“When you’re running as many miles as we do, recovery and limiting impact is a huge factor,” says Ieuan Thomas. “Road running places huge forces through your body on a daily basis, and that can take its toll as the mileage cumulates.

Running off-road can be a huge physiological help by taking some of that impact away. Plus, it gives you a much-needed mental break from the monotony of the roads and traffic.”

Celebrated coach James Thie feels he is “so lucky to have a brilliant trail system on my doorstep, and it’s one of the reasons why at 42, I’m still able to run pain free every day.”

“Road running can be very hard on the joints,” continues the man behind Thomas’ and Marshall’s sessions. “Off-road surfaces can help absorb some of these forces. Plus the other benefits are off-road normally means getting out into the countryside with great scenery and escaping the worry of paces and distances.”

Sessions you can do off road

Almost any session that you do on-road, you can also do off-road. The emphasis may just change slightly. You won’t be hitting track times when you’re off road, but the effort is the same. All three recommended similar sessions, maybe because of Thie’s influence on his athletes.

1. Long Hills – a staple of our winter training are what we call ‘Kenyan hills’. A copy of what the best runners in Kenya do in Eldoret. 75 seconds up, 1 min 45 back down x 10-15.

It’s a hard burn up the hill, and then not letting off to come back down. It challenges your body to be able to produce power when you’re tired, and promotes your body to recovery whilst still running at a reasonable pace back down. It’s a tasty one.

2. Fartlek runs – off-road trails are perfect for changes of pace, and lend themselves perfectly to unstructured fartlek. Attack each hill as you come to it, relax through winding sections, pick up the pace again on any flat sections.

Pick a tree and go hard until you reach it – the possibilities are endless. You’re basically keeping your body guessing, and the benefits can be massive.

Photo: Saucony UK

The different training effect trail running has to road running

“The main difference with trail running is that you have to focus a little more” says Thomas. “Road running is mostly predictable, it’s flat ground with turns you can see well in advance.

Trails aren’t always like that, they keep you guessing. This not only makes for a more enjoyable run (that will go by much faster) but also changes the run’s emphasis from pure aerobic endurance to more strength and stability, alongside the aerobic work.”

Plus, you get to explore new places and the trio share their favourite places in south Wales to hit the dirt.

Merthyr Mawr sand dunes is used by the group once a month or so and can be a really tough, but rewarding session.

It works completely different muscles to what you usually use during sessions, and helps to strengthen any weaknesses that you might have in these muscles. The session is beyond brutal though! A lactic filled mix of steep dunes, longer sand reps, and short, sharp sprints,” smiles Marshall. “Always a lovely cool down into the sea after though.”

Saucony ambassadors Ieaun Thomas, Tom Marshall and James Thie sometimes run on the trails in the Saucony Peregrine 10, Saucony’s flagship trail running shoe. Find out more here.

The post Rhedeg llwybr (we hope that’s Welsh for trail running) appeared first on Fast Running.

A midweight, good at everything, neutral, road shoe. That’s what the Saucony Ride 13 is. Doesn’t sound very inspiring, does it?

Perhaps that’s why they decided to release it in a colourway that makes you feel like someone has thrown up in your eyeballs – just so you can’t ignore them. Indeed, you shouldn’t flee the fluro just yet because behind that average sounding intro is a sleeper-shoe.

First impressions

First impressions of the shoe is that it is plush but still quite light and flexible. Gone is the ISO sleeve, which some had complained about in the past, and in its place is ‘Form Fit’ with the 3D overlay of little firm bits of rubber on the outer of the shoe providing structure while maintaining movement.

The collar and tongue have been slimmed down to reduce weight too, though they are still pretty cushioned. The PWRRun technology which has been developed for the midsole of this shoe will now become the standard type of cushioning for much of the rest of their range.

It is a white, blown rubber that is designed to offer grip and comfort than the previous, harder, crystal rubber. At the tip and heel of the shoe the treads are made of carbon rubber which is harder wearing and higher quality. It’s not the whole way through, presumably for a combination of price and comfort reasons, but that detail underlines the fact that Saucony are planning on this being your big-mileage shoe. So is it?

Good for the big miles?

I’ll be honest, these shoes weren’t an instant hit for me. I didn’t dislike them, I just didn’t get it. They didn’t have that instant slipper-like comfort of the Ride ISO 2 and they weren’t a racer.

Pretty soon though I realised that I wasn’t just putting them on for runs which I needed to cover off for testing purposes. I started wearing them for a real range of efforts and each time I sort of forgot that I’d been wearing them when I came back. I thought these shoes were different to the Ride ISO 2 in that I didn’t instantly love them but actually they have one key factor in common.

You forget that you’re wearing them – they are super smooth. Cards on the table I’ve only worn two pairs of Saucony shoes but so far it seems that their skill is in making shoes that you forget. Perhaps not a great brand strategy but isn’t that actually what you want most of the time when you’re in the middle of a big training block?

Mileage shoes that are nimble enough for jumping over tiny hurdles too?

What does Jo Pavey say?

Jo Pavey, who calls herself “fussy about shoes” is leading the PR for these shoes. When explaining why she liked them she pointed out that they are particularly ideal for her situation at the moment – with restricted access to the track she needs a shoe that she can keep hammering sessions in on the road, getting good results but without worrying about injury.

Protective, but fast. She particularly counseled against running too much in cushioned shoes as this can cause overuse injuries.

A key turning point for me was when I did a drills and skills session in the Ride 13s. Whereas my other high-mileage shoes would have me wobbling all over when trying to do stability work, or losing power on plyos, the Saucony’s retained such a good feeling of connection with the ground that they enabled me to engage my feet and ankles more effectively than in other comparable offerings.

So, if you are looking for an everyday, all uses, gets the job done shoe I’d recommend these. Oh and that colourway – it’s called “mutant”. Top marks at least for not being pink!

The numbers

Miles run in testing: 72
Weight: 289g / 244g (Saucony Kinvara 11 is 233g, Brooks Ghost 13 is 286g.)
Heel-toe drop: 8mm
Price: £125ish

Pros

A multi use shoe – offers contact with the road and cushioning
Doesn’t veer too far from Saucony tried and tested shoes
The design is aimed at durability
Colours – you either love or hate

Cons

Not super cushioned and not a racer
It’s not shiny or exciting. Just does its thing well.
Colours – you either love or hate

Gill Bland was given these shoes for testing purposes from Saucony, but we always ask for honest opinions, rather than trying to keep any brands happy. 

The post Lucky 13 for Saucony? appeared first on Fast Running.

The overwhelming sense you get when speaking to Jo Pavey is that she’s a woman who knows what she wants and is not about to be distracted from her goal. Her mantra – have a plan, but be flexible.

Covid-era training has tough one for Pavey, like so many athletes – especially those who use a track. Based in Devon, she’s not had the setup that more urban-based athletes might have access to.

Her local track is still closed and Pavey talks about how “one night I drove an hour to what I thought was the nearest open track, only to find that it was closed too. By the time I got home it was dark and I was frustrated, so I got on the treadmill and did a session while my daughter sat on the sofa next to me looking at me like I was a madwoman”.

Plans change and a good athlete adapts

Speaking to Jo at the launch of the Saucony Ride 13 shoe, she should have been running the Antrim Coastal Half Marathon just days later (13th) but instead she was preparing to sit in the commentators box.

She had initially planned to take part earlier in the year but 6 days beforehand lockdown happened and the race had to be postponed.

She was pumped for the season ahead and “had been getting down the track multiple times a week – I was really excited”.

So after having it all pulled out from underneath her it must be tempting to join in this time around, just to get some racing action. After all, she admits that “it’s hard to keep fitness levels when there is no competition” to drive it.

Pavey has a plan

She wants to become a 6 time Olympian and to do that she needs to qualify for team GB in the 10,000m.

But Jo knows it’s not that simple –  she’s a good deal older than the other athletes vying for a place and while experience counts for a lot, age brings with it the need to be careful.

So the plan is flexible. After a summer where she’s not been able to do her standard and much-loved test sessions of 400s but instead has been homeschooling and dealing with lock-down family life, the experienced athlete knows she needs to build carefully and not overload herself.

A niggle picked up mountain biking on a family holiday was the final nail in the coffin for the race in Antrim, though she’d already decided that she wasn’t really in race shape.

Be patient until the time is right

For now Pavey is focussing on maintaining carefully until it’s time to build for the 10,000m trials next year.

It’s a situation that in a lesser form, a lot of us are in at the moment. We’re carrying on running but with no hard goals to aim for until next year.

So perhaps it’s time to learn from the master. Jo embodies that ability to keep on churning away at the training without losing the love of the sport. As she reels off her favourite go-to sessions of 6 x 1mile, 90,60,45,30, 2x 15 tempo etc. you can hear the joy in her voice.

The Saucony endurance star talks of how she always likes to include a “fast bit” at the end of any workout and you can imagine just how that steely determination would kick in.

Finding new training routes at home

Like the rest of us she’s had to find new training routes that start from her back door, to avoid unnecessary travel. She laughs that “I discovered there isn’t more than 20 seconds worth of flat near where I live – I’ve done a lot more hill work over lockdown than ever before!”.

Jo Pavey talked to FastRunning at the launch of the Saucony Ride 13.

A “dynamic, lightweight but cushioned shoe”. Jo noted that because she has been unable to get to the track, the shoe has been ideal as it is responsive enough to do a workout but protective enough to be used all the time. Saucony provided FastRunning with a sample of the Ride 13 so we’ll let you know soon what we think of it.

The post Jo Pavey will be ready appeared first on Fast Running.

Sprinter Hart is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and holds a bronze medal from the London 2012 Paralympics. She is a 100m and 200m specialist with Cerebral Palsy competing in the T37 classification. She has been representing Great Britain and England for over 15 years and is currently targeting qualification for Tokyo 2021. 

We spoke to Katrina about how her training has been affected during coronavirus and where her determination to be a Paralympian came from. 

Fast Running: How has your training been impacted during this time? What have you had to change?

Katrina Hart: Training has been different, usually I would be doing all my running sessions on the track and be in a gym for all my gym sessions, but we have had to adapt sessions to get the best out of my training.

I have used the local Sports field for a lot of my running sessions and completed a session on the road too.  I have also been doing circuit and gym sessions at home too.

Last week I went on the track for the first time in 3 months. It felt good but even looking at the 100m from the start line felt a long way!

Photo: Saucony UK

FR: Is there anything you have changed during lockdown that you will take forward with you? 

KH: I don’t think I would change anything but feel that I was learning about different ways of training and exercises each day. I’ve always been a person who would fit a lot of things into their day and this lockdown has given me an opportunity to slow down a little and appreciate the little things in life that are really important.

FR: Have you found your motivation has become affected?

KH: I think it’s more enjoyable having people around you to train with and help to keep you motivated when you’re struggling with a session but always find once you’ve completed it, it’s really rewarding. I think that now is more important than ever to set yourself little targets.

I still keep in touch with friends who are training and we sometimes meet for a socially distant session which definitely gives you a major boost.

FR: What tips would you give to other para athletes looking for ways to stay fit and healthy during this time?

KH: The main thing I would say is that you don’t need loads of equipment to have a good session. A lot of the work can be done by using objects you have at home e.g using your patio steps to do step ups or doing body weight exercises like press ups.

If you have pets at home, like a dog, take them running with you!

I think it’s a good idea to try different things too. As the track hasn’t been open regularly I have been out on my bike more than I usually would and have really enjoyed the exercise.

FR: How did the Olympics being postponed to 2021 affect you mentally and your training plans?

KH: I think it was the right thing to do but I feel it has given athletes more time to train and get fitter, faster and stronger. I think a lot of athletes are in a similar position with tweaking their sessions due to lockdown and trying to work with what they have to get the best out of their sessions.

FR: Did your parents encourage you to get involved in a para sport or was it entirely your decision? 

KH: I’ve always been really sporty from a really young age. My memories when I was younger was where my sisters and I would spend our weekdays training and my weekends were spent competing. Whatever sport it was, we did it.

My parents were our taxi service, driving up and down the country and spent hours of end in cold, wet, muddy fields or at the swimming pool but it was my PE teacher (Michelle) who guided me into Para Sport, which then opened my eyes to see all the amazing opportunities that taking this avenue could offer. She probably didn’t ever think I’d become a Paralympian, she just wanted me to love what I did.

In 2018, I was really lucky I went on a short break to Nice with my sister and caught up with Michelle and her family on the beach (they live out there now) and we ended up reminiscing over ‘old times’ and she, her daughter and a group of their friends got me kayaking in the Mediterranean Sea.

FR: What would you say to other young people with disabilities to encourage them to take up sport?

KH: The thing I love about sport is there’s not a one size fits all approach. There are so many different sports out there to try. I always say if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

So you have to make the most of opportunities that come your way but most of all enjoy what you do and make sure you have fun.

FR: What does your job as a sports accessor involve? 

KH: My role as a Sports Assessor involves assessing Sports Apprenticeships and NVQ’s, I have recently started my Training Assessor and Quality Assurance (TAQA) qualification, this will allow me to assess learners in their place of work and in a classroom environment.

I have been in a similar role in another subject and enjoyed that. I was out and about and not in an office all the time which meant I was meeting new people, going to new places and seeing apprentices progress throughout their course, which I found really rewarding.

FR: Do you think sport has changed your outlook in life and how you perceive your disability? 

KH: Definitely, sport has literally changed my life. I think it has given me a drive to succeed in whatever it is I do and to always try new things.

Regardless of having a disability I was very lucky; I never saw my life any different to anyone else.

My sisters and I would always have competitions between each other and being the youngest, smallest and having Cerebral Palsy made things a little more challenging.

Beating them would always be a tall order but I think that’s where my competitive spirit has come from and I don’t think that will ever change.

Katrina Hart is a Saucony UK Ambassador, she is supporting the launch of the Endorphin collection available to buy from www.saucony.co.uk from July 1st.

The post Chasing your siblings to gold appeared first on Fast Running.

To celebrate the launch of the new Endorphin Pro the 15:39 speedster sent across three tips. They cover pacing, training and form and might help with the next virtual event or, one day soon hopefully, parkrun.

Pacing for a PB

“Find out the pacing strategy that works for you,” starts the Welsh ace. “This might be setting off at a pace you think you can hold for a whole parkrun.

It could be going off slightly quicker and seeing if you can holdout for the distance or setting off steady so you can pick up the pace in the second half.”

With her parkrun world record Arter knows about racing 5km. “Either way, mix it up and see what works for you. Experiment.”

If you have gone off a little fast then what should you do? “It helps to focus on people who are 20-30m in front of you as targets. Once you reach them you set another target.”

Probably a little difficult for the Saucony star as there isn’t often many people in front of her.

Form and technique

“When things start getting tough during the 5km, usually the last 1-2km, try and keep as good as form and technique as you can.”

“The more efficient you can be, the faster you will run.” Seems simple. “So concentrate on moving your arms to help propel you forward and focus on your leg speed.”

The Cardiff AC runner adds that “if you find your breathing is getting out of control, try counting your steps to 30 and repeat this to help control your breathing and get into a rhythm.

These shoes will apparently make you run faster too. Photo: Provided by Saucony

Speed work for the win

What about training? If you’re new to 5k then it’s possible that adding a bit more easy running to your week, building consistency, will help you see some improvements.

After that you could think about adding some speed work in. “Try adding one faster session in a week” is the place Arter says to start.

“This could be 10 x 1 min (1min recovery) or hill sprints (something like 10 x 45 seconds with a jog back down).”

“This not only adds variety to your training but also will help improve your parkrun time over time.”

Set some goals

“This can be short term and long term” shares the Welsh international. “It always helps to have something tangible to work to. Once you meet your goal of running for a longer period of time without walking and then eventually running a 5K distance without stopping, your next target can be improving on your time for the 5K.

“The main thing is not to rush the timeframe of your goals and to always look back on what you have achieved, big or small, they are all achievements!”

Nothing comes for free in this world, so this these wonderful tips come as part of a press release for the new carbon plated Saucony shoe. Another fancy shoe that makes you faster, but always best to train hard and wear fancy shoes.

Competition Time

To celebrate the launch of the Saucony Endorphin Collection there’s a competition on Strava. If you run a 2020 5k PB in the next three weeks you can enter for a chance to win all three pairs of the all-new Endorphin Collection — Speed, Shift and Pro — shoes engineered by athletes and made for the everyday runner.

The ‘You, But Faster’ with Saucony Strava Challenge will take place between the 29th June- 19th July. To find out more please pop along here. 

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Charlotte Arter’s 5k tips appeared first on Fast Running.

I’m sure every athlete and coach has their favourite or ‘go-to’ workout for different distances. Most are borrowed, or personally tried and tested.

I wish they guaranteed a fast time, but there is always more to it, than just one session. But, if you’re looking for some hand me down sessions, here’s a couple of my mine you can have. Pass them on if you like!

My belief is that to have confidence in your race day pacing plan… you need to train at goal pace. The way to best do this is through interval sessions, with breaking down the race distance.

Here are a couple of simple session suggestions for 5km and 10km distance.

Saucony UK and James Thie coached athlete Tom Marshall literally flying to a finish line. Photo: Robert Gale (@awv)

5km:

Session 1: 4 to 5 day before race day: 5 x 1km aim @ 3 to 5 seconds under goal pace.

• 16min aim or under: 2mins rest after each 1km.

• 16 to 20min aim:  2.5mins rest after each 1km.

• 20min plus aim:  3mins rest after each 1km.

Session 2: To sharpen for important track 5km race, 5 to 7 days before race day: 3 sets of 1200m (@2sec per 400m faster than goal 5km pace)  then 400m @1500m/mile pace.

• 16mins or under aim: 1min rest after 1200m & 4mins after 400m.

• 16 to 20mins aim: 90secs rest after 1200m & 5mins after 400m.

• 20mins plus aim: 2min rest after 1200m & 5mins after 400m.

Going a little longer

10km:

Session 1: 12-14 days before race day: 10 x 1km @ your goal race pace.

• 33mins or under aim: 60secs rest after each 1km.

• 34 to 40mins aim: 75secs rest after each 1km.

• 40mins plus aim: 90secs rest after each 1km.

Session 2: 9-12 days before race day:

• 33mins or under aim: 7 x 4mins with 90secs rest after each rep.

• 34 to 40mins aim:  6 x 5mins with 2mins rest after each rep.

• 40mins plus aim: 5 x 6mins with 3mins rest after each rep.

For more 10km chat… join me on the 9th June @7pm for a Welsh Athletics Webinar. Aimed at all athletes and coaches looking to grow their knowledge of art of 10k training and racing.

The webinar won’t just be about single sessions but cover a much wider look at the 10k distance. This will include:

• Explore the physical and mental components required to run a 10k.

• Discuss training for a 10k including session examples and training block planning.

• Explore 10k race preparation.

• Dissect the executing the race.

Saucony UK ambassador James Thie is supporting the launch of the Endorphin Pro. He is also hosting home-based circuit training sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm. You can find the sessions here. 

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post James Thie’s go-to 5 & 10k sessions appeared first on Fast Running.

I have to come clean and say I’ve never trained in Saucony before, so when the chance to test them out arose (these were provided by Saucony for the purpose of this review) I was happy to try the company that heavily supports British club running.

Saucony sponsor the British Milers club, have supported Jo Pavey (the woman, the legend), Charlotte Arter (parkrun World Record holder) and National Cross Country amongst many others. They are a grass-roots brand and for that I salute them.

Don’t judge a shoe by it’s cover

First I have to ‘doff my cap’ to Saucony for making me like a trainer that otherwise I might have ignored in my local running shop. Let me explain why.

The ‘Isofit upper and Formfit technology’ equate to a very padded ankle-hold, cushioned tongue and flexible knit-type material that firmly but flexible holds the foot in place.

Basically it doesn’t look like a light shoe, despite the fact that at 279g/248g it is actually lighter than my Nike Pegasus 33 (283g/252g) and the Gel Nimbus (307g/255g) which, if looks where all I were going on, I would put in the same realm.

However, in the first five days of owning the Ride ISO 2 I ran 50 miles in them. That possibly tells you all you need to know. These shoes made me want to get out there and they made me want to choose them as my tool of choice.

From the box to the road

There is no break-in period required with the Ride ISO2, never once did I feel anything other than utter comfort. This seems to be a common experience too, a quick search of other’s views suggests that this is a shoe that suits a wide range of feet.

Unlike some of its rivals the Ride ISO 2 didn’t feel like the Powerfoam/Everun combo leeched energy in order to provide softness, though it also didn’t seem to offer any kind of energy return. This is the Mondeo of shoes, not the Mustang. But y’know James Bond drove a Mondeo once and he got that workhorse doing some cool tricks.

Looking back at the Strava titles I’ve assigned to these shoes over the last few months the big takeaway is that these shoes made me enjoy the journey: “headspace and miles”, “picturesque” or “pondering runcommute” sum up the kind of running that they lend themselves to.

It is a well known fact that Gill like to include police cars in her pictures, this one is undercover.  Photo: Gill Bland

I’ve never yet managed to persuade myself to do any kind of effort in them. It would be interesting to compare these to the Kinvara, which is a slightly lighter offering and looks to be more likely to inspire speed.

The tagline for the Ride ISO 2 is “endless comfort” and at 214miles, with no signs of wear, that’s looking to be pretty on the money. A previous iteration of the marketing line went for “reliable comfort” which makes them sound more like your favourite saggy jumper but is equally apt. I can see why they changed it, but they’re not wrong.

No drama. Get them on, get out there.

Miles run in testing: 214

Weight: 279 / 248g
Heel-toe drop: 8mm
Price: RRP £120 but if you’re smart you can fine them for around £60 at the moment

Pros

They make you want to run.
No break-in required.
Super durable = value for money.

Cons

They don’t make you want to run fast.
Might get a little sweaty in warmer weather due to padding.
On the heavier end of the spectrum.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Saucony Ride ISO 2 review appeared first on Fast Running.

As the headline sponsor, Saucony will be supporting BMC’s racing program and will look to enhance the high-quality race experience that is seen at their events.

Saucony is a leading global running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel. The deal represents Saucony’s continued support of the development of British middle and long-distance running.

Founded in 1963, the BMC is the premier middle-distance athletics club in the country. Through its wide-ranging offering of elite standard expertise and events they aim to improve the world standing of UK Middle Distance running.

The partnership with BMC also builds on Saucony’s impressive roster of race sponsorship which includes; the English National XC Championships, England National XC Relays, Cambridge Half Marathon and the most recent addition of Run Windsor which includes the Running 4 Women 10k and the Windsor Half Marathon.

The sponsorship will begin with immediate effect.

Gareth Lloyd, Saucony UK & Ireland Marketing Manager says ‘’As a brand that prides ourselves on supporting grassroots running development, the BMC run series fits perfectly into our portfolio of events alongside the English National XC Championships and National XC Relays’’

‘’We see the BMC as a vital feeder service into international and GB athletics. We aim to enhance these events and the race day experience. Over the years many of Britain’s best distance runners have had breakthrough performances at BMC races. We hope to see this continue and look forward to helping athletes reach their full potential.’’

“The BMC is pleased to announce that it has agreed a major sponsorship deal with Saucony,” BMC chairman Tim Brennan said ‘we are delighted with our new partnership with Saucony and to be working with people who understand our sport and share our aims. We look forward to working together to improve the world standing of UK Middle Distance running.”

Fast Running is excited by this news and it will be interesting to see how the sponsorship deal will help British endurance runners push forward to new levels.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Saucony announces three year BMC sponsorship appeared first on Fast Running.

Saucony’s Freedom ISO was the first shoe with a full-length Everrun midsole, this is similar to the Boost foam found in Adidas shoes but a bit firmer. The Liberty was next to incorporate this midsole and I was keen to test them out on a few easy runs initially, before seeing how they faired in faster runs.

I found them very responsive on firm ground, both road and grass and comparing the Liberty to the first version of the Freedom there are a lot of similarities between the shoes, including the upper fit.

As mentioned this is a stability shoe and the support you get is certainly the main difference of this shoe over its sister. The stability comes from the inner midsole, the added structure of the upper and the heel also locks nicely in place. The guidance frame on the medial side of the shoe certainly helps to provide added stability as well.

The shoes aren’t ‘too restrictive’ though and those who like a natural feel or usually choose a neutral shoe can certainly go for the Liberty as the support features are mild.

Are these for easy runs, sessions and/or racing?

The Liberty is a good training shoe and I found it comfortable and responsive for every day easy runs for anything up to 12 miles with good shock absorption and a good return of energy. Personally, long runs of 16 miles or more I would probably go for something with a bit more cushion.

In terms of the terrain and speed work, the shoes were tested on road and firm grass and sessions were fast. Although I didn’t race in the shoe I would happily wear it for a 5k road race up to a half marathon.

Faster runners would probably go a lighter shoe for a 5k to 10k, but if you are in the 33 minute plus 10k range the Liberty is a good choice.

As mentioned this is a firm shoe with ‘some bounce’, but when it comes to a marathon I like a bit ‘more bounce’. However, if you happily see out 26.2 miles in a pair of Adidas Tempo or Saucony Kivanra or Freedom, you could comfortably do it in the Liberty too.

Final thoughts

The cost could put some off. Upon release in 2017, they were RRP £150, but you should be able to find them at around £110 now.

The heel drop of the shoes is 4mm and some runners who are not used to low drop shoe may require a bit of time to be accustomed to the shoes, but this is the same with any low drop shoe.

Rival shoes that I have tried out would include the Adidas Adizero Tempo or the Boston. You could say the Liberty is somewhere in between the two.

Finally, though it doesn’t happen too often, in some other shoes that are snug fitting I do occasionally overpronate on my left foot, but with these, there were no such issues. A big plus in my book.

The post Shoe review: Saucony Liberty ISO appeared first on Fast Running.