ARE YOUR CARBON PLATED RUNNING SHOES HURTING YOU
Why Carbon-Plated Running Shoes Are NOT Ideal for Daily Use : What Every Runner Should Know
Carbon plated “fast” running shoes are growing more and more popular every day it seems, offering “free” speed and faster times across all race distances especially in the ever more competitive Marathon and IRONMAN races. While these shoes do offer significant performance benefits, they may not be the best choice for daily training and can quickly lead to injury and de-training. Want to know more? Read on ….
What Are Carbon-Plated Running Shoes?
Carbon-plated running shoes are high-performance footwear designed to improve running efficiency, speed, and energy return. These shoes feature a carbon fiber plate embedded within the midsole, which serves as a springboard effect to propel the runner forward. The primary purpose of the carbon plate is to enhance the energy return from each step. As the runner presses down on the shoe, the plate bends and stores energy, releasing it on the next step to propel the runner forward. This effect reduces fatigue, allowing runners to maintain a faster pace over longer distances. Many carbon-plated shoes incorporate innovative cushioning materials that absorb shock while also supporting the foot, giving a soft but responsive feel. The combination of cushioning and the carbon plate helps reduce impact on joints, while also providing a springy feel.
Why Carbon-Plated Shoes Aren’t Suitable for Everyday Running?
While carbon-plated running shoes are excellent for enhancing speed and efficiency during races and high-intensity training, they aren't ideal for everyday running due to several factors. Here’s why they may not be the best choice for regular use:
1. Limited Durability
Carbon-plated shoes are engineered with lightweight, high-performance materials designed for maximum speed. However, these materials are often less durable when used regularly for daily runs. The carbon plate and the midsole cushioning can break down faster with frequent use, meaning the shoes may lose their effectiveness and comfort over time. When used day in and day out, they might wear out quicker compared to more traditional running shoes built for durability.
2. Excessive Propulsion
The carbon plate inside the shoe is designed to create an energy return and propel the runner forward with each step. While this is temporarily beneficial during races or speed workouts, the excessive propulsion can be hard on your legs and muscles if used daily. This added propulsion can disrupt the natural running mechanics, leading to muscle fatigue and strain over time. In effect, the shoes give you free speed that YOU don’t have to create. When used frequently this can create poor gait habits and de-train correct biomechanics. The muscles that would normally help you create speed stop working as much as they used to, and when you remove the shoes you find that your gait is less balanced than it once was.
3. Risk of Overuse Injuries
Using carbon-plated shoes every day can increase the risk of overuse injuries. The shoes are designed to provide a very specific type of performance boost—helping runners maintain a high pace—but they aren't intended to be used in the repetitive, moderate-intensity training sessions that daily runners often do. The added stiffness and propulsion can place stress on the muscles, tendons, and joints, increasing the risk of injuries like tendonitis, shin splints, or stress fractures.
4. Lack of Cushioning for Long, Easy Runs
Although carbon-plated shoes provide some level of cushioning, they are generally designed for speed rather than long-distance comfort. Many of these shoes prioritize responsiveness and propulsion over the soft, plush cushioning that is typically required for comfort during long, easy-paced runs. If you're logging many miles at a slower pace, the lack of sufficient cushioning could lead to discomfort or even joint pain over time.
5. Unnatural Running Gait
The carbon plate is designed to optimize running for efficiency at faster speeds, which may not be ideal for everyday runs. For some runners, especially those who don’t need to push the pace, the plate can force an unnatural gait that doesn't align with how they typically run. Over time, using these shoes excessively could lead to poor posture or inefficient running mechanics, contributing to discomfort or injury.
6. Higher Cost
Carbon-plated shoes tend to be more expensive than regular running shoes due to the advanced materials and technology used in their construction. If you're using them every day, you might find yourself needing to replace them more often than you would with a pair of everyday running shoes, which could be cost-prohibitive in the long run.
When Should You Use Carbon-Plated Running Shoes?
Carbon-plated running shoes are designed with specific performance goals in mind, and while they aren't ideal for everyday running, there are key situations where they can truly shine. Here’s when you should consider using them:
1. Race Day
The primary and most obvious time to use carbon-plated running shoes is during race day. These shoes are engineered for speed, providing you with a performance boost when every second counts. Carbon-plated shoes are most effective on flat courses where the energy return and propulsion can be maximized. They’re particularly useful where the ground is even and you can take full advantage of the speed-enhancing properties of the shoe. The propulsion and energy return from the carbon plate help you maintain a faster pace over long distances, making them perfect for events like:
Marathons including the IRONMAN run
Half-Marathons including the 70.3 run
10Ks including the Olympic Distance Triathlon
5Ks including the Sprint Distance Triathlon
2. Tempo Runs or Speed Workouts
Another great time to wear carbon-plated shoes is during tempo runs or interval training. These types of workouts focus on running at a faster pace than your usual training runs, often at or above your lactate threshold. Carbon-plated shoes help you maintain this higher speed for longer periods of time, reducing the energy cost of each stride. Ideal workouts include:
Intervals
Fartlek runs
Hill sprints
Tempo runs
3. Target Marathon Pace Long Runs
In the final few weeks leading up to your peak marathon, if you plan to use these shoes in that race, start to use them for at least half of your weekly longest run session so that you can get used to them, test them with different socks and see how your body reacts to them. I’d suggest doing the first half of the long run in your usual shoes and then switching to your carbon plated shoes at the halfway point and see how you feel. Try to run on the same terrain as your planned race too.
Conclusion:
Fast, carbon plated running shoes are literally “drugs for your feet” and will bring you faster times until perhaps the day they are banned! Use them wisely to stay injury free and to PR when it counts ….. which is not on your daily run!!