Doctors of Running Podcast

It's that time of year! Our team has tested over 110 shoes and ran over 14,500 miles in 2021 (so far) and we are ready to dish out our awards. Up first is the Best Daily Trainer Award. We define daily trainer as "a shoe that can eat up a lot of your training miles, is reliable and consistent, has mild versatility, and can function as a workhorse shoe." In other words, which shoe do you just keep reaching for day after day? Our team gives each of our individual picks, what we like about them, and then finish with our team's consensus pick for the year. 

In today's episode we had the privilege of sitting down with Tina Danforth, Product Manager of Running Footwear and Apparel for Mizuno USA, to talk in depth about the supply chain issues within the running industry. We talk about how the supply chain works, what areas have been affected, what consumers can expect (in terms of availability and price), and some tips for shopping in the future. Then Tina pulls back the curtain for the future of Mizuno and also we take a closer look at design elements of the Rebellion. 

Today Matt and Nathan sit down to break down the changes that happen to a crowd favorite (Endorphin Speed 2) when you slap a RunShield upper onto it. They then discuss two shoes within the Solar Glide series and certain design patterns that muddy clean transitions and mechanics. Finally they dive into staying safe in darker and colder weather, while pointing out some of their own favorite gear.

In today's episode we dive into the knowledge base surrounding 0 drop shoes and what demands they place on the body. We also discuss transitioning to a 0mm drop platform and considerations of how to do it safely. We then discuss in depth the Altra Paradigm 6, all while trying to bring David along, who was deep into character throughout the review (see YouTube to visualize costumes).

In today's episode we first get a peek into David's testing experience of the Bondi X after he took it for a steady state 21 mile long run. We then give some quick tips on recovery after hard race efforts and what our body needs in recovery. The bulk of our time is spent reviewing the Adios Pro 2, comparing to other models, and talking about the unique construction of the shoe. Finally, we dip into the follower mailbag to talk about first toe stiffness and pain, exercises to consider, and how shoes and shoe modifications may help.

In today's episode, Matt sits down with Dustin Joubert to talk about the physiology behind Super Shoes. Dustin has a PhD in Exercise Physiology and is a professor at Stephen F Austin State University. He has been conducting running economy research regarding how people respond to a various number of the current super shoes, including the Alphafly, Vaporfly, Metspeed Sky, Rocket X, and Endorphin Pro (among others). They talk about the results of his current research (linked below), plans for future study, and recommendations for how different runners should (or shouldn't) use this date to inform their purchases for running shoes. They also go into his own personal experience in the shoes and how he has processed which shoes he likes most, which he calls his "LabRat" testing.  *please forgive the minor echoing noted when Dustin is speaking* For more information on Dustin Joubert PhD, his research, and how to support his upcoming work, check out the following links: Preprint Link: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/kinesiology/33/ Crowdfunding Link: https://graphite.sfasu.edu/impact-jacks/project/support-research-for-women-s-running-shoe-performance-at-sfa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labratrundown/

We are back in the recording studio and are thankful to be back together. First, we quickly touch on the differences between the Mizuno Wave Rebellion pre-production model and the final production models that we just received in the mail a few weeks ago. There are some important differences! We then recap Nathan's MKE Lakefront Marathon experience and dive into the experience of pain throughout training as well as why he chose the Endorphin Pro 2 over the Pro + for this race. Finally we dip into the mailbag and discuss a question surrounding "stable neutral shoes" and how well we are able (or not able) to effectively pair foot type with shoes.

Today we finish our HIGHLIGHTS series with the second part of our conversation on foot strike and how it impacts running and the runner. Next week we will be back with brand new content and updates on fall training/racing/studying.

It's a busy time over here at Doctors of Running. Matt is getting ready for his qualifying exams, David is in the throws of wedding season, and Nate has his marathon this week. Therefore we are taking this change to dive back into a podcast we released in the first couple months of our podcast's life. Over the next two weeks we will re-release our podcast on running foot strike and what the research shows us about the impact of all strike patterns. It's a great topic because it can be something that many runners obsess over...but maybe for the wrong reasons. As always, this is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical advice.

Today's episode was a fun one to record as we jumped back into a deep dive of a shoe. The Saucony Endorphin Pro + is about to hit the market and is an even more race ready option from Saucony. We talk about our current testing experience and the influence of uppers on a shoe. We then hit the fan mailbag and answer questions regarding the interaction between orthotics and stability shoes as well as how higher drop shoes may effect calf loading.