Oct 02, 2024 09:00:00

Research shows that technologically advanced 'super spikes' can reduce middle-distance running times by up to 3.1%

In recent years, advanced running shoes have

taken the track and field world by storm , with athletes wearing thick-soled running shoes repeatedly breaking world records in marathons. A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts recently reported that 'super spikes' using carbon fiber plates and other materials can increase the speed of athletes competing in middle-distance races from 800m to 1500m by an average of 2% and up to 3.1%.

Self-perceived middle-distance foot race pace is faster in advanced wear technology spikes - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254624001315

New UMass Study Shows that 'Super Spikes' Can Increase Track Running Speed by 2% : UMass Amherst

https://www.umass.edu/news/article/new-umass-study-shows-super-spikes-can-increase-track-running-speed-2

Super Shoe Technology Put to The Ultimate Test For Middle Distance Athletes : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/super-shoe-technology-put-to-the-ultimate-test-for-middle-distance-athletes

According to Uter Hofkammer of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, middle-distance runners started wearing super spikes around 2019, and in recent years, almost all runners in high-level competitions wear super spikes. Montgomery Bartsky of the research team said about 'super spikes,' 'They are typically thick but lightweight, highly elastic, and have a flexible midsole combined with a stiff carbon fiber plate.'

Until now, unlike short-distance and long-distance races, where factors such as a runner's energy efficiency and speed can be easily tested, tests for middle-distance races are complicated, and the superiority of super spikes has not been clear. 'Many people acknowledge the recent development of spike technology, but it was unclear whether runners can run faster because of spikes, or whether runners' training techniques have simply improved, or whether tracks that allow them to run faster have been built,' said Hofkammer.

The research team used three types of super spikes for their experiments: a PUMA prototype spike for mid-distance running, a PUMA prototype spike for long-distance running, the PUMA evoSPEED Long Distance Nitro Elite+ , the Nike ZoomX Dragonfly , and the Adidas adizero Avanti TYO , as well as the PUMA EVOSPEED DISTANCE 9 , which is not a super spike. They then conducted an experiment with 12 participants, asking them to sprint 200m at a pace similar to that of an 800m to 1500m race.

Typically, to measure a runner's performance, the air exhaled by a runner running at a sprint or marathon pace on a treadmill is measured. However, in middle-distance races,

anaerobic energy metabolism becomes important for runners, and measuring only breathing does not produce accurate results. Therefore, the research team had subjects sprint at a middle-distance race pace, so that they could measure and analyze their exhaled air.

As a result of the experiment, athletes wearing the PUMA evoSPEED Long Distance Nitro Elite+ and Nike ZoomX Dragonfly recorded an average performance improvement of 2%, ranging from 1.8% to 3.1%. This is a speed that can reduce time by up to 5 seconds in a 1500m race. In addition, the research team found that the factor that improves performance with super spikes is that 'runners' stride length becomes wider.' Hofkammer reported, 'In a 1500m race, athletes wearing super spikes took 17 to 21 fewer steps compared to conventional spikes.'

'Historically, the difference in race times between medal-winning and non-winning athletes in competitions like the Olympics has been less than 0.5%,' said Ethan Wilkie, a scientist at the University of New Brunswick. 'The 2% speed advantage we found in this study represents a significant advantage over runners who don't wear superspikes.'

Previous studies have also shown that superspikes are more beneficial for female runners than for males. '32 world records will be broken at the 2024 Paris Olympics, in part due to improvements in shoe performance, including superspikes,' Hofkammer claims.