Physical Therapists Using Clinical Analysis To Discuss The Art And Science Behind Running and The Stuff We Put On Our Feet

Tuesday, March 31, 2026


Saucony Ride 19 Review
By  David Salas
 
The Saucony Ride has been the flagship neutral trainer for the brand for many years. It has always been a reliable go to shoe for daily mileage with mild upside for faster paces. The Ride 19 moves in a new direction. The Ride series continues with PWRRUN + as the midsole, but changes the shaping of the platform and the upper some. The result is a more plush offering throughout for easy days. 

Monday, March 30, 2026


Adidas Supernova Rise 3 Review
By Matthew Klein 


The Adidas Supernova Rise 1 and 2 were big surprises. After the Supernova line-up had been dormant for a few years, it quietly came back far lighter and nimble that most shoes on the market. While others chased the maximal, high stack, heavyweight, these shoes came in at decent stack heights that favored a lighter weight with a PEBA-mixed midsole. The stability sibling, the Solution, was also a pleasant surprise as it was one of the lightest stability shoes featuring almost the same design with more inherent stability in the sole. After testing Solution 3, I was disappointed with the redesign. It was more stable, but heavier and more clunky than what I had grown to appreciate from the reintroduced series. When the Rise 3 was sent over and I saw what looked like a similar design, I expected the same thing. However, the Rise 3 turned out to be a pleasant surprise, coming in lighter than its predecessor, more stable and more durable. The Rise 3 manages to the right the ship of the Supernova series, providing a solid, dependable daily trainer from Adidas. 

Sunday, March 29, 2026

   

 

Our Favorite Shoes of 2026 So Far, and David’s Running the Boston Marathon!?
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 286


The beginning of 2026 has been absolutely loaded with new shoe releases, and David and Andrea are here to pick their Top 3 (plus a few honorable mentions) for the year so far, including picks from On, Saucony, Mizuno and more. Also, David's running Boston with Adidas in just a few short weeks! Tune in to hear about his training and mindset leading up to the big day.

Saturday, March 28, 2026



When we put together our Guide to Stability, we also helped define a segment of running shoes that we felt existed, but wasn't amplified. We ended up coining the term "stable neutral" to help put a name to the trend. Stable neutral shoes have steadily become a growing part of the industry in recent years. Especially as maximal cushioning as gone from a corner of running to the norm, companies have been working to balance these tall stack heights with a variety of design features to create stable platforms. In this feature, we further define stable neutral shoes and offer our current favorites in the market today.

Friday, March 27, 2026


Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 Review
By Andrea Myers and Matthew Klein
 
The original Puma Deviate Nitro Elite was one of our favorite super shoes when it came out. A fast, light option that was still comfortable and accessible in a time of only a few options. Version two was the beginning of the series moving toward being more aggressive. Oddly heavier than the original, it was disappointing in its narrow fit and weirdly biased sole. Version 3 started to head back in the light direction with the stiffest ride of all but was held back by poor outsole durability. Version 4 finally corrects all of this and feels like a true successor to the original. Lighter, faster, snappier with a design truly in line with Puma's performance-oriented design, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 complements the Fast-R 3, providing a fantastic racing option that will work for a different set of runners. 

Wednesday, March 25, 2026


Mount to Coast C1 Review
By Bach Pham
 
Mount to Coast is a newer brand out of Hong Kong that keeps quietly improving its product line-up with each addition. Last year's P1 offered a stable daily training option, building on their T1 trail model and R1 racer. Mount to Coast touts the C1 as their answer to the growing list of 40mm+ shoes and super trainers, with this 42mm stacked option. It aims to provide both comfort and and versatility in one tidy package. 

Monday, March 23, 2026


Brooks Glycerin Flex Review
By David Salas
 
Over the years Brooks has invested hard in their daily training offerings. This year is no different. The Brooks Glycerin Flex introduces a new line of training models aimed at flexibility with what they are calling FlexZone. The Glycerin Flex will also be using DNA Tuned, a highly cushioned foam compound that is also seen in the other Glycerin models. The other models increase guidance and support as you move up the respective ladder of Glycerin, Glycerin GTS, and Glycerin Max. 

Sunday, March 22, 2026

  

 

Sharing Our Strength Routines, Debunking Weightlifting Myths, and What We’re Testing
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 285


Weightlifting: runners know it has a myriad of benefits but it can be a struggle to fit it into already full training and life schedules. Matt & Nathan are here to help. They dive into the physiology of how weightlifting actually benefits runners, and how to maximize that benefit, with tips on how to fit it into your running schedule They also discuss their current weight routines and the why behind them.

Saturday, March 21, 2026


Altra Experience Flow 3: Quick Evaluation
By Andrea Myers
 
The Altra Experience Flow 3 is one of a few Altra road shoes that are not zero drop, including the Experience Flow ST and FWD Via 2, with all three having a 4mm drop. The Experience Flow 3 and its more stable counterpart, the Flow ST, have stack heights of 32/28 mm, compared to the higher stack FWD Via 2, which is 37/33 mm. The Experience Flow 3 features Altra's classic wide and high volume toe box, a softer midsole thanks to Altra's new EGO P35 foam, and a neutral ride.

Thursday, March 19, 2026


Altra Experience Flow ST: Quick Evaluation
By Matthew Klein
 
Stability shoes with an anatomic toe box used to be rare. There were only two Altra models, the Paradigm and Provision series, until Topo came along with the Ultrafly (and later the Aura). A few more have begun to pop up with the Veloci Mesa and even the Hoka Gaviota 6 moving to a wide toe box. Now that there are increasing options, putting out quality shoes is more important than ever. While the early Experience Form had potential, a dead-on-arrival midsole relegated it mostly to walking. The updated Experience Flow ST corrects much of that, bringing in a softer midsole and a position as the lightest true stability shoe currently on the market.

Monday, March 16, 2026


Altra Experience Wild 3+: Quick Evalution
By David Salas
 
The Altra Experience lineup is a series of daily training shoes that deviate from their traditional 0mm drop platform. These shoes use a 4mm drop platform and a rocker profile that is a bit more consistent with platforms that many people are used to. The Experience Wild 3+ is the all-terrain option for this lineup and is meant to tackle both road and trail footing.

Sunday, March 15, 2026

 

 

Mailbag! Is There Real Science Behind Recovery Shoes? Best Stable Neutral Long Run Shoes? Lightweight vs. Max Cushion?
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 284


Time to open up our mailbox for your questions! Nathan, Matt, and David join up to tackle questions about recovery runs, compression gear, stable neutral long run shoes, and much more. Want your question answered? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com!

Friday, March 13, 2026


Saucony Omni 23 ST Review
By Matthew Klein
 
The Omni series has been one of the most quiet and consistent lines from Saucony. A premium companion to the Guide, it has been one of the rare shoes to maintain a medial post while this component disappeared from the rest of the Saucony stability shoes. In our discussions with Saucony for upcoming 2026 shoes, it was not even mentioned. In fact, a viewer on Youtube brought this shoe to our attention. This seems quite odd, given that after 70 miles of testing, the Saucony Omni 23 ST may be one of the best stability shoes of 2026. Moving away from its EVA past, the new version features full-length, bouncy PWRRUN PB with a strong medial post. Dropping massive amounts of weight, the Omni 23 ST finally demonstrates that a bouncier and fun stability trainer can exist. 

Thursday, March 12, 2026


Altra FWD Via 2: Short-Term Review
By Nathan Brown
 
Altra has long been known for their representation in the zero drop market. However, in the last few years they've created their FWD line, which includes shoes with a low (4mm) drop. On their second iteration of these models, you're seeing them embrace some of the materials that are made possible by having a small amount of drop, and that's true of the FWD Via 2, their higher-cushioned cruiser.  

Tuesday, March 10, 2026


Diadora Gara Carbon 3 Review
By Matthew Klein and Andrea Myers
 
Diadora has been making a noticeable effort to push into performance shoes. With the new Atomo Star, Frequenza 3 and even the Vigore V, while still a bit heavier than other companies, the geometry and foams are starting to progress. The most significant sign of performance is always the racing shoe. The prior two versions of the Gara Carbon were similar. A comfortable Italian fit with a soft midsole made for a shoe that didn't pack a punch but clearly was a long distance racer for those not wanting an aggressive shoe. The price tag of $300 made this difficult to swallow as the midsole and weight were more similar to other brands lightweight trainers than their super shoes. Version 3 demonstrates the recent push. While initial impressions were a bit shaky, the bouncier midsole, lighter weight and stiffer ride make for a faster shoe. 

Monday, March 9, 2026


The Monday Shakeout: ASICS Superblast 3 vs On Cloudmonster Hyper 3
By Andrea Myers

In today's shakeout, we're shaking things up with a comparison article on two recent super shoe releases. Andrea compares On's new Hyper 3 to ASICS' towering Superblast.

Sunday, March 8, 2026

 

 

Breaking Down the Cielo X1 with Hoka
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 283


Hoka's making big strides in 2026 with a big updated to their top-tier distance racing shoe: the Cielo X1 3.0. Matt is joined by Rebekah Broe, Senior Director of Product Performance Footwear at HOKA, to dive into every detail of the changes. They talk foam composition, midsole geometry, tweaks to the plate and much more!

Saturday, March 7, 2026

 


Running Shoes for People with Haglund's Deformity
Or, the Shoes without Rigid Heel Counters List

Heel counters are one of the many footwear components that are commented on here at Doctors of Running. Heel counters are (usually) a rigid piece of material embedded in or molded around the upper of the rearfoot. The purpose is to provide structure to this part of the shoe and potentially stabilize the heel. There are now several variations, going from ones that wrap completely around the heel, to split heel counters (a piece left out at the rearmost portion) and even super thin heel counters just to keep the upper from collapsing. While many people do well with these stiffening agents, some with sensitivities at or around their heel sometimes do not.

Thursday, March 5, 2026


Adidas Hyperboost Edge Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas
 
Historically, Adidas has been one of the main drivers in footwear innovation. Prior to the Peba and ATPU craze, they made Boost. Boost was a beaded TPU that offered better cushioning and responsiveness than the EVA foams at the time. In recent years, we have seen them push the boundaries of weight in super shoes, with the Adidas Adios Pro Evo series. That shoe respectively weighs about the same as most track spikes. Adidas is trying to continue pushing innovation with the Adidas Hyperboost Edge, a training model debuting another new midsole named Hyperboost.  


On Cloudmonster 3 Review
By Matthew Klein
 
The On Cloudmonster series is one of On's most recognizable shoes. The more maximal shoe in On's lineup, it originally debuted as one of the first On shoes to actually feel cushioned. While still on the firmer side, the larger clouds finally had a chance to shine, create a bouncy and surprisingly quick ride during running and a comfortable, all day capacity during walking. A major mark of its success was how many people bought them for walking, daily wear and work wear with the Cloudmonster quickly competing with other shoes like the Hoka Bondi, ASICS Nimbus and New Balance 1080. Version 2 had some potential with a softer forefoot but was hampered by a rough upper and thin tongue that caused excruciating lace bite (impingement of the foot extensor tendons). This was disappointing not only because of my inability to the get the miles I wanted to on it, but also because it didn't follow up in a way I was hoping from the original. Version 3, along with its Hyper and Lightspray counterparts, seeks to correct this. The newest version is a clearer evolution of the series, utilizing a new triple layer of Cloudtec that keeps the ride balanced for easy efforts, while a brand new upper fixes all the prior fit issues. 

Monday, March 2, 2026


The Monday Shakeout: Best Track Workout Shoes That Aren't Spikes
By Andrea Myers

In this week's Monday Shakeout, Andrea talks about the shoes she's using to train for track season. Spikes can be a major overload on calves, which is why it is important to explore some non-spike footwear for weekly training. She provides her favorites.

Sunday, March 1, 2026

 

 

Becoming a Competitive Masters Runner, ft. Jennifer St. Jean
Doctors of Running Podcast, Episode 281


On this episode, Andrea is joined by Jennifer St. Jean, an incredibly accomplished masters track runner and high school & collegiate coach. Jen shares insights from her long and decorated masters track career on how to stay healthy, consistent, and competitive as you age. 

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