Run at Top Speed with the New Saucony Endorphin Pro

Sponsored by Zappos. All opinions are my own.

Are you in need of some motivation to already start preparing for your next PR? A brand new pair of shoes can do the trick! I am always in search of the next great pair of training shoes that will help my feet tolerate the endless miles I put in every week. What excites me the most is when I find the absolute best pair for racing. The marathon is probably the hardest to shop for when it comes to shoes, since the goal is to run the entire 26.2 miles at a fast pace, while respecting the fact that you are running for several hours! This means you need a good combination of supportive and lightweight technology.

I have been wearing the same racing shoes for the last couple of years thinking there was nothing better out there, but I’ve been wrong! Luckily I got my hands on a pair of the new Saucony Endorphin Pro from Zappos and I’ve fallen in love with everything about them. Zappos always has what I’m looking for and as a rewards member I can take advantage of several shopping benefits such as free expedited shipping and free returns for 365 days. They have the best customer service, too, so whether I need to make a return or I have a question on a product I want to purchase the staff is always knowledgeable and quick to respond!

Superhuman Results

I don’t like to encourage the thought that a shoe can “make you faster” because at the end of the day, it’s our bodies that have the talent and ability. We are the ones who put in the effort and energy into our paces and performance—not the shoe. BUT I do believe a shoe can make faster running feel a little more tolerable and help us more efficiently take advantage of the energy that’s bounced right back to us from the ground. My first impression of the Saucony Endorphin Pro was how lightweight they are—only a bit over 6 ounces! I pretty much forgot I had shoes on at all after a few miles of my first run!

They are equipped with a few speedy features, such as the SPEEDROLL technology that is made to propel you forward with a quick response once you strike the ground. As a runner who usually intensely lands on her heel, I was impressed with how much softer my landing was in these shoes. The Endorphin Pro forces you to land more towards the mid and forefoot in a way, without tiring you out from the change in form. When it comes to faster paces during long races, you want to feel like you are propelling forward instead of bouncing up (which wastes energy by the way!), and these shoes do just that. With the addition of the carbon fiber plate, which provides that boost of power from heel strike to push-off again, fast running does not feel so hard.

The Ease of Maintaining Paces…

This is every runner’s ultimate goal—to feel like they can sustain their marathon pace for the entire race. Although I have not run a marathon yet in my new Saucony Endorphin Pro, my longest run in them, 90 minutes, was enough to show me this superpower. For about two months now I plan out a 90-minute progression run on Saturdays. My goal is to run the last 20 to 30 minutes of this run at or around my goal marathon pace. These days with the intense heat we have outside, this goal is definitely not an easy one to hit. My effort is what counts, but I would love to see the numbers on the watch one day! Well, on my most recent Saturday run in my Endorphin Pro, I actually hit my goal without any difficulty at all! If you are a runner, these mini accomplishments can make your day! I will mention again: the effort and ability to hit these goal paces come from my body, but the shoes sure do make it feel easier!

Comparing these to my former racing shoes, I have to say the Saucony Endorpin Pro is significantly more supportive and cushioned. The PWRRUN cushioning makes long runs comfortable and keeps foot health a priority. So far I have not had any soreness in my ankles and feet as I normally get with my old pair. As I mentioned earlier, the combination of comfort and lightweight speed is the ideal shoe description for marathon racing, and the Saucony Endorphin Pro are equipped with the best of both worlds. In a nutshell: This pair is light, fast, and efficient—what every marathoner needs!

Mind + Body Reset: Taking a Break from Racing

Racing season is the most exciting time of the year for runners. As nervous as we get at the start line, we are anxious to sign up for another race just seconds after crossing the finish line. At least that’s what happens to me! I spent the last three years training my butt off to PR at every race I signed up for. I had an incredible start after beginning a serious training program in 2016. I dropped 31 minutes off of my previous PR in the 2017 Miami Marathon and 11 minutes off my Miami Beach Half—both within one year. I was itching for more, so I added miles to my training, switched up my speed work and strengthening program, upped my recovery game, and trained my mind at the same time. I rang in 2018 with another 16 minute drop in my marathon time and 5 more minutes off of my half.

Of course, this success comes with so much sacrifice, but the feeling of reaching goals gets addicting and I just kept wanting more! The issue I did not see coming was that I was about to have a “down” season, which is actually pretty normal in a runner’s world. I used to blame it on my DNF at the 2018 Boston Marathon, where the brutal weather conditions got the best of me and made it a difficult and slow process to get back in shape. Since i was not seeing progress in a short time like I was used to, I ended up hiring a coach, thinking my self-coaching abilities were limited. I trained hard for another PR at the Sydney Marathon (which happened to have the most perfect running weather!), but it just didn’t happen. I was close—two minutes slower than my previous PR, but not good enough for me. The rest of 2018 was miserable—my entire training program was completely different than what I was doing, which I thought was a good thing, but it only got me out of shape and ultimately discouraged me.

Mind Over Body

Disappointed with so many failed attempts at hitting my goals, my mind went into a negative state, and this was when I realized how much the mind can control. I switched courses during this year’s Miami Full Marathon to the half when so many things went wrong from the start, including the fact that my head was not into it this time around. After my short-lived tantrum about my running abilities was over, I realized that getting a coach was not a good idea. It’s true when they say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Coaching myself was actually going so well. Why did I feel I needed to change that so badly? It was at this moment I decided to take a break from racing (after I ran the last two Spring races I was signed up for—the Miami Beach half and the Boston Marathon). It was the best decision for me to not set any specific goal for a while and just focus on my weaknesses.

During these last few months I have dedicated my time to coaching my own athletes, which I have grown to love! I also have been focusing on rebuilding the training program I once had that I know gave me the best results. Although the Summer heat has been brutal lately, making me feel like I am getting nowhere, I’m making sure this does not get the best of my mind this time around.

A Learning Process

My intention for this detailed rant is to show how any runner can have a “down” season—this even happens to the elites! I have a passion for inspiring others to stick to their programs no matter how many times you fail. We learn so much from these times..I certainly did! I learned to believe in myself. Now I make sure to evaluate situations and make changes where it’s needed and not touch what’s actually going right. I feel extremely proud of myself for always staying dedicated to my goals and more confident in myself as a coach. If you are considering working with a coach for your upcoming races, don’t hesitate to reach out! If you are doing just fine on your own, do not change a thing!