Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Review (2023)

 

Reebok Floatride Energy 5: Torsion Plate!?
By Andrea Myers and Bach Pham

Reebok's Floatride Energy was the shoe that really reinvigorated the brand in the running world. Energized by a TPU midsole, it brought a lighter, more responsive trainer to the market at an excellent price point. Five editions in, Reebok has decided to make a couple of noticeable changes to their signature model, adding a torsion plate underneath and more stack to level up the shoe. In this review, we'll share our thoughts on the latest model and discuss if the changes are for the better.

Training Elite Athletes: Mike Staropoli, PT for Red Bull | DOR Podcast #132

 

DOR Podcast #132: Elite Athlete Training with Mike Staropoli, PT for Red Bull

In this episode, Andrea is joined by Mike Staropoli, DPT and founder of GOAL Physiotherapy & Sports Performance. In addition to managing GOAL, he was previously the first team physio for the New York Red Bulls in Major League soccer as well as currently is a physical therapist with Red Bull Performance, working with many of the Red Bull sponsored athletes you may see across various sports. He and Andrea discuss training wisdom and experience gained from working with elite athletes across many sports. They'll also give you tips for finding a high quality, local PT, how to rehab well from an injury, and how to integrate strategies from elite athletes into your training regimen.

ASICS EvoRide Speed Review (2023)

 

ASICS EvoRide Speed: More Foam, or Less Weight?
By Matthew Klein

As the industry shifted towards maximal training shoes and super racing shoes, lightweight trainers began to disappear. A few popped up here and there, but many were the same weight as the new racing shoes. Although it appears the industry thought this was redundant, having a simple lighter training shoe is much different from a carbon-plated super foam racing shoe. The EvoRide series previously was light enough (7.4 oz men's size 9) to double both as an extremely light training/workout shoe and a racer for those who did not want carbon or super soft foams. The challenge was that it is on the firmer side and with the industry continuing to move toward softer shoes, a balance of softness and speed was needed. Enter the EvoRide Speed, featuring full-length Flytefoam Blast cushioning for a softer ride that still can move at speed when you want it. As we begin to understand the balance needed in daily shoe use and some of the potential risks of using excessively soft and stiff shoes all the time, the lightweight training category may make a comeback. People like soft shoes, but they also like light ones. 

How Much Does Doctors of Running Make?: Report #4

 

Two years ago as we started to grow and make ad revenue, we decided quickly that we wanted to be transparent about the money that we make each year. We thought it was important to highlight where our income comes from and clarify how we operated. It was also a fun way to measure how far we've come. This is the four edition of "How Much Does Doctors of Running Make?" In this feature, we'll be covering our second half of 2022 and lessons we've learned through 2022.

Salomon Aero Blaze Review (2023)

 

Salomon Aero Blaze Review: No-Frills Training
By Nathan Brown & Matthew Klein

Salomon is making some major changes to their road running shoes with their new Aero line. The Aero Blaze is their take on a traditional daily trainer and has the potential to be their "do-it-all" offering for those wanting a more traditionally constructed shoe to take the bulk of their miles. Let's see how they did with the revamp and how it stacks up against other main-line daily trainers.

ASICS GT-2000 11 Review (2022 Release)

 

ASICS GT-2000 11: For the Traditional Stability Fans
By Matthew Klein

The ASICS GT 2000 series has long been a popular moderate stability daily training shoe. For many iterations, it retained the features ASICS is known for. A snug fit, a split forefoot/heel, a midfoot trussic system and a medial post. Version 10 made some drastic changes with a full ground contact outsole, minimization of the midfoot trussic, an increase in flexibility, a reduction in stability, a lighter ride and a faster ride. While not what long-standing (long-running) users of the GT series may have been used to, version 10 was a drastic change that shift the shoe more toward being a light stability trainer that felt lower to the ground and quicker on foot. Version 11 attempts to rectify the extremes of the previous version. While staying light (sub 10 oz), the stack height has increased, the stability has increased back to a moderate level and it feels like a trainer again. It still retains some of the previous upgrades, but version 11 is likely to bring back those who may have found version 10 too different from the essence of the GT-2000 series

The Truth About Plantar Fasciitis | DOR Podcast #131

 

DOR Podcast #131: The Truth About Plantar Fasciitis

This episode of the podcast is all about plantar fascia pain. Plantar fasciitis, fasciopathy, fasciosis–it goes by many names, but it plagues many a runner. If you've ever gone looking for solutions online, you're guaranteed to find dozens of possible (and maybe contradictory) "solutions." As we often assert, treatment needs to be individualized, so finding a fix online could be problematic. Nathan, Matt, and DJ take a deep dive into the anatomy of the plantar fascia, mechanisms of stress & strain, risk factors, and more. And, of course, gives some considerations when it comes to shoes. If you've ever had PF pain, we hope this episode will give you a better understanding of what's going on with your pain.

Brooks High Point Apparel Review (2023)

 

Brooks High Point apparel collection is a new set of clothing aimed at both celebrating the spring and the trails. It combines ripstop fabric to provide durability along with very light material to give the collection a lot of nimbleness. The collection also provides some light water repellent and UPF protection, helping keep you powering through any condition. We take a look how the collection performed through a variety of elements in this review of the new apparel from Brooks Running.

Hoka Challenger ATR 7 Review (2023)

 

Hoka Challenger ATR 7: The OG Door-to-Trail
By Matthew Klein

As more road runners have gotten interested in trail running, an increasing number of road/trail hybrid shoes have come to market. One of the longer-standing members of this category is the Hoka Challenger series. Like many hybrids, the Challenger ATR is more of a trail shoe than a road shoe, but still has the capacity to handle both. This makes it more of a door-to-trail shoe, but also gives it better tolerance to more aggressive trails. The most recent version continues this trend while dropping a large amount of weight and maintaining its cushioning level. Now being in the lightweight trainer / potential race day shoe category, the Challenger ATR continues to evolve while still maintaining its place as one the OG hybrid shoes. 

Salomon Aero Glide Review (2023)

Salomon Aero Glide Review: Joining the Max Stack Club
By David Salas & Matthew Klein

Salomon is normally thought of being a trail company, though they have been branching out more and more over the last few years. The Aero Glide is a road running trainer that gives the runner a high-stack rockered experience. The shoe does not have any major bells or whistles consistent with super shoes but provides a balanced training shoe for logging mileage. 

All your Training & Racing Questions Answered, with Run Coach Elisabeth Scott (Running Explained) | DOR Podcast #130

DOR Podcast #130: All your Training & Racing Questions Answered, with Run Coach Elisabeth Scott (Running Explained)

On this episode of the podcast, Nathan and Matt are joined by a very special guest: Elisabeth Scott of Running Explained! Elisabeth lends us her coaching expertise to answer all of your (and our) training and racing questions: favorite workouts, how to understand heart rate data, burnout, Strava drama, and more! Tune in for a enlightening and fascinating discussion that's sure to improve your running journey!

PUMA ForeverRun Nitro Review (2023)

Puma ForeverRUN Nitro Review: Missing the Mark
By David Salas, Bach Pham and Matthew Klein

Puma came back in a big way in 2021 with the introduction of the Nitro line, reigniting their running line with all-new footwear. We've had nothing but good things to say about the majority of this big brand reboot; the Deviate Elite Nitro remains one of our favorite racers, the Velocity Nitro a staple recommendation for everyday runners. For 2022, Puma continues to build on their success with new innovations like the ForeverRun which aims to bring a new stability model to the table. Designed with the experts at Kaiser Sport & Ortopædi, the shoe is a kitchen sink of stability concepts in one unique model.

Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 Review (2023)

Saucony Xodus Ultra 2: The Ultimate Ultra Shoe?
By Senior Contributor Andrea Myers

The Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 is a long distance trail shoe with a moderate stack of PWRRUN PB, which is the same foam Saucony uses in its super shoes. Version 2 has lost 0.7oz from the prior version while maintaining its exceptional performance on a variety of terrain and gaining a much better fitting upper. The Xodux Ultra 2 will be a great long distance training companion to the Endorphin Edge as well as a top choice for ultra distance racing. 

On Cloudsurfer 7 Review (2023)

 

On Cloudsurfer Review: A New Phase
By Nathan Brown and Matthew Klein

On Running is a company that for many years was a conundrum. We are not the first to mention this, but previously, the company that claimed its shoes were akin to running on clouds felt more like running directly on pavement. The rides were generally firm, but were often quite rockered and quick to transition. This made them excellent walking shoes, which is why none of us are surprised to see huge volumes of people wearing them casually (like the On Cloud series) in all manner of places. This has changed recently, with the On Cloudmonster being the first to catch our attention with its design, and the Cloudgo and Cloudrunner continuing a new phase of running for On. The On Cloudsurfer continues this dramatic move forward with the removal of their speed board plate and redo of their cloud design. This has created the softest On shoe we have experienced thus far.

Using "RUN-CAT" to Find the Right Shoe For You | DOR Podcast #129

 

DOR Podcast #129: Using "RUN-CAT" to Find the Right Shoe For You

This episode is all about finding the the right shoe for you. Options these days are endless and often advice found online or instore can be misinformed or just not helpful. Dr. Matthew Klein shares from his running shoe experience to help you find the right footwear. One of the best tools out there is the RUN-CAT which gives you five simple criteria to help you evaluate new shoes. Matt gives you a background on the RUN-CAT and a primer on how to effectively use it, whether you're shopping for shoes, a clinician, or work in run retail.

We Asked ChatGPT to Write a Review of Nike's Most Popular Trainer

When ChatGPT went public it immediately sparked conversation about how this technology could potentially radically change the way we know writing. Content creators suddenly have at their disposal a very intelligent system capable of generating endless material daily. With the right about of cues, it could write just about anything at a very baseline level. We naturally wondered what affect ChatGPT may end up having in our space. Obvious an AI can't run in the physical shoe, but we wondered how nuanced it could write when enough information was populated on the internet. Using Nike's most popular everyday trainer, the Pegasus, as a template, we decided to try and let ChatGPT write a full review of the shoe to see how well it could perform. We know the Pegasus 39 has a wealth of reviews online, so we were interested in seeing how it performed. Here is the result, with editor's notes along the way with some thoughts.

Skechers Speed Beast Review (2023)

 

Skeckers Speed Beast Review: Value Racing
By Nathan Brown, Senior Contributor

The breadth of options for high-stacked speed day and racing shoes continues to rise. The progression for Skechers has gone from the Speed Elite to the Speed Freek and now to the newest and highest-stacked option, the Speed Beast. We are also starting to see shoes in this higher-stacked category starting to become more of a versatile long-distance trainer crossover than simply a pure racer. Let's explore where the Speed Beast sits and who it may work best for.

Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung Review (2022 Release)

 

Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung Review: Insane in the Membrane
By Chief Editor Matthew Klein

The Prime X series have continued to be insane shoes. Debuting with a 50mm stack height in the heel, Adidas was clear on its intention to make a World Athletics illegal race shoe and to get something so outrageous on the market that it would turn heads. Heads certainly turned and ankles were also rolled in the process wearing this shoe. The challenge with the shoes is that they were so inherently unstable that people were either too scared to wear them (ankle roll/fracture) or they were not appropriate. There are many people who have enjoyed this shoe as a super stack training/workout/racing shoe (among the non-elite). The Adidas Prime X Strung is primarily an upper update with a new 3D printed fiber woven strung upper that is supposed to provide unique security to the runner's feet. While it does achieve this, this continues to be a highly unstable, super stack training/workout shoe that comes at a steep cost. 

Saucony Freedom Crossport Review (2023)

 

Saucony Freedom Crossport: Train All the Ways
By Contributor Ryan Flugaur

Shoe companies are beginning to focus on designing new footwear for the average gym-goer who partakes in both running and strength training classes. These shoes offer stability and versatility for a wide range of gym activities, but they may not be the best for running. Some popular shoes in this gym/running hybrid category are the Reebok Nano, Hoka Kawana, Saucony Freedom, Inov-8 -Lite G300 and Nike Metcon.

As a former bodybuilder who has transitioned to running, I have found that these shoes have both pros and cons, and none of them are exceptional for all gym-related tasks. Hence, I am eager to try the new Saucony Freedom Crossport to see if it can surpass the others and perform well in all aspects.

Mailbag Episode! Hip Exercises, Best Shoes for Supinators, Hallux Limitus and Heel-striking, the Best Post-race Food, and More | DOR Podcast #138

 

DOR Podcast #129: Hip Exercises, Best Shoes for Supinators, Hallux Limitus and Heel-striking, the Best Post-race Food, and More

This episode is all about your questions! Nate, Matt, and DJ cover a broad range of topics, from shifting stability needs to exercises for your hips. What shoes can help Hallux Limitus? What racing shoes are best for heel strikers? Tune in to hear answers to these and more. Be sure to listen all the way to the end to hear about everyone's favorite post-race eats.