Human Performance Outliers Podcast with Zach Bitter Episode 451: Running Shoes Will Predict Injury | Royi Metser
Aug 14, 2025
Royi Metser, Founder and CEO of Avelo Running, discusses the intersection of technology and running footwear. He shares insights on how smart shoes can predict injuries by analyzing mechanical loading. The conversation delves into the evolution of running gear, emphasizing the importance of wearables like foot pods and heart rate monitors. Metser also explores consumer trends in subscription coaching and the future of personalized running experiences, all while addressing the critical balance between training load and recovery.
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From Health Wake-Up To Startup
- Royi Metser discovered running at age 31 after an alarming blood test and trained for a marathon within six months.
- That transformation sparked his passion and led him to found Avelo Running to solve questions he couldn't find answers to.
Shoes As Frictionless Wearables
- Shoes are a frictionless place to embed sensors because runners already wear them and won't add extra gadgets.
- Embedding sensors in shoes makes long-term, low-friction biomechanical monitoring possible at scale.
Start With A Versatile Super-Trainer
- Build a versatile 'super trainer' before branching to specialized models to win wide adoption.
- Expand later into multiple drops, stack heights, and shoe types while using user data to guide design.