I'm not a "runner", but I used these for what was for me a great challenge: up and down a 2.1 mile, 2000 foot vertical rough mountain trail, the last 500 feet through snow.  With no other footwear could I have made the run with such confidence and joy -- and as I said, I'm definitely not a runner, just someone who likes hiking in pretty places.  Just tighten the drawstring laces until it's almost painful, and the shoe will land and grab wherever you put your foot down.  You can control the contact pressure to "set an edge" on a downhill turn or get a grip on loose uphills.  Loosen the laces a bit and you have a comfortable all-day urban walker.