We're pleased to serve all our school and extra curricular youth track teams! We hope that our expert service and excellent selection will make your season a winning one, both for you and your team!
First, remember that Phidippides Encino is the place to find the best selection of training shoes to do the bulk of your running in. The training shoes offer better fit options and considerably more support and cushioning than the racing shoes. Racers should really be used primarily for occasional time trials and, of course, on race day, as the extra stress the lighter weight and less supportive racers place on your legs and feet can be detrimental to your performance if used in place of trainers. Be aware that the racing shoes have no support for overpronators, and quite frankly, some runners are better off doing all their training and racing in a more supportive training shoe and eschewing (hate to say it, but no pun intended) the racing category all together. The pressure is always there to use racers, but sometimes it is just not the right way to go. And for those of you trying spikes on for the first time, they will feel quite different than any other shoe you have tried before.
Track spikes have no support to speak of and are simply ways for you to secure the spike plate to your foot. However, track spikes are pretty much a requirement if you are doing track and field. The basic spikes include models for sprint (with no heel wedge), middle distance (a small heel wedge) and long distance (with a thin full length midsole and wedge). At the upper price range are the specialty spikes for specific event (long jump, high jump, shot and discus, etc). Most younger runners will do fine with one of the mid price point general purpose spikes, which are all around $60.
This year's line up of spikes is the best ever. There are lots of new introductions from Brooks, Asics and Saucony, including several new women's specific spikes - even a couple of women's sprint spikes!
Since there is really not much support difference between the spikes, fit should be your primary goal within the distance cateogry you will compete in. Most track runners fit themselves slightly tighter and shorter than they would in a training shoe. This can be a bit tricky in younger runners whose feet are still growing quickly. The main goal is to make sure that the width is a good snug fit. The high speed turns on the track will make sloppy fitting shoe perform less efficiently and can cause blisters.
We have pictured some of our spikes below. So come one in and let us help you gear up for a winning season.
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