What spikes are built for
Spikes carry a stiff plate, usually carbon or a carbon-nylon blend, with removable pins that dig into the track surface for grip a rubber outsole cannot match. That grip and stiffness is exactly what a drive phase, a takeoff, or a hard curve needs, but it comes at a cost. Almost no cushioning sits under the foot, which makes spikes a poor choice for anything beyond a race or a genuinely fast, low-volume rep. Wearing them for daily mileage is a common way young athletes pick up an overuse injury, since there is nothing underfoot to absorb repeated impact.
