Saucony Endorphin Elites
At Sunday's Rock CF half-marathon, AARC's Nick got to test out the new Saucony Endorphin Elites for the first time in a race. Here's a little more on his thoughts on the Elites and other super shoes...
6 years ago was my last running race and carbon plated shoes were not on the market yet. I had over 20 years of competitive running in my legs and was having a hard time staying healthy trying to get ready for races, so I decided to switch gears and give cycling a go. Since then I've still be running with some quality mixed in from time to time, but mainly focused on getting better on the bike.
Over the past few years I've been lucky to test out a few different carbon plated shoes and I've been working on fixing my achilles/calf issues, which has given me some hope that I can add in some running races again. I've been finding that doing some training in the plated shoes is allowing me to add in some quality training and my body is holding up better to the stress of running.
Nike got off to a good start with their Next % shoes and it's taken brands a few years to play catch up. Most brands are getting close and even matching Nike's plated shoes, so I was stoked to get my hands on some new Saucony Endorphin Elites to test out. I got in one little workout a few days before the race to make sure there were no major issues and all was good to go.
The Elites have a new PWRRUN HG superfoam that is extremely responsive and stiff. I like a stiff shoe so this works for me. The stiffness and responsiveness might be the most polarizing feature of this shoe, as some runners will like this and others might not. The carbon plate and speedroll make for an extremely smooth ride once you get moving in them, and the performance knit mesh upper makes this shoe extremely light and fast. All factors combined the new Elites will be one of the top carbon plated super shoes of 2023!
Are carbon plated super shoes for everyone? Probably not everyone, but they are something most runners who are doing races and quality workouts should put on their radar. Not only for improving performance but for keeping you healthy for the long haul. These super shoes are still pretty new to determine their true impact on running, but for me spending a few extra $$$ to be able to push my body to the limit like I did in my younger days is worth every single freaking penny. Brands like Saucony are even coming out with plated shoes that are not as super as the Elites and less expensive like the Endorphin Pros and Endorphin Speeds. I've done a decent amount of training in both these shoes and they are great options, not only for training but also racing.
We'll see where these plated super shoes take runners in the years to come. Most people focus on the performance benefits of these shoes but I think there will be many more benefits that we find down the road. Swing by Ann Arbor Running Company sometime to test some out and let us know how plated shoes are changing your life and running!
#runlocal #shoplocal #thankyou 🏃 Nicholas Stanko