Spira Shoes - the shoe "banned" because it's so effective.

First, a personal disclaimer. This page is about my experience with Spira Shoes. I've used Spira's now for about five years, and this is my experience.

I'm not receiving any rewards of any type from Spira Shoes or any of their resellers. I do want people to check out this small 20 employee company located in El Paso, Texas and compare their products against the shoe companies we all know by name...

This website is about my love of running. I've run since my University of Texas days in Austin, Texas. I ran cross country, and lots of it.

I've been running ever since - over 40 years of running! Wear and tear inevitably occurs over that period. That's why I'm pretty fussy about my running shoes. The shoes I'm using now - Spiras - give me the support and cushioning I need. Here's why:

Spira shoes have a patented spring technology (I haven't seen it anywhere else) that cushions the heel strike area and in some models provides additional cushioning and protection over the forefoot area. These are not your slinky coil type springs! Spira's spring system reminds me of the little wavy springs that hold a piston ring in place. Spira's patent for the spring is called "Wave Spring" technology. I'd guess the spring assembly is about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick, and the springs are encased in the shoe itself. This picture from Spira's website will give you an idea:

Spira's WaveSpring technology.

Spira's spring system dramatically reduces the running impact on your feet. This means less injuries, faster recovery between workouts, and more efficient running. This is a significant technological advance in running shoes, especially for older or heavier runners! Also, Spira shoes don't degrade their cushioning abilities as they get older. The shoe itself will wear out before the springs do!

The International Amateur Athletic Federation and USA Track and Field must agree Spira is doing something unique, since they have 'banned' Spira footwear from the winner's circle in races like the Boston Marathon.

Runner David Cheruiyot did win the 2007 Ottawa Marathon in his Spiras. Cheruiyot is 37, and completed the course in 2:10:35: his personal best for the marathon by over 2 minutes.

The Ottawa Marathon apparently has no problem with Spiras: Cheruiyot was awarded the $15,000 first prize and an additional $4,000 bonus for setting a new marathon course record! That should keep David in shoes for a while. What's really important is what Cheruiyot says about the shoes. Before Spira, he felt his best running days were behind him. Now he's working and training towards a 2:08 marathon! David says his Spira's allow him to recover significantly faster after a hard race or workout. I'll second that!

After 40 years of running, I'll take all the help I can get. Like David Cheruiyot, I feel that the superior Spira technology significantly extends and enhances my pleasure in running. Don't get me wrong, there's lots of great running shoes out there - and every runner is an individual. But if your plagued by injuries or persistent soreness - if you think you just can't run anymore - you owe it to yourself to check out Spira Shoes.

Good Running!

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