Triathlon - Shoe Snugness

I don't know why I find myself thinking about these sort of things but let me toss this question out for discussion. When I was fitted for running shoes recently I bought a pair of Asics Kayano's since that's what the guy recommended would be best for me given my current level of fitness, level of pronation, etc. So today I'm out running in them and I'm wondering how tight I should be tieing them. Right now the shoes are loose enough that I could slide them on and off without tieing them, but I don't. I untie them before removing them from my feet. I'm wondering if it is a mistake to wear them so loose. Should I tie the shoes a little tighter? Does a loose shoe function the same, stability wise, as one tied more snugly or does it even matter? Not that it should matter but I'm tieing these shoes with the laces that came with the shoes. I haven't converted over to lace locks or speed laces.

Perhaps next time I run I should concentrate more on my heart rate than my shoes :)

I'm pretty sure that how tight the shoe is tied is important.

One of my friends who runs alot and is on the track team ties his shoes 3-4 times before a run to get it perfectly. Apparently running with loose shoes irritates him that much.

Also, when I used to run, running with loose shoes would cause my ankle to hurt after about 2 miles.

Zack -
- As to how snug is a matter of personal choice and comfort
- IMHO, No a shoe does not loose function or stability.
Like you, in training my shoes tend to have a bit more of a sloppy fit – in that I can pull them on and off without too much adjustment to my lace locks. It's more of a comfort thing for me to have them fit this way. For races my shoes are snug, but not too tight.
I also test shoes for 2 running mfg's and have an annual mileage of about 3,400 – so I have my feet in a ton of shoes throughout the year. Shoes tend to loose their sweet spot after about 350 miles…. IMHO after that you risk injury in that you are using a shoe that has lost its ability to protect and perform. For me after this point, the shoes are demoted to either lawn cutting/mall shoes or they end up in a a big trash bag in my garage (which has about 15-pairs in it currently) that are washed and ready to donate.

I tend to be pretty picky about my shoes too.
1. I rotate between 4-pairs of training shoes, not runing in the same pair 2-days in a row (unless I'm trying to complete the requirements of a test shoe). 2-pairs for racing (flats for short stuff and my matathon shoes)
2. All my shoes are stability shoes (except for the racing flats)
3. All of the above shoes have lace locks
4. I also know that certain shoes/shorts and tops are better for my daily 9-mile runs ....and others are better for the lsds of 18,20 and 22. So I think about my running gear alot, knowing you equipment can make or break you come race day. At the same time, on "race day" - I want to be sure "my equipment" is NOT something I'm giving any energy to - or thinking too much about.

So don't worry - you are thinking about the right things in training.

Thanks for the replies. Just to satisfy my curiousity I'm going to try lacing them up a little tighter next time to see how it feels. It's better to find this stuff out in training runs than in a race :)

if you're racing, get some lace locks. saves alot of time and you can dial them in. I spend a few runs adjusting mine then they are done.

IMO, it is personal preference.

The past year I have been running with elastic laces with the lace lock. Once I got the right tension dialed in, they are perfect. It is an easy slip on with no adjustment at the transition.

btw, I retire my shoes after 400-500 miles. I started getting shin splints and knee pain from running in a pair at around 600 miles. I bought a new pair and everything was back to normal.