Are SPD Pedals/Cleats Ok for Triathlon?

I use SPD. I don't leave my shoes clipped in. I put them on in transition and find that running in my MTB shoes  is pretty easy - easier than the roadie shoes. Maybe I will change my mind if I get faster and having the shoes clipped in shaves a few seconds off. Until then, I'm going with the MTB shoes. My last tri was a 100+ yard run from transition to the bike mount area. It was all grass, but Murphy's Law states that if there is a rock, bee, sticker patch, etc., I will definitely step on it and hurt myself if I am barefoot or in sockfeet. Gauranteed. I can clip in pretty fast with 2-sided pedals and my MTB shoes.

The bonus is that I have shoes that I can walk in (like stopping at 7-11 for gatorade isn't a problem and neither is walking a ways with a flat) and they go on all my bikes. I ride a lot though, and I like the flexibility.

I mainly use speedplay pedals for training, but my tri shoes have spd cleats so, I swap over to them just for races. 

Like another poster mentioned, I keep my shoes on the bike though, to there is no clip in or out needed.

SPDs will work. Saying that, like others have said, they work better if you keep them clipped in to the pedal for transitions. There are better pedal systems if you want to be able to run, let alone walk with some sense of security in the shoes. I find the cleats just stick out pretty far, making running difficult. A cleat and/or cleat/shoe combination that has a lower stack height and/or recessed cleat is easier and safer to run in. A perfect example is Crank Brother's Quattro road pedals. The cleat attaches to the shoe with a composite adapter plate that slightly recesses the cleat and provides a more stable platform to walk/run in, as well as providing more traction. Best of all, they will not clog with wet sand, mud, grass like some other pedal systems.

I do duathlons and have never been a fan of keeping my shoes clipped on the bike, and this is the best system for doing so IMO.

I don't have any races selected yet.  I am looking at next spring. 

Do you have any suggestions?

 Sergei

Thanks for all the replies.  All the information has been very helpful, and certainly gives me a lot to think about.

Sergei

If you tell us where you live, someone might have some races to recommend. 

I have no trouble walking in my road or tri shoes. Many of the road pedals have bigger platforms that I think long term are better for power transfer and keeping your feet happy without pressure points.

I just got a cyclocross bike and pulled out my old SPD pedals and don't really see much difference in walking around in tri/road shoes compared to MTB shoes.

Tri shoes are really best for doing fast transitions as they have usually only one velcro strape that opens away from your bike frame for safety if you do different transition strategies with leaving your shoes on your pedals.

I wear my road shoes in HIM or IM distance races as they are more comfortable and shorter races I use my tri shoes.