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So... when it comes to the APFT you either get lucky with a 1-mile route and then just turn around and run back. But when you're not so lucky you have to run those 8 awful laps on a track that just mess with your head and always seem to ruin your normal run time. Wouldn't it be nice to kind of just even the playing field a little bit? I know that professional track and field athletes have special shoes/cleats that they wear for the particular purpose of running on a track and I'm wondering if there's any regulation out there that I haven't seen/read/heard about that says, "Don't wear cleats because we said so."
Are soldiers authorized to wear track shoes/cleats if only just for an APFT on a track?
Are soldiers authorized to wear track shoes/cleats if only just for an APFT on a track?
Running
APFT
Track and Field
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 14
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SSG (Join to see), I personally like running on the track. There isn't a turn around point where you have to slow down and you can keep track of your split times and know exactly where you are on the run. I think everyone has provided the regs here, so I won't go there. I wore long distance spikes in high school and college. They help, but only if you are already running at a pace that is...extreme. If you're not sub-11:00, I wouldn't concern myself with it. There are different kinds of spikes for distance and sprinting. If you go to a specialty store to buy them, you will see the difference. Sprinting spikes have no heel to them and distance spikes do. That being said, all the spikes on the distance shoes are still from the ball of the foot forward, which means that you should be running on the balls of your feet for 2 miles. Again, this gets into the precision running and sub-11:00 2-mile discussion. If you can't run on the balls of your feet for two miles, they aren't going to help all that much. They might actually do the opposite. The concept is that if you run on the balls of your feet and toes that you are propelling yourself forward with each stride. If you are "heel-to-toe" running like most untrained folks do, then when your spikes hit the track, they will bite and slow the roll of the foot...doing the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Spikes are for those that need to shave fractions of a second from their times.
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SSG (Join to see)
I'm a toe/ball of my foot runner. I do appreciate all the answers that I've gotten back in response to this question. My current squad likes to do a lot of cardio oriented PT and has started to get more into doing the APFT on actual tracks so I've just been weighing the options available to me.
Thanks again Sir.
Thanks again Sir.
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CW2 (Join to see)
Well said Sir. What did you used to run? I am trying to get back down there in the 11's
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Suspended Profile
Track athletes wear spikes for sprints, I am not aware of any 3200m specialist wearing them. They wear racing flats which are completely IAW AR 670-1 and FM 7.22.2
SGT Kevin Spradlin
It's true; distance runners regularly wear spikes in both cross country and track-and-field events.
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Suspended Profile
Yes to both above distance tracksters sometimes wear spikes but it depends on the surface as another post mentions.
Original point for spikes is to give more traction for sprinting; something that 2milers don’t need or use as they also start from standing.
It wouldn’t add anything to the APFT other than entertainment.
Original point for spikes is to give more traction for sprinting; something that 2milers don’t need or use as they also start from standing.
It wouldn’t add anything to the APFT other than entertainment.
CW2 (Join to see)
MAJ Charles Blake - The only factor spikes may play in the matter on the track is if it is slick/wet in any way. This would give you better traction for certain weather conditions. On a dry day I would leave it up to preference and comfort for the person taking the test. Now as far as it being approved I would leave that up to the CDR to provide input, the unit's MFT representative, or the PT Test NCOIC/OIC.
Knowing the Army and safety/injuries. I would advise against it because your may have someone who is not knowledgeable about what to purchase. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt and accidentally injuring themselves (like the people who think they can run a 10K in cross-fit shoes with a minimal drop and no support).
Knowing the Army and safety/injuries. I would advise against it because your may have someone who is not knowledgeable about what to purchase. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt and accidentally injuring themselves (like the people who think they can run a 10K in cross-fit shoes with a minimal drop and no support).
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GySgt Joe Strong
I Wore 1/8ths or longer on every track I ran on for distances up to 5k with the singular exception of the track at the University of Arkansas which at the time specifically forbade any spike shoe that didn't have blanks installed. I was a Mile & 2 Mile specialist. I've also worn spikes on 10k road races(winter ice can make for interesting choices).
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