For now, if you want to benefit from a new shoe-customization process, you'll need to be an elite track racer sponsored by New Balance. But eventually the technology could be used on training shoes that anyone (with enough money) could order.
At the New Balance Games in New York on January 26, miler Jack Bolas was the first to compete in spikes that had a customized, 3D-printed plate (seen above). The customized plate, New Balance says, incorporated biomechanical data collected from Bolas; the goal is to make a spike unique to a runner's mechanics at race pace to improve performance. (New Balance calls this "hyper-customization.")
The plates are made in several layers using a laser. According to New Balance, this process allows "for complex designs that could not be achieved through traditional manufacturing methods."
Besides Bolas, 2011 world 1500-meter champion Jenny Barringer, 2012 5000-meter Olympian Kim Conley, and British miler Barbara Parker were part of the new process' development.
New Balance is working to bring the new process to softer materials, which could lead to it being used on midsoles of training shoes. If New Balance one day uses the new customization process on training shoes, the shoes would likely be created at New Balance's factories in Maine and Massachusetts, where other forms of customized shoes are already constructed.
All that said, always remember that shoes are a tool, not a magic bullet. In his debut race in the spikes, Bolas was fourth out of 10 runners.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
