Race day, road ultra
Saucony
Endorphin Elite 2
Race day, road ultra
Saucony
Endorphin Elite 2
“The smoothest, most comfortable, most stable, most energetic super shoe I have ever worn. A 20 out of 10.”
$275
Price
7 oz
Weight
8 mm
Drop
39.5 / 31.5 mm
Stack
Slotted carbon
Plate
150
Miles per pair
$1.83
Cost per mile
When I reach for it
Halves, marathons, 50Ks, and road 50-milers. This is what I lace up when the course is fast and I intend to race it, not survive it.
What works
- ↑It does not feel like I am fighting for every mile the way some plated shoes do
- ↑Works whether I land on my heel, my midfoot, or my toes
- ↑I have raced both 50-mile and 50K ultras in the same pair
What does not
- ↓The outsole is smooth and durability is the weak point: think two or three hard marathons
- ↓My second pair had the glued tread peel off after a four mile break-in run and went straight back
- ↓Size up
The numbers
My own scores out of 10. Durability is where race shoes always pay the price.
What each pair actually lasts me. Race shoes are consumables. The daily trainer is where the value is.
Price divided by the miles I actually get out of it. A $210 trainer that lasts 390 miles is cheaper per mile than any racer I own.
The rest of the rotation
Daily workhorse
ASICS
Superblast 3
Daily workhorse
ASICS Superblast 3
Stability speed
Saucony
Endorphin Pro 4
Stability speed
Saucony Endorphin Pro 4
Marathon speed
Nike
Alphafly 3
Marathon speed
Nike Alphafly 3
Tested, not in the rotation
Adidas
Adizero Adios Pro 4
Tested, not in the rotation
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
Tested, not in the rotation
ASICS
Megablast
Tested, not in the rotation
ASICS Megablast
Shoes are 2 to 4 percent. The training is the rest.
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