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Thanks to a carbon-fiber plate and a snappy outsole plate, this spike has a springy feeling at quicker paces. The right shoe for: Long track races to 10,000 meters ItвЂ™s unclear how they count a shoe like the MetaSprint, which has eight clusters of raised hexagonal shapes, but itвЂ™s been approved for competition by World Athletics. Current World Athletics regulations stipulate a maximum of 11 pins on the sole of a track spike. Those had dozens of tiny needles on the bottom for grip, helped runners set world records, and were banned. ItвЂ™s a noticeable effect that feels off initially but smooths when you turn on the speed.ДЇootwear tech has been under scrutiny in recent years, and the MetaSprint calls to mind PumaвЂ™s вЂњbrush spikesвЂќ from the late вЂ™60s. Beyond the traction component, the shape of the sole is novel, too, in that the plate is curved and forces your foot to roll inward on toe-off so that youвЂ™re pushing off directly over your big toe for maximum propulsion. Instead, thereвЂ™s a honeycomb pattern of jagged edges that bite into the track. The entire outsole is made of a carbon-fiber plate, but the forefoot doesnвЂ™t include any metal pins. The MetaSprint is wildly different from your usual track spike. The right shoe for: Early adopters going no more than one lap Instead, thereвЂ™s a little bit of a flare in the forefoot, squaring it up a bit and accommodating wider feet. The fit is also different than typical, as itвЂ™s not long and skinny like spikes of old. The sole isnвЂ™t soft in the general sense, but itвЂ™s less punishing than a conventional track spike without being slowed by cushioning. Instead, you feel tension build and the shoe load up as you press your weight down into it, then launch forward with toe-off. The sensation isnвЂ™t springy, like you might expect from ZoomX, a Pebax-based foam (the same used in the Vaporfly) thatвЂ™s extremely lightweight, well-cushioned, and has boatloads of energy return. The shoe is entirely weird the moment you step into it-its tippy, and you feel two distinct bulges under your foot.

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It uses a combination of a two-piece Air unit and springy ZoomX foam, plus a stiffening carbon-fiber plate to help you rocket around the track. The most futuristic track spike on the market today is the all-new Victory. The right shoe for: Front-runners looking to win a 5,000-meter race Plus, we tested each pair while wearing socks as well as with bare feet to help you determine the right pair for your next race. To evaluate this crop of spikes while we still work from home, our test team hit our local tracks once the winterвЂ™s snow finally melted for speed sessions ranging from 200-meter repeats up to mile-long intervals. Middle-distance spikes fall somewhere in between.ДЄlthough our 2020 racing season was canceled because of COVID-19, weвЂ™re looking ahead to returning to the oval this year.

Distance spikes, on the other hand, have a slight bit of cush under the heel.

SprintersвЂ™ spikes run extremely rigid and lack any cushioning but maximize grip so you can go as fast as possible without any slippage. TheyвЂ™re also more specialized than ever, with different shoes catered to sprinters (up to 400 meters), middle-distance runners (generally 400-5,000 meters), and distance runners (1 mile or 5,000 to 10,000 meters). TodayвЂ™s track spikes push the limits on materials and technology, utilizing everything from carbon-fiber plates to Boa lacing systems.