Want to run faster? Do this

Image by Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale via Flickr

What if you could shave minutes off your marathon time without upping your mileage or running more speed workouts? Well there is something easy you can do to help snag your next PR – slip on a pair of racing flats.

The general rule of thumb is that you’ll save 1 second per mile for every ounce of difference in your running shoes. For example, if you normally train in the Asics 2150’s (12 oz.) and you switch to the Nike Lunaracers (5.5 oz.), that’s roughly a 6.5 oz. reduction in shoe weight, supposedly saving you 6 seconds per mile. Over the course of a marathon that adds up to nearly 3 minutes (6.5 seconds x 26.2 miles = 170 seconds)! Now this example is a bit ambitious, but it does reiterate the point that over 26.2 miles, the little things can make a big difference. Maybe a switch to racing flats will only save you a minute or two, but that can still be the deciding factor in an age-group award or Boston-qualifying time.

Before you drop $100 on a pair of racing shoes, there are some important points to consider. Lighter shoes also mean less cushioning and support. For some, the risk of muscle fatigue and injury is not worth the potential time savings. Flats have less of a heel lift, so if you’re a heel stiker, this lack of cushioning will put more of a strain on your Achilles tendon and calf muscles. Flats are generally a better choice for faster runners (who often have more of a mid-foot stride), lighter runners, and those who have good biomechanics. An option half-way between regular training shoes and minimalist flats is the lightweight performance trainer such as the Asics DS-trainer (8.5 oz). Lightweight trainers are minimalist enough so that you won’t feel weighed down, but they still provide a decent amount of cushioning and support.

Whether you choose a racing flat or lightweight trainer, it’s essential to break the shoe in before race day. Not giving your feet enough time to adjust to the change could spell disaster (i.e. injury!). The first time I wore my Lunaracer flats, I ran an easy 3 miles. I progressed to wearing them for short interval workouts and finally longer tempo runs. I recently wore them for a workout that was 11 miles in total, leaving me confident that the shoes won’t surprise me during my upcoming half-marathon.

Whatever shoe you choose, remember that hard work and smart training will never replace the gear that you can buy. Happy running!