I race in the Endorphin Pro 2 and do my speed work in the Endorphin Speeds. Currently I do my recovery runs and base miles in a pair of Brooks Launch 5’s, but they’re ready to be replaced. I know many people on the forum run in Endorphin series shoes, so I figured I’d poll the hive mind to see what you use for a daily trainer.
Brooks Ghost, Saucony Endorphin Speed, Saucony Endorphin Pro for me.
Haven’t strayed from Brooks Ghost since settling on it 8 years ago after frequent injuries in several other shoes, so I don’t really know what other good options are. They work fine so I stick with them.
I really like the Novablast and Glideride lines these days. The Glideride rolls and cushions really well, making it a really comfortable shoe up to marathon pace (for me around 4:10/k). Novablast is a more bouncy ride but without the roll. Depending on which ride-type you prefer, I’d recommend one of these two.
My current rotation is:
- Magic Speed (interval day)
- Next% Tempo (tempo day)
- Novablast 2 (long day)
- Metaspeed Sky (race day)
I preferred my last rotation:
- Endorphin Speed (interval day)
- Novablast (tempo day)
- Glideride (long day)
- Next% (race day)
The Speed was amazing and supposedly the 3rd iteration is supposed to be even better. My curiosity to try something new go the better of me. If I chose today, I’d do this:
- Endorphin Speed 3 (interval day) because I really think it’s the best shoe for this purpose
- Novablast 3 (tempo day) to run up-tempo with good cushion but without a plate OR try the FuellCell SC Trainer
- Glideride 3 (long day) OR try the Fresh Foam More v4
- Sky+ (race day) or try the squishier RC Elite v2/v3
Lots of shoes if you want to stay in the lighter weight potentially lower cushioned category and want to change from the launch
Hoka Rincon
Asics noosa tri
NB Tempo
361 Fierce 2
Hoka Mach 5
Saucony Kinvara
Brooks Hyperion tempo (which IMO is a better shoe than the launch. YMMV though)
If you wanted to go up in cushion then you could also consider
Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 or Ride
Hoka Clifton
Brooks Ghost
Asics Cumulus
Asics Novablast 3
NB 880 or 1080
361 Meraki or Spire 4
Nike peg turbo
Hope that helps
Thanks for the suggestions!
I was looking at the Ride or the Novablast, so I think I’m in your second category. This gives me some options to go try at the local running store.
I mostly “daily” in the Endorphin Speed 3s (great shoe btw), and I have a couple of pairs to rotate. My other option for slower/longer runs is the Novablast 3. It’s a good shoe.
I race in the Endorphin Pro, and do pretty much all of my other running in the Endorphin Speed. Once I got my pair of Speeds, I never really wanted to run in anything else for training runs. They’re cushy enough to be comfortable and not kill my legs on any distance run, but they’re not cushy in a slow way. The only exception is when I do intervals on the track I run in the Asics Magic Speed.
I mostly “daily” in the Endorphin Speed 3s (great shoe btw), and I have a couple of pairs to rotate. My other option for slower/longer runs is the Novablast 3. It’s a good shoe.
Is there a big difference between the speed 3’s and 2’s?
hard to say whether it’s “big” or not but i feel like the 3’s are a really, really good update. they are fairly different and run a little more ‘normally’ in my opinion and don’t feel like they are a plated shoe. but the energy return and overall feel of the shoe is fantastic, in my opinion. superior to the 2s (and 1s).
Thanks. I’ve had both 1’s and 2’s. The 2’s to me felt softer which I liked. Hoping the 3’s are a further improvement to that, waiting for a pair in the mail…
Is there a big difference between the speed 3’s and 2’s?
Going from memory from when I looked at the spec we were given the 3s are 2mm wider in the base, redid the plate with a S curve plate (forgot what they are calling it though), lighter, will come in a 2E (although we haven’t gotten our 2E’s yet), it’s a little lighter and they tweaked the midsole to make it more responsive.
They may have made other changes but I don’t recall if or what they were.
Hope that helps
Thx!
At a certain point I gave up trying to find another shoe to pair with the Speeds. I don’t do any recovery runs (swims and rides work better for me n=1), and I have found that with the foam in the Speed’s that it at least feels like there is less recovery needed versus my previous shoes of all different makes.
Pavement, mellow trails, easy runs, tempo runs, long runs…I do them all in Speed’s. I use Pro’s for races/key workouts.
My vote for the Novablast 3. The most comfortable easy day shoe for me in a long time.
At a certain point I gave up trying to find another shoe to pair with the Speeds.
Thanks for the input - I’ve thought about just running in the Speeds but then I got scared off by the LCB theories that she fractured her hip in part because she did too many runs in her carbon plated shoes. Is that just unfounded internet analysis? Or something you only need to worry about if you’re running 80 mpw? Any downsides other than the cost / durability of the Speeds vs a more traditional foam?
hard to say whether it’s “big” or not but i feel like the 3’s are a really, really good update. they are fairly different and run a little more ‘normally’ in my opinion and don’t feel like they are a plated shoe. but the energy return and overall feel of the shoe is fantastic, in my opinion. superior to the 2s (and 1s).
I have the 2s as race shoes, ran in the 3s at a run store demo a week or so back. The 3 is a better shoe imo - terrific cushion and energy return, upper fits like a slipper. The run from the store is a dirt road run with hard surfaces and plenty of rocks, it went well even on that surface.
I race in the Endorphin Pro, and do pretty much all of my other running in the Endorphin Speed. Once I got my pair of Speeds, I never really wanted to run in anything else for training runs. They’re cushy enough to be comfortable and not kill my legs on any distance run, but they’re not cushy in a slow way. The only exception is when I do intervals on the track I run in the Asics Magic Speed.
+1, except for the Asics part.
Is there a big difference between the speed 3’s and 2’s?
Going from memory from when I looked at the spec we were given the 3s are 2mm wider in the base, redid the plate with a S curve plate (forgot what they are calling it though), lighter, will come in a 2E (although we haven’t gotten ours yet), it’s a little lighter and they tweaked the midsole to make it more responsive.
They may have made other changes but I don’t recall if or what they were.
Hope that helps
Brian,
What is the interior like on the Saucony Speed 3s? I typically race in my Brooks glycerins (smooth inside) but tried the speed 2s in a race and it tore up my foot. Any chance that they made the speed 3s any better with the fabric?
Thanks for the input - I’ve thought about just running in the Speeds but then I got scared off by the LCB theories that she fractured her hip in part because she did too many runs in her carbon plated shoes. Is that just unfounded internet analysis? Or something you only need to worry about if you’re running 80 mpw? Any downsides other than the cost / durability of the Speeds vs a more traditional foam?
The Speed 2 and 3 have nylon plates rather than carbon, will be a little less rigid.
LCB was nuts to do all her runs in racing shoes… that’s just basic running shoe hygiene, should always have multiple pairs in rotation to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
If you want to stick to the Speeds, at least have both 2s and 3s in the rotation. The 2s are on sale for $80 at running warehouse…
**The Speed 2 and 3 have nylon plates rather than carbon, will be a little less rigid. **
LCB was nuts to do all her runs in racing shoes… that’s just basic running shoe hygiene, should always have multiple pairs in rotation to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
If you want to stick to the Speeds, at least have both 2s and 3s in the rotation. The 2s are on sale for $80 at running warehouse…
Weren’t the Speed 1’s a nylon plate too? I thought that was their “step-down” from the Pro’s–same foam, different plate?