This shoe is the result of the beautifully colliding worlds of architecture and footwear. Designed in a collaborative effort between ASICS and famed Japanese architect and professor Kengo Kuma, the Metaride AMUs blend synthetic hoops…
With spring races just around the corner and more hours of sunshine in each day, it’s time to take your treadmill miles to the road. Each month there are a seemingly large number of new sneakers released, whether they’re updates to old versions or brand new models — and it can be hard to figure out which ones are worth buying. We’ve sifted through the noise for you; Here are all the running sneakers we’re excited about that launched this month.
This light and speedy sneaker is ideal for rocky trails. Despite weighing just 9-ounces, the mesh upper and grippy, lugged outsole are heavy duty and won’t fall apart after 50 miles.
The S/Lab Ultra is for those on the high mileage side of trail running. At $180, it’s not an entry-level shoe, but runners in the know will recognize and put value in the name Françoise D’haene, an ultrarunner who collaborated on the design. He wore these during his record-breaking run of California’s John Muir Trail last October. Salomon’s newest trail runners will handle 50-mile trail races in stride, plus the improved fit means there’s ample room for foot swell.
The newest sneaker from Mizuno is built for those who need stability on their runs. For those familiar with the Mizuno family of shoes, the midsole is the same as the Wave Enigma, Wave Rider and Wave Prophecy. For those who haven’t tried it, the foam is soft and cushioned, so you have a plush feel as soon as you step in.
These unisex shoes, inspired by the television series Game of Thrones, come in six limited edition styles and colors. Expect the same great performance features the Ultraboost is known for like a cushioned feel and a grippy Continental outsole.
In honor of the Los Angeles marathon (on March 24), Skechers, a title sponsor, released a new colorway of the speedy Gorun Razor. We tested a version of this sneaker and awarded it as one of the Best New Running Shoes of 2018, so we expect this version, which has only had a color update, will also help us pick up the pace and log some speedy meters.
After a brief 20-minute treadmill run in the Asics MetaRide, we can vouch that the rocker technology makes for a seriously different feel. Heel strikers will get the most energy return as they hit the ground with their heel and feel the shoe roll forward (picture a rocking chair moving back and forth), which helps eliminate some energy output on your part.
The 15 Best New Running Shoes of 2018
This definitive guide to the best new running shoes of 2018 explores everything you need to know before buying new running shoes this year, including shoes from Brooks, Altra, Adidas, Asics, Mizuno, Reebok and more. These twelve shoes are worth tracking down this year. Read the Story
Last weekend, professional runner Johnny Gregorek became the second American ever to run an indoor mile in less than three minutes and fifty seconds. His final time of 3:49:90, completed at the pro portion of a collegiate conference at Boston University, clocks out to about 15.65 mph — insanely speedy — bringing him just .09 seconds behind the fastest indoor mile by an American man and 6th in line for fastest indoor mile in the world. The World Record was earned by Ethiopian Yamif Kejelcha the same race last week in Boston when he ran a 3:47:01. For reference, the fastest mile ever run was a 3:43:13, completed outdoors.
Gregorek, an Asics runner, ran for the Columbia University and the University of Oregon (home of the famous Hayward Field, where the 2020 Olympic Trials for Track and Field will be) until 2015, when he graduated. His dad, John Gregorek Sr., was a two-time Olympian in the 5000-meters and his mom, Christine Gregorek, is a two-time NCAA champion.
“After a race, if it went well, I will treat myself to something [like] burgers, fries, a beer,” Gregorek says. “Recovery for me usually involves getting a good meal in me, sleeping well and running very easy for a day or two after. After that mile, I immediately had dinner with friends and then tried to get a good night sleep. It can be a challenge after getting so much adrenaline going. Now I’m still just jogging around easy because it’s my downtime for a week or two.”
Since it was Gregorek’s final indoor run for the season, we chatted with him to find out what gear he finds most pivotal in his post-race recovery.
Monitoring your heart rate after a race is a great way to keep track of your fitness level — the faster your number returns to normal, the better. Gregorek uses his Polar M430 all the time. “It tracks my heart rate, and I’ll check in on that on easy days to make sure I’m keeping it low and recovering,” he says. Everyone’s resting heart rate is different, but ideally, you’re seeing lower numbers on your days off than when you’re in the middle of a HIIT workout.
As an Asics athlete, Gregorek warms up and cools down in his Asics GT 2000 training shoes or DS trainers. The GT 2000 are best for over pronators (people who land on the outside edges of their shoes instead of closer to the middle) because they have Asics’s Trusstic System Technology with Guidance Line technology to help make your runs more efficient and propel you off the ground faster. The DuoMax midsole is supportive yet soft, and the gel cushioning under the toe and heel provide added support to help with recovery after a race. That added cushion can help keep your energy levels high.
In addition to getting a weekly sports massage for an hour, Gregorek does some self-myofascial release as well uses a foam roller. “It’s an awesome vibrating foam roller. Nice and soft and it has multiple vibration settings. Awesome for hitting those tight spots and trigger points before or after a run,” he says. The foam roller has three speeds to help reach the deep tissues in your legs and glutes, plus at only 13-inches, you can throw this in your carry-on for after every race.
“I use Garden of Life products for energy bars, recovery bars and protein powder,” Gregorek says. “All of its products are plant-based and taste great. I don’t use any gels or anything like that.” Garden of Life products are clean, organic and non-GMO as well as NSF for Sport and Informed-Choice for Sport certified, meaning it’s free of banned substances, which is sometimes an issue with protein powders.
Athletes: they’re just like us. “Before a race, I like to eat something easily digestible that will still energize me,” he says, “I do lots of healthy grain and rice bowls. I’ll have a Clif Bar and a banana a couple of hours out, and that’s pretty much it.”
“I have used 5-hour energy a few hours before a race here and there, but I also just drink coffee,” says Gregorek, “After a race, I’ll try to rehydrate well. I like to use the Gatorade electrolyte powder to replace everything I lost during a hard effort.” Gregorek’s place to order coffee is in his hometown of Providence, RI, at either Dave’s Coffee or Bolt Coffee.
Gregorek meditates regularly. To do so, he uses the Headspace app. “The guy on there has a soothing voice,” he says, “I find it helpful for just calming the mind and letting background noise settle before a big performance.”
