Eli "fetsh" Heiman
Gear
I rotate between five pairs of running shoes. I have one daily trainer for regular runs, plus two faster shoes — a cushioned pair for tempo workouts (LT2 and slower) and long runs, and a lighter pair for speed work and intervals (vVO2Max and faster). Then there’s my race day shoe, and finally a minimalist shoe with no cushioning or heel drop that I use for easy days or when I feel especially strong or adventurous.
This is the current snapshot of my shoe rotation. It’s mostly based on the theory I describe in this guide: A Guide to Your First Pair of Running Shoes — and the Second One.
Daily trainer
For my daily trainer, I stick with the classics — Nike Pegasus or Mizuno Wave Rider, following the guide. I just grab whichever looks nicer or feels more comfortable that season, since the brands always tweak things a little anyway. This season it’s the Mizuno Wave Rider 29. The look alone made it a no-brainer, and they’re comfy as hell too.
That said, I couldn’t resist chasing the hype and picked up the Adidas EVO SL also. The weight, the foam, the looks — all genuinely impressive and fun. But as is so often the case with Adidas, the fit just doesn’t work for my feet.
Quality sessions
High-cushioned
The high-cushioned speed category should theoretically be for supertrainers. These are non-carbon racers — modern foam and stiffeners, but simpler, more durable, longer-lasting, and with a slightly more comfortable upper material. The Saucony Endorphin Speed used to be the standard in this category. I went through two versions of the Endorphin Speed, but they didn’t work for me — I couldn’t feel any cushioning at all, and they felt way too narrow.
This season I’m trying the Mizuno Neo Vista 2. If I overlook the knit upper, which I usually avoid, these are the most fun shoes I’ve ever had.
Low-cushioned
For the low-cushioned speed category, I want a small drop around 4mm, light weight, and excellent ground feel. This used to be the Saucony Kinvara (too narrow for my taste) or Asics Noosa Tri (perfect). But for a while, both were following the high-cushion trend — adding stack height and drifting away from what made them great.
But thankfully, the pendulum seems to be swinging back. The Adidas Adios 9 has become my discovery of the season — minimal stack by today’s standards, a slightly higher drop that somehow doesn’t feel like it, and that rare combination of speed and ground feel I’ve been chasing. The only downsides: a rather narrow toe box and an upper that breathes poorly.
The Asics Noosa Tri 15, meanwhile, has been reassigned — it now lives in the shitty weather beater category, where its cheerful colours and increased stack height feel right at home.
Racing day
When I run my first sub-2:42 marathon, I’ll definitely buy myself the best super-shoes available that day. But since I’m not exactly reaching for the stars yet, super-shoes from two seasons ago work perfectly fine for me. They’re good-looking, light, and comfortable.
Alternative daily trainers
In the alternative daily trainers category, there’s a minimalist shoe, a shoe with protection from wind and mud, and various other shoes that haven’t found a proper place in the rotation.
Minimalist shoe
As a minimalist shoe, I’m using the Altra Escalante 3 this season. They’re kind of perfect: good upper, very roomy toe box, light weight, excellent ground feel, and they look amazing. Since I’m not using them for the foam, I’m hoping I don’t have to retire them after 1000km and can keep wearing them until they fall apart, because the Escalante 4 are all ugly.
A miles eater
I was hoping the Brooks Glycerin Max would be kind of high-cushioned speed shoes. I expected to get what I got from the Neo Vista or what everyone loves about the Asics Superblast. Instead, I got a huge disappointment. They’re super heavy, give zero energy return, and every landing feels like hitting a thick slab of rubber. Like running in shackles. They remind me of the Saucony Hurricane 23 I used to wear. I only put on the Glycerin Max for one reason — because I paid for them and feel obligated to get my 1000km out of them. Only on days when I have too much energy in my legs.
Shitty weather beater
Everyone needs a pair of shitty weather beaters for heavy rain and ankle-deep muddy puddles. Preferably black, for obvious reasons. The Nike Pegasus Shield were the perfect example of this genre. These days I don’t have many occasions to wear them — the right weather just doesn’t happen. So these Asics GT-1000 9 GTX are already five years old but only have 160km on them. But you never know, the opportunity might come up.
Though honestly, unless I specifically need to keep my feet dry for some weird reason, I usually just reach for my loud Asics Noosa Tri 15 — no amount of mud is going to make them look any worse. And then straight into the washing machine after the run.
