Women's Athletics Shoes: Track Speed & Race Day Grip

In the 19th century, spiked shoes were created thanks to the ingenuity of an Englishman named William Foster. For his own needs, he forged such shoes in order to make his performances more demanding. He then offered them to his runner friends before officially marketing them.

The benefit of these spiked shoes is that they allow women who enjoy running and other sports activities to run faster. Speed is made possible by the grip of the spikes on the ground.

Female runners and athletes: how to choose your spiked shoes?

Track spikes, as we have just highlighted, provide better grip on the terrain used, which gives greater speed. However, it is not recommended to choose track spikes abruptly and suddenly. On the contrary, they should be introduced gradually into your training sessions to prevent any form of injury. If you are a runner who regularly takes part in running sessions, the use of spiked shoes should be limited to twice a week at first. If you then notice significant improvements, all that remains is to choose spikes suited to your needs. There are many types of spikes:

• Cross-country spikes : these require greater traction. Naturally, they are therefore larger in size. Moreover, they are often pyramid-shaped. In terms of size, these spikes vary from 9 mm to 15 mm. We recommend choosing 9 mm spikes if you are used to running on hard or rocky ground, and choosing a larger size if your preferred terrain is covered in mud.
• Needle-shaped spikes : these are perfectly suited to running and other performances carried out on tracks. For best results, spike size here should be between 5 and 9 mm at most.

Remember that you must absolutely avoid asphalt or concrete tracks otherwise you will wear out the spikes very quickly.

Spiked shoes: choosing the right size

The size of your spiked shoes is more than essential if you want to avoid pain and other foot-related problems. Indeed, women's spiked shoes that are too small will squeeze their feet uncomfortably and prevent them from achieving the expected results. Conversely, shoes that are too large will cause blisters. That is why female runners must pay close attention when choosing their size. To do this, follow these steps:

• Measure your foot : first, measure the length of your foot. To do this, place a white sheet of paper against a wall, put your foot on it, then measure from the heel to the longest toe. Then simply make a mark to get your size.
• Allow some extra room : for greater comfort, it is always wiser to allow an extra half centimeter or even a full centimeter.