#249 Our Top Running Shoes of 2025 So Far

As any runner knows, injuries are all too common. On this episode, Nate & David look to bring some education and aid if you've got a foot injury. They look at the anatomy of the foot, common pathologies, and more. Tune in for some practical strategies for minimizing your injury risk and assessing & gaining mobility. On the back half of the show, they review the brand new ASICS Superblast 2, an update to one of our team's favorite shoes. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 8:22 - Keys to injury prevention 14:50 - Tips for at-home mobility work 22:59 - The anatomy of foot injuries 31:41 - Common foot injuries 36:22 - Diagnosing & treating different foot injuries 43:32 - Asics Superblast 2 Review 54:50 - Is the Superblast worth the high cost? 59:24 - Superblast vs. On Cloudmonster Hyper 1:03:34 - Wrap-up Check out our friends at Skratch and save 25% on your first order with code DOR24!

3 Juli 20241h 4min

The cushioning of a shoe is the the number one priority for a lot of runners, but there's more to it than you might think. On this episode, Matt breaks down the ins and outs of cushioning. He'll define compliance and resilience. He looks at how different amounts and types of cushioning effect biomechanics, and explores why it may be useful to have a rotation of shoes that feature different midsoles. Studies mentioned in the show: Kulmala, J. P., Kosonen, J., Nurminen, J., & Avela, J. (2018). Running in highly cushioned shoes increases leg stiffness and amplifies impact loading. Scientific reports, 8(1), 17496. Malisoux, L., Ramesh, J., Mann, R., Seil, R., Urhausen, A., & Theisen, D. (2015). Can parallel use of different running shoes decrease running-related injury risk?. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 25(1), 110–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12154 Mercer, M. A., Stone, T. M., Young, J. C., & Mercer, J. A. (2018). Running economy while running in shoes categorized as maximal cushioning. International journal of exercise science, 11(2), 1031. Theisen, D., Malisoux, L., Genin, J., Delattre, N., Seil, R., & Urhausen, A. (2014). Influence of midsole hardness of standard cushioned shoes on running-related injury risk. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(5), 371-376. Worobets, J., Wannop, J. W., Tomaras, E., & Stefanyshyn, D. (2014). Softer and more resilient running shoe cushioning properties enhance running economy. Footwear Science, 6(3), 147-153.

26 Juni 202428min

It's time for the second part of our favorite shoes of 2024 so far! David and Andrea join in with their picks for daily trainer, performance trainer, and racing shoes of the year to date. They also pick their favorite 2023 models that are on sale at a discount. Let us know what you've loved this year! DM us on Instagram or email us at doctorsofrunningpodcast@gmail.com. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:20 - Favorite daily trainer 15:18 - Favorite performance trainer 24:34 - Favorite racing shoes 44:11 - Favorite 2023 shoe that's on sale 51:18 - Wrap-up

19 Juni 202453min

We're just about halfway through 2024 so it's time to take a look at our favorite shoes of the year so far! Matt & Nathan get together to break down their favorite trainers: daily, max-stack, lightweight/speed, and best value. They also discuss how our definition of "supertrainer" is changing as more and more brands come out with their versions. We want to hear from you! What's been your favorite shoe(s) of the year so far? What are you looking forward to for the back half of the year? DM us on Instagram or email us at doctorsofrunningpodcast@gmail.com. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:58 - What defines a supertrainer? 10:02 - Favorite daily trainers 16:56 - Favorite max-stack shoes 21:08 - Favorite lightweight training shoes 30:28 - Best value shoes 35:44 - Wrap-up

12 Juni 202437min

Time for another round of "this or that", where the DOR team is on the hot seat! Nathan and Matt are forced to pick between one or the other, no "it depends" (a PT's favorite answer). They throw down on tough questions about Saucony's updates to the Triumph 22, supertrainers, hydration/fueling, and more. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 1:24 - Newton CF vs. other moderately stacked plated shoes 6:12 - Triumph 22 or Superblast 11:46 - Premium daily trainers vs. Supertrainers 14:28 - Do supertrainers need PEBA? 16:24 - Triumph 22 vs. 21 20:55 - Supportive insoles vs. Stability shoes 23:37 - Elliptigo vs. Cycling 27:35 - Handheld bottle vs. Hydration vest 29:30 - Mach 6 vs. Topo Cyclone 2 32:38 - Zero-drop Altra vs. Altra with a drop 36:28 - Niche shoe brands diversifying their lineups? 38:39 - Shoe width vs. Volume 42:06 - Healthy for a year with no PR or a PR followed by an injury? 43:48 - Group run vs. Solo run 46:17 - Gels vs. High-calorie drinks 48:32 - Running shoe store vs. Online shoe reviews 54:18 - Wrap-up

5 Juni 202457min

This week we are thrilled to share a conversation with our friends at Mizuno Running. Shunsuke, Mizuno’s Global Product Line Manager, and Ayako Suzuki (Susan), the team’s Running Footwear Product Designer, join Matt and Andrea to talk about the brand new Neo Vista. They dig into the brand’s bold new heel geometries (including the one seen in the Japan-only Wave Duel Pro model) and discuss what these new trends mean for the future of running shoes at Mizuno. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:02 - Susan & Shunsuke's roles at Mizuno 3:50 - Mizuno's different types of foams 7:00 - The design of the Neo Vista's midsole 10:50 - Foam composition 13:59 - The science between Mizuno's aggressive heel geometries 19:48 - The extreme Wave Duel Pro 23:31 - Making the Neo Vista stable thru design 33:00 - Mizuno's plate composition 35:34 - The future of Mizuno's two main shoe lines 40:52 - The future of Mizuno's super shoes 46:22 - Wrap-up

29 Maj 202447min

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! Chapters 0:00 - Intro 5:50 - How to know if a shoe's plate & geometry lines up with your foot 18:56 - Can an after-market footbed increase shoe stiffness like a carbon plate? 25:29 - Finding carbon-plated shoes when you have Morton's neuroma 33:06 - Are we sure that the energy return of superfoams vs. EVA is what makes supershoes faster? 42:28 - Mizuno Neo Vista review 56:09 - Wrap-up

22 Maj 202456min

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. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 3:00 - David's recent injury 8:46 - Favorite super shoes of the year: honorable mentions 17:42 - Third place 22:46 - Second place 30:10 - First Place 37:52 - How to wisely transition to training and racing in super shoes or spikes 47:28 - How to find the right racing shoe for you 53:04 - Wrap-up

15 Maj 202455min