Race Shoes

With this being a new course on unfamiliar terrain, you might be wondering: What shoes should I wear this Sunday?  Here are some tips to consider when making your choice…

1.) The course is almost entirely on grass with some sections of dirt or leaf litter.  There are no extended sections of exposed rock.  There is one ~15′ long wooden bridge.

2.) Some of the grassy trails are lumpy, with lots of divots.  The single track has roots and some small rocks poking out.

3.) It has been a wet spring here in Northwest Vermont.  There will be muddy and swampy spots on the course (This is an understatement!  It’s downright sloppy out there.).  One of these saturated sections is when you are racing downhill into a sharp turn.

So… If you ever race in spikes (or at least a shoe with an aggressive lug), this would probably be the day.  If you have shoes that offer a little extra protection for the ankles or underfoot, that could come in handy.  If not, simply be aware of the ground underfoot and enjoy the ride.

Idea from Kasie: “I have found myself running on these trails in my plain old running shoes during mud season quite a lot and tend to stay on my feet just fine as long as I keep my center of gravity, well, centered.  I can also usually find a firm, drier spot to step on if I stay near the trail’s edge.  My shoes always dry back out and the mud gives them character!”