite of their competitive advantage.

(1) Racing in lighter shoes lessens overall fatigue because you are not "lugging" your training shoes along for the ride. You might not think that 4-5 oz. vs. 9-10 oz. would make a difference, but it does. Having said this the benefits are also mental, which leads me to my next point.

(2) When you warm-up in your heavier training shoes, and not long before your competition, you put on your racing shoes, you instantly have more of a spring in your step and ...if it fits properly, it hardly feels like you have shoes on your feet, and you feel like you can fly. I know it sounds hoakie, but you go from average citizen to putting on your "super suit". It's a mental edge that you won't get from toeing the line with the training shoes that you have worn day in and day out in training/practice.

When I was in high school cross country I ran in Nike Waffle Racers and even today when I compete in triathlon I complete in racing shoes. Like I said, they provide a mental boost. Having said this, some people don't like to wear spikes. I didn't like spikes because of the plastic "plate" on the front. In my last year of college I tried spikes because the waffle racers I was wearing at the time were discontinued, and I couldn't find them, but they were built like my former waffle racers, and I used very small spikes. (The waffle racer does NOT have spikes, it has rubber "lugs"). This was a personal preference. If you want to go with a spike, I would recommend you go with a "distance spike". It has more cushion, vs a sprinter's spike which has nearly no cushion.

If you don't like the waffle racer or the spike, you could consider a racing "flat". It is more like a "normal" running shoe but it is still much lighter. Which brings me to another point. The brand you choose should be based on fit and feel, not "popularity". (My racing shoe is Mizuno, for example, which may not be as "popular" as Nike.).

Racing shoes sometimes run a little small. Although sometimes they fit true to size, you can often expect to need a shoe size from half a size bigger, to a size and a 1/2 bigger. Typically I start by trying my normal training shoe size, but often end up going 1/2 size larger. You should have about a thumb's width after your toes, but not more, BUT fit to your preference for comfort. I prefer the "rule of thumb" to give room for my toenails and prevent my toes from jamming into the front of my shoe when I run.

If you want help, I would be happy to help. If you are not interested, I would be happy to leave you alone. It's a choice not a requirement, but I will tell you that I find them advantageous, and I think you would too.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

This video from Gazelle Sports may be helpful as well. He does start talking about track spikes first, but he talks about the different kinds of spikes, so if you want to get some, you know the differences in the various types.