This year I have read both Kara Goucher’s and Des Linden’s books and each of them had a moment in their career where they were kind of “left in the dust” as people started to run in shoes that contained a carbon fiber plate. AKA “super shoes”. 

This technology isn’t super new at this point. Most major shoe brands have now released running shoes with carbon fiber plates. But I haven’t had my hands (or feet) on (in) them until recently. 

Are carbon fiber plates truly an amazing feat of engineering that will turn everyone into an amazing runner? Well… some of that statement may be true. 

What is Carbon Fiber?

Carbon fiber is a super strong material that can withstand much force while still being incredibly lightweight. It can be super rigid and stiff while being made of fibers that can be as thin as human hair. Carbon fiber is stronger than steel, but it’s not indestructible. The recent Titan accident was a submersible with a carbon fiber hull. But while the world may be seeing more and more carbon fiber use cases each day, its history actually dates back to Thomas Edison. So yes, it probably is an amazing feat of engineering but also a lot older than many people realize. 

So how does this apply to running? By putting a carbon fiber plate inside of running shoes, the stiff material can compress the foam, allowing it to expand back quickly. This bounce back can give a return on energy to the runner. There are reports that carbon fiber can help the runner roll through their big toes better which improves the power of the push-off. 

Does it Improve Running?

For elites, yes… it has definitely improved running times as records have fallen right and left over the past few years. I think just about every elite runner at all major marathons will now be wearing “super shoes” by this point because the difference is so much they can’t take the chance that just their efforts alone are enough against the carbon fiber.

But for the average Joe or Jill Runner? It would appear so, as there have been studies that show the shoes improve running economy by 4% and that can improve performance times by 2%. 

That 2% improvement could make the difference for a runner trying to squeeze out a Boston Marathon qualifying time (the famous BQ) or maybe even win their age group at a local 5k.
Plus the way the shoes work, they can help take some load off the joints and that could reduce the risk of knee injury by placing the effort back in the foot. 

Is there a downside?

I’m going to say the biggest issue is the price. When I was a coach there were a lot of people who didn’t want to pay the $120-150 for a pair of running shoes from a running specialty store. I would encourage them to please go get a proper fitting for at least their first pair, but many people went to discount shoe stores and bought shoes they found on the shelves. And while they may be some of the same brands you’d see in a running magazine, those are frequently different models that are not engineered the same. 

So when it comes to paying well over $200 and close to $300 for a pair of carbon fiber shoes… that can hurt. Some feedback suggests the shoes would last the same as typical running shoes, with a 300-500 mile lifespan (depending on your size, lighter runners can usually get more miles from a pair). But there are also some stories of the shoes deteriorating faster. So paying double(ish) more often is hard to swallow. Especially in this economy! 

Carbon fiber shoes could also increase the potential for injury. Wait! Didn’t I just say that it could reduce injury risk? Well… like so many things in life, there are two sides to this coin. Remember how we pointed out that carbon fiber is stiff and firm? Well, this means the plate doesn’t bend, so there is more effort placed on the lower extremities. And if someone has weak feet, ankles, and/or calves they might actually be injured more. 

There are a lot of children/tweens that are starting to run and race in super shoes and in an episode of their podcast, Goucher and Linden both agreed that it was probably not a great plan to use them all the time as they should be building up the strength that your own body can produce. That’s probably true for everyone, which leads me to my own time spent in these shoes so far. 

My Experience

I got a pair of Adidas Adizero Pro shoes with a carbon fiber plate. The shoes are considered unisex, so sizing was a little different in the buying process. They cost $250 at the time, but they seem to be on sale at the moment! 

Taking them out of the box I was pretty shocked at how light they were. They felt great as I was putting them on, the upper was super thin and breathable. And then I stood up… 

Whoa… most carbon fiber shoes have a rocker bottom, meaning they are not totally flat to help you roll through the whole push-off motion. It’s mostly in the mid-to-fore foot and that helps you roll off your toes. And I absolutely HATE HATE HATE walking in them due to this whole feeling. It definitely left me feeling a little unbalanced. A little like walking in clip-in cycling shoes, but even weirder.  

Running in them was different though. It definitely took me my first mile to get used to them, kind of like getting my sea legs on a boat or something. But once I did, each subsequent mile was a tiny bit faster. 

And subsequent runs in them just feel natural the moment I start running. But walking is still super weird in them.

I haven’t had a chance to race in them, because I’m not racing a ton and it’s super hot here in Vegas now that July is upon us. I also don’t think I will use them as an everyday training shoe. Instead, I will treat them like I do my other shoes and add them to the rotation. They are just another training option for now. Maybe one run each week will be in these like I use my super thin shoes one or two times a week for strengthening and more cushioned shoes once a week to minimize pounding. I don’t think I’m going to be breaking any records or even setting any new PRs through the use of them. But I’m glad I have the chance to try them and see what all the hype is about!