Runners! Please help me make a decision about these carbon plate shoes!

[Nancery]

I bought some Nike Alpha Fly carbon plated shoes for the London Marathon. They were heavily reduced due to being last years colours.

However… the logical side of me is now telling me to send them back.

I am an average runner, but I more keen on the anti fatigue element (I read carbon plates reduce this.)

I was initially not fussed about time, but I am so proud of how I’ve done, and that I’ve exceeded what I assumed I’d be capable of, that my original stance of basically wanting to finish has gone out the window. Will these help, or am I better sticking with my fabulous ASICS squishy trainers (which I only bought in Feb)? The Alpha’s are now repackaged and sat waiting to go back, but I just haven’t ‘got round’ to it.

I can afford them but I would it be better to put that money towards, say, a sports massage? Am I deluded thinking they’ll make much difference to my time and particularly the tiredness aspect? If I could run in them a few times and THEN decide it would be perfect, but obviously that’s not an option!

I’d love to hear others views on using this type of trainer.

I now have a rough marathon finishing time of 4hrs 15-25 apparently so am I deluding myself thinking that carbon plates would offer any benefit? I don’t know!

No advice but I am following as a total newbie who is running a half in october 🤐

Good luck with your half! Which is it? If you too decide to investigate the carbon plate angle, you can often get them from Sports Shoes.com with a significant discount.

I couldn’t justify full price but I can’t really justify having a pair in a box that I don’t need, even if they were 60% off! Hence the thread….

Do you love them? If you do, keep them and use them. But you absolutely need to do a few long runs in them before marathon day.

running is a hobby, it’s to be enjoyed. Who cares if others think you’ve “all the gear but no idea”. You’ll only keep doing it if you keep loving it.

if you find my running mojo half way round the course, could you send it back. I think I lost it on the start line in 2022!

I can’t answer your question without trying them, that’s half the problem! They may blow me away but it also may be a waste of £145 which I could spend on something else (probably marathon related - I never appreciated how expensive it was!)

I like the point about enjoying it though, rather than the focus being on ‘well, you’re average at best, don’t kid yourself’ which I also have at the back of my mind.

I would only wear them for a marathon if they were also the most comfortable shoes I’d ever owned but my feet were completely wrecked by the end even in ASICS that were basically slippers! In your place I’d give the shoes a go and if they didn’t work I’d try to sell them on vinted.

Christ, really? I agree the asics are soooo comfy! Like running on marshmallows!

If the carbons weren’t likely to sell out in my size at the reduced price I would’ve held off, but I didn’t want to regret it.

I've never ran further than a 10k race so no experience but.
If you feel like the shoes will give you confidence in your ability, and keep you running until the end then do it. Take them for a few test runs, see what you think. Then sell them on eBay/vinted to get some of your money back if you're still not sure.
If you don't try them, you'll always wonder what if....

Im an asics devotee so very biased, stick with what you know and have trained in, don't change anything about your marathon strategy. Send 'em back.