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I've been doing a lot of training and some racing in spikes recently. My usual footstrike is almost flat-footed (but I'm not a slapper !), with heel and forefoot landing virtually the same time but the pressure being taken on outside of midfoot. In spikes, I find I clearly land to the forefoot, as often expected. The thing is, Coe and Martin seem to suggest I should then be rolling back onto the heel for a full support period before toeing off again. I DO seem to get the whole sole of the foot on the ground for a fleeting moment, but I don't really get much support from the rear of the foot. The forefoot pretty much takes it all. Now this is not necessarily a problem. I am able to complete 10 * 400m reps at mile pace like this with no problems (apart from oxygen debt), and now that my calves are used to spikes I get no aches. The question is, could I be getting a steadier middle-distance form by trying to promote a full foot-plant including heel? How do other spikes users fare? As a point of interest, on pg.6 of Better Training... Seb Coe *appears* to have his whole sole planted.

<snipped The question is, could I be getting a steadier middle-distance form by trying to promote a full foot-plant including heel? Run how it feels best to you - changing your foot plant on some perceptionwill slow you down (try it!) When I train/race in spikes, I'm farther up on the ball of my foot, and my heel touches down lightly if at all. But if you look at pictures of me at some stages in my stride, it looks like I'm standing full on one foot. Spikes help me keep my stride forward, and I land very consistently on the ball of my foot. (I'm a forefoot striker in any case, even for 5K/10K racing, though.)

The question is, could I be getting a steadier middle-distance form by trying to promote a full foot-plant including heel? Run how it feels best to you - changing your foot plant on some perceptionwill slow you down (try it!) When I train/race in spikes, I'm farther up on the ball of my foot, and my heel touches down lightly if at all. But if you look at pictures of me at some stages in my stride Good point Megan. I'd be pretty wary with this Charlie. Ultimately the foot plant is only a means to an end - running faster You've already got the mid/forefoot plant. I'd probably leave it there and just try to find a 'flow'. If you are going to take it further than that, i.e. worrying about exactly at what stage the heel is planted, I think you need to go to video analysis. Self analysis is going to be very difficult, especially when you're roaring round the track at 800m or mile race pace. Don't forget the 'snappy' footsteps though. Running like you're on hot coals. Last night I was doing some 'all out' 100's. One of the trainers came over to pick me up on my arm swing. For a distance runner it already felt like I was swinging madly. Apparently not so. He had me getting my elbows up near shoulder height!!! Felt bizzare, but seemingly not the case. I'd like to see a video replay And after spending the best part of 3 years learning to run faster and faster while keeping upper body movement to the absolute minimum necessary...   Miles

The question is, could I be getting a steadier middle-distance form by trying to promote a full foot-plant including heel? Run how it feels best to you - changing your foot plant on some perceptionwill slow you down (try it!) When I train/race in spikes, I'm farther up on the ball of my foot, and my heel touches down lightly if at all. But if you look at pictures of me at some stages in my stride It's been years since I trained/raced in spikes, but I am in agreement with Megan - it is something that unless there are gross mechanical abnormalities in your footplant/stride, should be something that should come quite naturally. It is true that there is a significantly diffrent feel to running in spikes or even road racing flats than in regular trainers. However a few workouts at racing speeds should get you used to the feeling. The physical lightness of racing shoes, and the added grippyness of spikes are obvious physical advantages. However, I have always liked the psychological effect of putting on light weight shoes for races. It does make you feel like you want to fly. As an aside I do the same thing for triathlons with my bike. I train on heavy un-aerodynamic wheels and then for race I put very light weight aerodynamic wheels on my bike for similar physical and psychological advantages as with racing shoes/spikes for running. Steve Fleck

I've been doing a lot of training and some racing in spikes recently. My usual footstrike is almost flat-footed (but I'm not a slapper !), with heel and forefoot landing virtually the same time but the pressure being taken on outside of midfoot. In spikes, I find I clearly land to the forefoot, as often expected. The thing is, Coe and Martin seem to suggest I should then be rolling back onto the heel for a full support period before toeing off again. I DO seem to get the whole sole of the foot on the ground for a fleeting moment, but I don't really get much support from the rear of the foot. The forefoot pretty much takes it all. You'd be suprised by the contact that your rearfoot makes, even when you think it doesn't.  Even world class 100m sprinters have some heel contact, and they are definitely forefoot strikers.  I used to think that when I was doing speed work, and races that I was definitely on my toes, but when taped and played back a slo-mo video analysis of my running form showed that I definitely had much more heel contact than I thought. I wouldn't worry too much about changing your foot strike pattern... just concentrate on running fast and running strong...