Is the Lunar Racer a flat replacement or in-between a trainer and flat?

probably my favorite trainer ive ever worn, bar none. ive been running in speedstars and ds trainers, but found those too bulky. im no barefoot maniac, but i can definitely rotate 2 or 3 pairs of lunars and feel good running 100 a week. if you like the lunars, you will definitely like the kinvara as well, a half size smaller.

anyone who runs in a beefier neutral shoe would probably like the racer for tempos or track work. feels like more like a trainer than a stiff sock like the hyperspeed.

Trainer. Personally, it feels too mushy for anything fast-- you don't pop off the ground. Racing flats for harder stuff.

another two cents wrote:

Trainer. Personally, it feels too mushy for anything fast-- you don't pop off the ground. Racing flats for harder stuff.

Cool. Thanks for the info. I'm thinking about getting a pair for tempos, hill workouts, faster training runs, etc. and using my Streak XC for intervals and track work. Is the Racer cut out for stuff like that? I've been using the Lunarfly as my main training shoe and I like it so far.

I don't like them for anything fast and not a good hill shoe. I see them as more of a recovery shoe. Again, they don't have good pop off the ground, but your feet and legs will love them for easy running.

I found them too soft for anything under 10K. Perfect shoe for a marathon though, my legs never felt so good after I has finished, they're a tad heavy, but they absorb the shock very well. I know the Lunaracer 3 is going back to the original midsole, a lot lighter.

Lunalon wrote:

I found them too soft for anything under 10K. Perfect shoe for a marathon though, my legs never felt so good after I has finished, they're a tad heavy, but they absorb the shock very well. I know the Lunaracer 3 is going back to the original midsole, a lot lighter.

When is the Lunaracer 3 coming out?

Lunalon wrote:

they're a tad heavy.....

I thought they were like 5.5 oz ?

doing pretty much all of my training in the Lunar Racer 2, and I have a pair of original Lunaracers that I saved for longer races (will likely wear them at New York). Occasionally will run in the Lunar Fly, but don't like them as well. I use the Streak XC for races 5K and shorter.You are correct that the Lunar Racer 3 will be a lot like the original Lunaracers, they'll be in the Spring '11 line (January release).

Disclaimer: I do NOT work for Nike, but have a friend there in footwear development.

uhhh, yeah......dude, weigh the friggin shoes!!! quicker still, pick them up, one in each hand....yeah, lunar's are just as light, prob lighter than streaks. streak's a great shoe but lunar is pretty much superior to anything on the market. think about the reduced pounding on your legs, can't argue that one. they may "feel" soft, but after a few miles on pavement, your legs will always thank you.

dude-

Trainers are flats, idiot. They don't have spikes.

You guys think the LunaRacers are bulky and slow? What the hell, they are the lightest pair of shoes I have ever seen. I have a pair of the originals and certainly do not believe they are too bulky for racing.

Rickey Henderson wrote:

You guys think the LunaRacers are bulky and slow? What the hell, they are the lightest pair of shoes I have ever seen. I have a pair of the originals and certainly do not believe they are too bulky for racing.

It depends on what you're used to. I've been running in flats for years and especially like the Nike Mayfly. I got a pair of the Lunaracer 2 and they felt very bulky, heavy and stiff compared to what I was used to wearing. But sometimes I like the extra cushioning. For example, I recently had some injury problems and I think switching between the Lunaracer and the Mayfly is helping to straighten things out. I wouldn't race (short distances) in the Lunaracer, but that's my personal preference. As for the original question about the Lunaracer being a flat, I'd say it is, but there are many different levels of racing flats depending on what you're doing.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

I've been running in flats for years and especially like the Nike Mayfly...I recently had some injury problems .

And there you go.

I thought you were one of those people that were always injured, and didn't actually run/race much (but preferred talking about running), or am I confusing you with someone else?

juicy juicer wrote:

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

I've been running in flats for years and especially like the Nike Mayfly...I recently had some injury problems .

And there you go.

I thought you were one of those people that were always injured, and didn't actually run/race much (but preferred talking about running), or am I confusing you with someone else?

I was injured more and more often before minimalism, with worse injuries. And I've said a million times minimalism is not a cure-all. Shoes are not the only cause or cure for injuries.

I raced a lot in high school and some of college, then went through a long time being injured off and on and quit racing for a few years. When I was running, I wasn't racing. I was just trying to stay healthy. I've only recently started racing again within the past year or so, but I'm not fast by letsrun standards. Just happy to be out there again. Sure I've had a few niggles here and there, but I've been able to nip them early and get back to training, unlike before when I kept getting stress fractures that would wipe me out for months at a time.