Question: trail races and trail shoes

4 watchers
May 2020
4:20pm, 31 May 2020
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GordonG
Thanks for the shoe recs SS and um
May 2020
4:41pm, 31 May 2020
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Dvorak
In practice they'd probably want a look at your soles. No lugs = no run? What if you turn up in a really worn pair of trail shoes though? Mine are pretty much worn smooth.
May 2020
5:28pm, 31 May 2020
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GordonG
That's kinda what I was getting at Dvorak. I have visions of being inspected like at school when they checked you had the correct school uniform!
May 2020
5:38pm, 31 May 2020
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rf_fozzy
1. I'd be surprised it any races happen this year.

2. The question I'd be asking myself is why has the organiser requested trail shoes? I.e. what terrain are you likely to encounter.

Only then can you make a sensible decision.

If it's just because it's on footpaths and might be a bit wet and muddy in places, then I'd suggest that the RO is making a silly requirement. Andpersonally I might be writing an email questioning the need - it's up to you if your trainers get muddy.

On the other hand if it's because it involves steep slopes/rocky sections etc, then the need for something with grip is sensible.

Once you know the terrain, it's then possible to judge whether you want a "light" trail shoe, something that's a bit heavier or a full blown fell shoe.

I will say I've done the 3 Peaks fell race in road shoes....

And as for kit checks - most biggish races and longer/higher fell races all require you to undergo a kit check (sometimes at random) to ensure you are carrying the correct gear - but that's about safety on the fells.
May 2020
8:13pm, 31 May 2020
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GordonG
Thanks for the detailed reply fizzy. It is around the downs of Kent to be fair, so very off road! :-)
May 2020
8:15pm, 31 May 2020
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GordonG
I should also have said that I've run around the area many times, always with road shoes.
May 2020
9:36pm, 31 May 2020
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The_Saint
I run a very tame undulating grassy section from work sometimes, if it has been raining and I have made the mistake of only having road shoes with me I have ended up on my arse more than once. This is elementary stuff. To be asking why suggests to me a lack of experience with off road.
Jun 2020
10:34am, 1 Jun 2020
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rf_fozzy
Saint - was that supposed to be a dig at me??

I'd hardly consider myself to be the font of all knowledge when it comes to offroad running, but to suggest I have *no* experience is stupid.

Appropriate kit for appropriate conditions (inc terrain) is the sensible way of thinking about these things.

There are some fell races, where in the current weather, I'd be perfectly happy wearing road shoes. There are other flat trail races in the winter where I'd wear nothing but mudclaws.

And with that I shall leave this thread since I'm not welcome here.
Jun 2020
11:29pm, 1 Jun 2020
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Fragile Do Not Bend
Having done a trail race around there in November a couple of years back, it can get really very muddy. Although it seems unlikely that will be the case in September, who knows what the British weather will throw at us?

If it does go ahead, I would ask the organisers for clarity. After all there are trail shoes that are really road/trail hybrids and then there are the ones with the deep lugs like Inov8 Mudclaws. You wouldn’t want to be disqualified because they don’t think the shoes you have are grippy enough.
Jun 2020
10:12am, 2 Jun 2020
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The_Saint
I was just being factual, if someone asks why you would need trail shoes for off-road running there is only one answer. I am slightly incredulous that someone who has run off road to any extent needs this explained so no doubt my incredulity comes through with my answers as it would if I was answering in person.

About This Thread

Maintained by GordonG
Hi all

i'm thinking of doing a trail race ultra (50k) later in the year. one of the rules o...

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