Defining a middle distance event is tricky because most people have different opinions about what should be considered one and what shouldn’t.
For the sake of simplicity, we’ll consider high school middle distance events the 400m, and the 800m, and college middle distance events 800m to2 mile.
If you’re in the 400-800 group, you can wear high-end sprinting spikes mentioned in this post.
However, if you’re in the other groups, check out the ones listed below for a better fit. In addition to shoes, you want a good middle distance runner winter training plan to prepare for next season.
High-End Mid Distance Track Spikes
These are the more expensive middle distance running shoes perfect for a college athlete or a state-meet-bound high school runner. ($80+)
| Name | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adidas Arriba 4 |  |
$$$ |
| New Balance MMD800V3 |  |
$$$ |
| Saucony Men's Ballista |  |
$$$ |
| Mizuno Geo-Silencer 7 |  |
$$$ |
All of the shoes performed well on the track, but the most comfortable one of them all were the MMD800s. They were incredibly light, and the spikes feel more like socks than running shoes.
The Ballistas and the Arribas also performed great.
The Geo-Silencer is a very sleek and light pair of spikes that can be used for a very wide range of events. (100m-1 mile)
Regular
The following shoes are still high quality, but are a bit cheaper than the above models.
| Name | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Saucony Showdown |  |
$$ |
| Saucony Endorphin MD4 |  |
$$ |
| New Balance MMD500V3 |  |
$$ |
| Puma TFX Star V2 |  |
$$ |
The Showdowns and the MMD500V3s are the best performers of the group, but the Endorphins and the V2s are not far behind.
The Showdowns are usually considered to be sprinting spikes, but they are lighter than most middle distance shoes, and the heel has enough support for running longer distances.
The Endorphins run half a size small, so if you’re a size 12, you should order 12.5s. They are very lightweight and they have an aggressive spike plate.
The MMD500s look more like regular running shoes, but they perform incredibly well on the track. These can be used for events between the 200m-1 mile, and for jumps or hurdles.
The TFXs have the biggest heel support out of all of these shoes, so they should be used for longer distances like the 800, 1 mile, and the 2 mile. They’re the ones I’d get if I were running just for weight loss.
Low-End
At this point, the quality of the shoes is pretty much the same and your goal should be to get the cheapest pair you can find.
| Name | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
| New Balance MLD5000 |  |
$ |
| New Balance MXC700V2 |  |
$ |
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