We've just received a clarification of the BMAF rules regarding footwear which is now in line with World Athletics :
Until now , the choice for runners of any distance were shoes with a sole thickness max of 26 mm , (usually these are racing flats) or spikes, but there has been an important change in the ruling .
Effective immediately athletes can run in shoes of up to 40mm sole thickness which brings in to play pretty much any cushioned road running shoe with a maximum 40 mm sole thickness (there are still the odd exceptions so still check but the vast majority of road shoes are now acceptable for track running .
Alongside that rule change is the clarification on spikes and types of spikes permitted . This is more about track protection than anything else , but the only types of spike permitted are the so called christmas tree spikes (still quite uncommon ) or the very common pyramid spikes both with a normal maximum length of 6 mm .
The rule change on road running shoes being able to be used on tracks is a great way to be able to transition from road to track smoothly so anyone thinking of trying the track can now do so easily.
Dave Watson
NOTE: I should be said.....this is the latest position with a situation that may not have fully resolved yet!
NOTE: Rules for Field events differ.
