Tap, tap, tap, tap. That's the sound we mostly hear from our distance athletes during our harder workouts. The blown rubber outsole beneath the EVA midsole of most running shoes certainly has a distinct sound.
But I remember when my oldest son got his first pair of carbon-plated super shoes his junior year of high school that the tap, tap, tap, tap sound gave way to pop, pop, pop, pop. Being a neophyte to the carbon-plated shoe scene at the time (this was in the spring of 2019), I didn't know what to make of the new sound and certainly knew very little of the performance-enhancing effects it indicated.
I asked my son how the new shoes felt during the workout and he said the same default answer most high school runners say after a great workout, "awesome!".
So, it began.
A few of his teammates went and bought similar shoes and the era of "super shoes," "workout shoes," "fun shoes," "fast shoes," and even "race day shoes" began.
Fast-forward to 2026 and the carbon footprint of many high school distance athletes would drive the Green Party crazy. But this is the era we are in -- one of the three shoe arsenal. The daily trainer; the racing spike; and now, the super shoe. And many shoe companies market that trifecta very well.
Like it or not coaches and moms and dads, but just as the Timex Ironman Watch gave way to the Garmin Forerunner, your kid's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 may start to share time with the Brooks Hyperion Elite 6. I know, I know, I know. You're just now coming to grips with having to finance the racing spike. Like I've told parents for over two decades now when they ask if their son/daughter needs a spike, "did you buy them cleats when they went out for soccer or football or baseball or softball?" Sure you did. So why wouldn't you buy them "cleats" for cross country?
But now, the third shoe generation is upon us. And it's only going to grow from here. Do take note, mom and dad, that the $275 super shoe may not have to be the must-have. There are cheaper options. I'll let you have that argument with your athlete. But also know, chances are your kid has done their research, and they WILL sell you on why the carbon-plated super shoe is vastly superior to the dual super critical foamed shoe that may be as much as $100 cheaper. That's an argument you'll have to have with your son/daughter, but let's dive into the science behind this third wheel.
Whether it's a super-critical foam (PEBA, ATPU, and even some types of EVA that has some type of gas, usually nitrogen, fused into it) or a more responsive nylon or carbon plate, the midsole component of shoes has seen a back-and-forth overhaul in what is the latest and greatest technology that would even make the NCAA and their rule changes seem mild in comparison.
The goal of these technologies is to "respond" or propel the runner forward at toe-off. The way I like to explain it is you're jumping on a trampoline. It's bouncy and if you want to go higher, you need to push off harder. But what if you wanted to go higher with as little extra effort as possible? How would you do that?
Well, you'd get off the trampoline and go to each spring that connects the apron to the frame and tighten those springs, so it makes the apron even more taut. When you get back on the trampoline, you're now bouncing higher, with very little extra effort, as the apron is now more responsive to my impact on it.
That's a super shoe. And as the shoe flexes when the foot lands on the ground, the rebound of the flex springs back faster and with more force at the toe off, propelling me forward at a faster speed. It's not a new science in footwear as spikes -- both cross country and track spikes have been utilizing this technology for decades. But the more extreme version of this concept is more popular now than ever, and shoe companies have been genius in incorporating all their proprietary foams and plates into shoes that can be worn more frequently, i.e. during harder workouts.
And the wide array of such shoes is pretty endless as most shoe companies -- both major brands and lesser-known ones -- are producing these foot cannons at a Josh Kerr rate. Go visit your local Fleet Feet or other specialty run store and just ask to try them on and run a few steps. It's like eating one chip: you just can't stop there.
Is wearing them an advantage? Yes. Is it the sole or even primary reason for the super-fast times we've seen the last 5+ years? I don't know if I'd admit to that. That's another argument I'll take on at another time. But are these shoes a very important and potent ingredient in the trackflation of times that has inundated the sport? Yes they are. But that makes them an ingredient in that recipe and one that high school kids do need.
Nevertheless, what are we to do with the alleged simplicity of distance running that the old guard still likes to promote. I hear the proverbial comment from most coaches over the very young age of 30: "back in my day you got one pair of shoes at the beginning of summer and another one after the cross country season in early winter."
Well, times have changed. And the argument for the third shoe is as strong as ever. Is it the difference maker out on the course? Is it the difference between varsity and J.V.? Is it the difference between state placing and not even qualifying? That's all too tough to tell. Although times have diminished greatly in recent years, there are still countless athletes from 10, 20, even 30 years ago who'd do just fine today. But aside from the science of these shoes, there's a much more powerful "X" factor that they provide.
The "case for carbon" here is not to argue if having just one shoe to train in is good enough, but rather what's the best shoe for our interval training, double threshold days, or even our tempo/time trial practices.
Is it the daily trainer? For most, if not all high school athletes, the daily trainer works fine. But "fine" is not synonymous with "best" and maybe not even "good enough." As I mentioned above, having the super shoe for our workout days doesn't only offer the slight advantage, but there's also the "X" factor of feeling ready to run fast.
At the end of the day, coaches and parents, our athletes are still children. And like all of us, we're a bit "childlike" when it comes to sports. The kid in us wants to compete more so than the grown adult in us. And what kid doesn't like new shoes? When we got a new pair of cleats for soccer, we felt like we could kick that ball the length of the field with the precise accuracy of Pele. When we got new basketball high-tops we felt we could also jump from the top of the key like Air Jordan. And when our kids get a new pair of training shoes, that first run in them will spark the PR journey.
Well, what if during that first interval session, your athlete had a pair of super shoes? Would they feel a little faster? Would that be the reason, placebo or shoe technology aside, that they keep up a little longer with the runner who usually beats them on that interval? Maybe or maybe not.
But the "X" factor of feeling like you're ready on race day is immeasurable, so shouldn't we practice that way when a practice calls for it? You've got your uniform on; you've got the right socks on; you've got the right spikes on; you fueled that morning perfectly; you warmed up that morning perfectly; and your training, with super shoes, has gone great leading up that moment when you toe the line for a Saturday morning race.
There's value in that.
I tell my athletes all the time, be perfect at what you're in control of. And the majority of the time, we're in control of our equipment. So why wouldn't we want to have all the right stuff? Race day and practice days.
And mom and dad, I'm well aware of the financial strain a third pair of shoes may have. So have your kid get a paper route to pay you back the few hundred dollars or so a super shoe costs. Maybe they'll wear it each morning and when your neighbor hears them coming down the street as they wait for their paper, they'll be reminded that that's the local kid training to become a state champ. Maybe that kid will have a story about them someday in the sports section of the very paper they deliver to that neighbor.
Oh, and by the way, the fourth shoe isn't far behind. To be continued……..
Don't see your stats or think something's missing? Claim your MileSplit athlete profile now to take control of your results, PRs, and recruiting profile.
Tap, tap, tap, tap. That's the sound we mostly hear from our distance athletes during our harder workouts. The blown rubber outsole beneath the EVA midsole of most running shoes certainly has a distinct sound.