Title: Everything You Need To Know About Spikes | Runner's World
Headings: Everything You Need To Know About Spikes
Everything You Need To Know About Spikes
Learn how to find the spikes that are right for your needs

Content: The Right Spikes For You
Greg Weich, track and cross-country coach at girls' state champion Smoky Hill High School in the Denver area, says athletes should first decide on the purpose of their spikes: for sprinting, distance running or field events. Sprint spikes are designed to put an athlete on his or her toes and, to save weight, have little or no heel. The spike plate (the forefoot platform into which pins are mounted) of a sprint shoe also has the maximum number of pins to provide as much traction as possible. By comparison, track distance shoes have a relatively substantial heel, in some cases with the same lightweight cushioning material found in training shoes, to accommodate the more flat-footed landing of a distance runner. Distance shoes also have fewer pins, usually between three and seven. Buying Spikes: Price and Fit
Spikes can vary greatly in price, with high-end models $100 and up. These are lightweight models with quality construction in the heel. Weich says most runners can obtain a good enough pair in the $50 range.