Select BITR Apparel On Sale. Shop Now
General Running • September 18, 2016

Trainers and Speed Shoes

Bring more fun to your run

Often we describe running shoes as daily trainers or speed day shoes. Trainers are what we put the majority of our miles in. Race flats and speed shoes are the sports cars you take out for performance. A good trainer / speed shoe pairing is as pleasing as a wine / food pairing. It will bring out experiences in your running that alone you would have never found.

“You don’t have to be an elite or super fast to have fun with race flats.”

While race flats are dialed in for specific distances and surfaces, trainers are generalists. Think of trainers like a paint roller, really good at covering 80% of the job, but when you want to do the detail work, the spots that require precision, you need to pick up a brush aka speed shoe.

Speed shoes add excitement and variety to your workout. They can even provide that extra psychological edge you need to get through a tough workout or race. If you train in heavier less responsive shoes then switch to your light snappy race flats on speed days and BOOM! Instant adrenaline and reduction in perceived effort.

Just about all the major shoe manufacturers have race flats that work well with one of their daily trainers. If you have a favorite coupling leave a comment. If you are looking for a good pairing for your daily trainer, ask in the comments.

6
Comments

Have something to say? Leave a Comment

  1. Rene Amador says:

    Hi,
    I run in the Lunarglide 7 as my trainer. What do you recommend for a speed day shoe?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Rene, I am currently mixing up the LUNARGLIDE 8 with the Nike ZOOM Streak 6. The Streak 6 is GREAT.

  2. Hi,

    I’m currently training with a pair of Saucony Triumph Iso 2 and I use NB Fresh Foam Zante v2 for race days… is that a good combination? I’m a neutral runner, 167 lbs and 5’7.

    Thanks!

    1. That sounds like a great combo Luis. How do you feel it is working for you? Does the lighter shoe help you feel faster on race day?

  3. Thanks Thomas,

    I feel it’s working just fine but after race day my ankles feel devastated and I don’t know if it is because the FFZ v2 don’t grab the ankle that much… My usual pace in race is 5:15 – 5:30 but in this last race (Sunday) I ran the last 200 meters at 3:50 and it felt good but I ended up with sore ankles. You think I should do something different?

    By the way, I LOVE your website and reviews! My wife really likes the articles.

    1. If you are getting ankle pain, I would check that out with a PT. Switching the shoe might help, but knowing what the issue is will help you pick the right shoe.

      Thanks for the compliment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Post
Next Post
Previous Post
Read Article
General Running • September 18, 2016

The Legacy of Pearl Izumi Run

Next Post
Read Article
General Running • September 18, 2016

A Review of Run Fast Eat Slow