Purpose
Running spikes are especially helpful at the beginning of a leg thrust and in slippery racing conditions. Racers often carry spares of several types of legal spikes to fit into the special plates on the soles of their racing flats.
Training
Saucony women's spike. Photo courtesy of Saucony
Running in spiked shoes takes practice, so a good proportion of training runs are conducted with spiked shoes on one's feet.
Cross Country vs. Track & Field
Mizuno hard plate spiked shoes. Photo courtesy of Mizuno
A cross-country runner's spikes tend to be longer than a sprinter's, because the surface of a cross-country racing course tends to be softer, or at least more variable, than an artificial track surface.
Distance Running
Photo courtesy of New Balance
Some distance runners use particularly knobby-soled shoes for racing. They swear by the efficient conversion of leg thrust to forward motion. These permanent spikes are protrusions permanently molded into shoe soles.
Types of Spikes
Pyramid spikes are most common, pictured near the beginning of this article. In addition, there are needle spikes (which are thinner), blunt-nosed spikes and Christmas tree spikes (which have ridges and help a hurdler launch off the track).
