Altra Escalante Racer 2 Review (2024)

Altra Escalante Racer 2 Review
By Andrea Myers and Matthew Klein

The original Escalante Racer was my favorite performance trainer when I (Andrea) got back into running several years ago. I found the wide toe box, light weight, zero drop, and flexible forefoot to be perfect for faster intervals as I prepared for races from 5k to half marathon. It was a perfect performance companion to the Escalante 1.5, which was my favorite daily trainer at the time (before I discovered the wonders of the New Balance Beacon v3). I have been hoping that Altra would update the Escalante Racer 2 for a while, especially in light of their new Altra Ego Pro foam and updated road shoe line. Read on to see if version 2 lived up to my expectations...

Monday Shakeout: What is Drop in Shoes and Why it is a Deceptive Number

The Monday Shakeout: The Variability of Shoe Drop
By Matthew Klein

This week we talk about the static measurement of heel drop doesn't tell the true story and why a dynamic understanding will help runners (and walkers) best understand this commonly reported specification.

Mailbag! How to Know Plates Line Up With Your Feet, Energy Return in Foams, and More! | DOR Podcast #192

Mailbag! How to Know if a Shoe's Plate Lines Up with Your Foot, Mizuno Neo Vista Review, Energy Return in Super Foams vs. EVA
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 192

We've got another mailbag episode where it's all about your questions. Andrea and Nathan team up to tackle a bunch of different questions about superfoams and supershoes. How do you know if a shoe does (or doesn't) agree with your mechanics? Is the difference in energy return of superfoams vs. EVA really significant? Tune in for these and more. We're always filling up our mailbag, so DM us on Instagram or email us at doctorsofrunningpodcast@gmail.com!

ElliptiGO 8c Review and the Benefits of Ellipticals

ElliptiGO 8c Review: A Top Tier Cross-Training Tool
By Nathan Brown

The ElliptiGO is a unique way to travel on wheels that combines the elements of cycling with the pedal motion of an elliptical trainer. The ElliptiGO has been around for over 10 years with continued refinements made to the materials, utility features, and stationary trainer options. 

Newton Gravity 13 Review (2024)

Newton Gravity 13 Review
By Matthew Klein & David Salas

Despite being a company that originally introduced something drastically different, Newton has been fairly consistent over the years. They have maintained many of their stand out features, including their ART (Action Reaction Technology) lugs in the forefoot, their lower heel offsets, the lighter weights and moderate stack heights. The Newton Gravity is their flagship neutral training shoe that has maintained many specifications but experienced continued gradual improvements over now 13 versions. The latest version makes mild changes to the midsole with a new material that softens the ride. This occurs especially in the forefoot, which makes the heel drop feel less aggressive and makes for a smoother ride in comparison to past versions. 

Our Top Super Shoes of 2024 So Far | DOR Podcast #191

 

Our Top Super Shoes of 2024 So Far
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 191

2024 has been the year of super shoe updates, with even more to come! Matt & David get together to talk about their favorite racing shoes of the year so far. They go through their honorable mentions and their podium picks. Then they dive into how to find the right racing shoe for your own individual needs (hint: it might not be the "fastest"). We want to hear from you! DM us on Instagram or email us at doctorsofrunningpodcast@gmail.com and let us know what your favorite super shoe has been this year.

HOKA Skyward X Review (2024)

HOKA Skyward X Review
By David Salas, Andrea Myers, and Matt Klein

With the Skyward X, HOKA is jumping into the super trainer game. What started with shoes like the Prime X from Adidas and New Balance SuperComp Trainer, the category of super trainers features characteristics similar to a super shoe - Peba midsole, carbon fiber plate, aggressive shaping - along with breaking the legal stack height amount with over 40+ mm of midsole in the heel.What was a novelty has become a necessity in each brand's lineup. The Skyward is a big leap forward for HOKA who continues to impress with their recent super shoe releases.

Altra Experience Form Review (2024)

Altra Experience Form Review: Low (but not zero!) Drop Stability
By Bach Pham and Matthew Klein

In 2023, the FWDExperience (now Experience Flow) was introduced as Altra's first non-zero drop trainer, offering a 4mm drop option to the line-up. This was a really important change in philosophy for the brand, marking the beginning of drop diversity in their line-up - something we talk about often at Doctors of Running. Altra expands their selection for 2024 with the Experience Wild - a new 4mm trail option - and today's shoe the Experience Form, their new 4mm drop lightweight stability trainer.

Monday Shakeout: Lightweight, Fast Trail Shoes for 2024

The Monday Shakeout: Spring 2024 Speed Trail Shoe Round Up
By  Matthew Klein

In this week's Monday Shakeout, Matt covers a variety of new trail shoes hitting the market this spring which focus on speed. These new offerings from inov and Salomon offer some unique characteristics that make each a standout on their own right. Those who like nimble trail shoes with lower stacks will want to check these out!

Buy/Sell: Are Super Trainers WORTH IT? Should Shoes Have NO Outsoles? Super Shoes for 5ks, and Post-Race Beer | DOR Podcast #190

 

Buy/Sell: Are Super Trainers WORTH IT? Should Shoes Have NO Outsoles? Super Shoes for 5ks, and Post-Race Beer
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 190

It's time for another found of buy/sell, no maybes, no caveats here. Nathan, Matt, and David debate the utility of plyometric training, the value or supertrainers, running "slow", a post-race beer, and more. Hot takes only here!

Mizuno Neo Vista Review (2024)

Mizuno Neo Vista Review
By Andrea Myers and Matthew Klein

Mizuno has had a banner year in 2024 with the release of the Wave Rebellion Pro 2 and Flash 2 at the beginning of the year. The extreme heel bevel and high stack height of these shoes made them particularly suited to those who land further forward like myself (Andrea) and quickly became my favorite long distance racing shoe (Pro 2) and performance trainer (Flash 2). The Neo Vista has a large, but less aggressive heel bevel as compared to these two shoes, but still feels like a shoe that was actually designed with midfoot strikers in mind. Thanks to its light weight, responsive yet cushioned midsole, and rockered ride, the Neo Vista is another innovative shoe from Mizuno that has raised the bar for what a super trainer can be.

Mount to Coast R1 Review (2024)

Mount to Coast R1 Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas

People use a variety of shoes for ultramarathon distances. Everything from normal daily trainers, to trail shoes to super racing shoes are utilized depending on individual comfort. While the trail scene has shoes designed for ultramarathon distances on soft surfaces, ultramarathons on road are a completely different beast. The Mount to Coast R1 is a shoe specifically tailored to ultramarathon racing and training The shoe takes some inspiration from the automotive industry to give a durable and consistent ride for many miles to come. Featuring a hybrid PEBA midsole, consistency with cushioning is a key component that follows this shoe over long miles. A unique, partially adjustable upper has some elements to help with swelling in the feet when running ultra marathon efforts. A different type of racing shoe tuned for specific racing speeds, the Mount to Coast R1 is one of the first ultramarathon-specific racers on the market. 

Anta C202 5 GT Review (2024)

Anta C202 5 GT Review: $180 Super Shoe
By David Salas and Matthew Klein

Today we're excited to review our first shoe from Anta Sports. Based out of China, they were founded in 1991 and grew enormously after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They are particularly known in the basketball space, sponsoring several NBA players today. They made a big commitment into the running scene with their sponsoring of running legend Kenenisa Bekele over the past year. Their running shoe lineup itself is small, but packed with interesting technology. We're diving straight into the thick of Anta things with a look at the C202 5 GT, their super shoe engineered for racing performances ranging from the half marathon upwards of the marathon. The numbering of 202 came from the conception of the shoe, when the marathon world record was 2 hours and 2 minutes.

Monday Shakeout: Why Our Legs Feel Different Using Super Shoes

The Monday Shakeout: Why Our Legs Feel Different Using Super Shoes
By Matthew Klein

How do super shoes affect our bodies? In a lot of ways, it turns out. Matt tackles one of them in today's Monday Shakeout, exploring some of research that's come out on super shoes in the past few years.

How to Approach Running, Exercise During Cancer Treatment | DOR Podcast #189

 

Racing Against the Odds: The Science of Running with Cancer (feat. Scott Capozza, Oncology-Certified PT)
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 189

On this episode, Andrea is joined by oncologic physical therapist, Scott Capozza for a practical and scientific approach to running while fighting and surviving cancer. Scott shares his own journey with testicular cancer. He and Andrea discuss the role of physical therapy for oncology patients, recommendations for maintaining running during cancer treatment, and practical advice for returning to fitness after treatment is over. Whether you or a loved one is battling cancer, or you're healthcare professional caring for cancer patients, this is a must-listen!