Wait, it's September??? We can't believe the summer months are almost at an end. August may have been the busiest month in Doctors of Running history, with 17+ new reviews and updates along with four new podcast episodes and the addition of a new resource page. We are working hard to provide some content we've been dreaming of doing for awhile now and are excited to share a few more things in the coming months to round out the year. In the meantime, we wanted to pause and talk about something we've been doing lately on our Instagram daily - Poll of the Day! For the past two months, we've been connecting with our IG community to learn more about your preferences and interests. Read on to see what we've learned lately.
FOUR SURPRISING RESULTS AMONG OUR READERS
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| Photo of Kosmo and his pair of XTEP 160x 2.0. This has nothing to do with anything and everything at the same time. |
1. Injuries have starkly played a role in at least half of our respondent's answers
According to our most recent poll on plantar fasciitis, 50% of responders indicated that it has been a lingering problem in the past year. Over 55% of respondents indicated they had had ankle sprains in the past year/ A large proportion of messages we receive tend to be injury-related questions. Injuries are a tough part of running and one we try to spend a lot of time on in our podcast work to help bridge the gap between what we do on the site and the PT work we do daily.
2. Despite the maximal movement in running, a large majority of you still prefer a more traditional underfoot feel
Over 57% of you indicated that you preferred something closer to a traditional stack height than the high cushioned shoes we're seeing more and more of. Durability is still important as well, with 65-70% of you indicating that that was an important factor in purchasing a shoe. With the cost of shoes rising daily, it certainly makes sense that we want a durable rotation that will last us miles of training. In terms of performance, the majority of you - 58% - preferred a soft and flexible forefoot in your daily trainer rather than a firm and controlled foot.
4. Carbon plated racing shoes are the new normal in racing shoes
LATEST REVIEWS AT DOCTORS OF RUNNING
Daily Trainer
Mizuno Wave Sky 5 Review - A premium cushioned trainer featuring a brand new Mizuno Enerzy Lite foam and Enerzy Core in the midsole
Asics Kayano Lite 2 Review - Some subtle, more eco-friendly elements are the highlight of the excellent geometric stability trainer from Asics
Asics Dynablast 2 Review - Dropping the stack down to 8 mm makes the Dynablast a versatile, comfortable ride that will like work well for a large number of neutral runners
Mizuno Wave Rebellion Review - Mizuno joins the plate wars with a glass fiber plated trainer combined with their Enerzy Lite foam to offer a light and responsive ride
New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo v5 Review - A reformulated midsole and post along with very comfortable knit upper makes the Vongo a super pleasing stability trainer for long distances
Skechers MaxRoad 5 Review - Featuring a H-Plate to help stabilize the shoe, the MaxRoad features a fantastic new upper and slightly more structured ride that eats up miles
Asics GT-2000 10 Review - Refinements in the stability mechanics of this long running series from Asics helps give the GT-2000 10 some nice updates that are familiar, but modernized
Enda Lapatet 2 Review - The Kenyan running brand updates their neutral daily trainer with a new upper, adding breathable and some adjustments to fit
On Cloudstratus 2 Review - The Cloudstratus gets closer to clouds in this major update. A new midsole tuning and sustainable upper offers a really enjoyable long run experience for those who like a firmer, but protective ride
Trail
Saucony Endorphin Trail Review - Speedroll meets trails. The Endorphin Trail takes a similar approach from its sibling the Shift, adding an aggressive lug setup to handle long runs in the woods
Hoka One One Zinal Review - Light, nimble, and one of the most fun experiences you'll have running through the woods this year
Racing
Skechers GoRun Speed Freek Review - Completely booting the original Speed Elite, this amps up the Razor model in a big way with a max stack of hyperburst in a very rockered ride
Gear
Aftershokz Aeropex Review - The Aeropex offers bone conduction hearing and a phenomenal fit for everyday runner
Deckers x Lab Ventura (KO-Z Collection) - The Ventura adds a heel wrap to help provide extra security compared to the other more classic flip flop designs. A comfortable, high stack shoe for daily recovery
2021 Summer Split Shorts Review - Find the right summer shorts for your last few weeks of hot weather running (or for some, gearing up for the summer)
Deckers x Lab NVRSTP Running Pack Review - Deckers X Lab brings innovation into its commuter pack, a super versatile bag with tons of pockets and good fit for work life
Features
Guide to Stability Running Shoes
Update to our Carbon Plated Shoe Resource Guide
LATEST VIDEOS AND PODCASTS AT DOCTORS OF RUNNING
Xtep 160x 2.0 Review - Chief Editor Matt Klein visits the latest update to the Chinese brand's super shoe
Do Shoes Cause Injury? - In this clip from our podcast on Ankle Sprains, we answer a viewer question on whether it's the shoes that's causing them so much grief?
PODCAST
Mailbag, Part 2 (Outsoles, Adios 6, Endorphin Shift 2 and more)
Apple | Anchor
Alphafly to Sky: Our Favorite Carbon Plated Shoes of 2021
Apple | Anchor
Mizuno Wave Rebellion Review
Apple | Anchor
Ankle Sprains 101: Types, Treatment, and Rehab for Runners
Apple | Anchor
Note: Links provided are Affiliate links to Running Warehouse.
These links help support Doctors of Running if you are interested in making a purchase! Thanks so much.
Release: Available now at Newton
The Catalyst is a beginner friendly, lightweight neutral trainer with a forefoot XPS plate to help propel runners for fast workouts. A highly open mesh upper adds tons of breathability while the combination of the plate and lugs helps really send the runner forward for tempo and intervals.
Release: Available now at Running Warehouse
Featuring a new NRG foam, sustainable materials, and XPS plate to bring Newton into the plated game, the Gravity+ is their long distance racer that helped win Badwater 135. Combining a plate with their signature lugs, the shoe propels runners forward with ease while the new foam adds a layer softness to the brand.
Release: Available now at Running Warehouse
The legacy trail running shoe from Brooks hits its 16 edition in a sleek bumblebee yellow. The shoe amps up comfort with 2mm of DNA Loft v2 foam, a rock plate for protection, grooves for flexibility, and somehow manages to still shed some weight from its predecessor while doing all of this.
Release: September 2021
Topo has worked on modernizing it's brand this year, but managed to also preserve a few shoes for those who aren't read for the high stacked movement. The ST is a minimalist shoe with the signature wide fit that the brand specializes in. Light and nimble, it's for those who want tons of road feel and a focus on comfort in fit.
Taking the Floatride Energy 3 platform we know well, the Floatride Adventure is a road to trail shoe that adds some reinforcement to the upper to help tackle some light trailwork. The platform is as fun as ever, and at an affordable price it's a nice option for those who want to tackle some lightweight dirt and gravel trails on their daily runs.
Release: September 2021
The Endorphin Speed has become a well-beloved series for the brand. The Runshield offers a new upper update, adding some water resistance along with a new outsole for better, softer performance on icy paths.
SCIENCE FRIDAY ROUND-UP
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| Graphic from our Science Friday on Shoe Rotation |
Pronation, and the Function of Posterior Tibialis, By Guest Reviewer Megan Flynn
The Function of Calf Muscles, and How to Test Them Regularly, By Chief Editor Matt Klein
Injury Prevention and the Role of a Running Shoe Rotation, By Contributor Nathan Brown