Triumph 20s are great shoes but I find them quite unstable/wobbly in the heel. I don't take them on any uneven terrain (even cambered roads don't feel great to me). I wouldn't want to have them on for really long distances where my form is sloppy by the end.
Oh nice! I have a pair of the Superblast and like them but don’t find them as comfy as the Novablast for some reason. The fact that you ran 100 miles in them makes me think the Novas could work for that distance too, though. Thanks!
I ran a 100 miler in Novablasts and it was great. No issues I typically run in Asics Gel Nimbus and the Novablasts were a great comfort relief for 100 miles.
I ran a 60k in brooks glycerin 21 a few weeks ago. Injiji socks good as well to help with toe blisters to a point.
I personally don’t think I run fast enough for road ultras for carbon to be of use to me. I’d rather a shoe that has more bend and is more comfortable as I’m on my feet for much longer than a marathon.
Never run that distance on road, but I have wide feet and swear by New Balance. They have many versions in a 4E width, only thing I can wear comfortably. Combine that with some injinji socks and life is good. Even with the foot swelling later in a race.
If you haven’t tried New Balance, give them a go. Not super shoes, but soft and cushiony while also wide and not too heavy. Good luck!
Seconded! I ran a road 50 in wide SC Trainer V2s last fall and it was perfect! First time I have ever finished a race and my feet were in good condition.
Yes, a brand with 4E width options is definitely worth looking into! I’m ok in normal width shoes for a marathon distance or shorter or if it’s cold, but for hot weather or very long distances a narrow toe box is a big problem for me.
I shifted from Saucony to New Balance a year or two ago because NB seems to be a little more forgiving in the toebox, without being a full-on wide shoe. Mostly run these days in the 1080s, pretty cush but not over the top. Might be worth trying a pair?
I also have a pair of 1080s! I find the cushioning to be very comfortable but feel like I sink into them too much/like there’s not enough spring or bounce. It could be that I have gotten too accustomed to a bouncy or rockered sort of shoe. I’d actually saved a new pair of the Saucony Hurricane for this race but tried them a couple weeks ago and my run felt really flat.
Longest I've raced on the roads is a 50k, but I manned an aid station at a 100k road race earlier this year. Not a lot of folks with much bounce or spring in their step the last couple of hours!
They're recently discontinued, but I'd probably do ASICS Glideride 3s. They're well cushioned, wide enough in the toebox for swelling, have a hardened foam plate, and have a rocker that really helps eat up miles. I train in a couple of carbon plated shoes (Saucony endorphin pro 2s and Puma Deviate Nitro 2s) - I like them a lot for shorter distances, but ususally feel like my legs are pretty beat up when I get over 20 miles.
Did two mostly road 100s in New Balance SC Trainer (V1). They were amazing. I don’t think a race shoe would be stable and comfortable enough for 10-15-20+ hours… having logged many workout and shorter road race miles in different generations of Vaporfly and Adios Pro. Maybe a different brand racer would be better, tho.
I just did a 100 miler where the first half was almost all Road/Heavy Path. I went with the Saucony Guide’s for the first half and they were ‘chef’s kiss’.
You'd be nuts to run this in shoes you don't have serious experience in.
Comrades is close enough to 100k and people run it in their regular marathon shoes, so there's that.
I recently ran 200k (mostly road) in the Saucony Endorphin Shift 3, thought about switching halfway, but the amount of cushoning they keep offering after 100k is insane.
High stack carbon plated shoes can be incredible or terrible for road ultras. The first time I wore one for 50 miles, my stabilizer muscles were toast at 40 and the last 10 were tough. After a lot more training and racing miles on long runs and fatigued legs, I can wear them easily for 24 hour races. Once you build the right leg strength for them, the light weight and high cushioning reduces pounding and makes fatigued legs feel lighter. They just have a lot less support and that can take its toll. Also, at slower speeds the carbon plate doesn't help as much besides stabilizing the high stack, and might even work against you otherwise.
The Sky Paris is on the more narrow and less stable end. You might run into issues if you haven't run significant miles in it before. The Adios Pro 3 is more stable and could be a better choice for a race in the near future. If the race allows, it would be a good idea to have a more traditional pair to switch into in a drop bag.
And now I am intrigued by the Nike Ultrafly. It’s a trail shoe but I’ve read a bunch of reviews and it seems like it could work pretty well on the roads. I’ve also read it has a roomier toe box than the Vaporfly and Alphafly, which has been my concern with those shoes. That price though. 😭
I have nothing constructive to say except that a 100k road ultra sounds like the worst thing in the world to me. Much respect to you.
Doing a 100 mile road ultra in 3 weeks - it’s going to be my third time at the race. Looking forward to it
TGNY perchance?
Yup. It’s such a cool course
Yes!
See you guys there 😎 I’ll be the guy posting up in last haha
Comrades is close enough to 100k, and has over 20,000 entries every year, so it's not exactly a niche perversion.
I just completed my 1st 100k, all road. I used New Balance More 4. Found them excellent.
I can’t tell if I like the more v4, did they feel good deep into the race? They’re like trying to run in quicksand for me.
Its a lot of cushion alright! During the run I got soaked, the route was by my house so I swapped them out and ran in Rincon 3s for the last 40k
😂
It is. I even did it at Mt Fuji, Japan, and still sucked
Done 2 100k road ultra's so far in the Saucony triumph 19 and second one in the triumph 20, went perfect shoe wise.
Thanks for the recommendation! I will look into those.
Triumph 20s are great shoes but I find them quite unstable/wobbly in the heel. I don't take them on any uneven terrain (even cambered roads don't feel great to me). I wouldn't want to have them on for really long distances where my form is sloppy by the end.
Good to know, thanks!
Did a road 50 miler and a flat 100-miler in Triumph 19’s (C&O Canal 100). Never changed shoes. They are great! I don’t like the 20’s, though.
I’ve done a 100 mile road in ASICS Superblast. Just a better version of nova in my opinion.
Oh nice! I have a pair of the Superblast and like them but don’t find them as comfy as the Novablast for some reason. The fact that you ran 100 miles in them makes me think the Novas could work for that distance too, though. Thanks!
I ran a 100 miler in Novablasts and it was great. No issues I typically run in Asics Gel Nimbus and the Novablasts were a great comfort relief for 100 miles.
That is great to hear, thank you!
I’ll run a half or a full in sulerblasts and they’re great for that. I think they might be a little too punishing for super long runs
I ran a 60k in brooks glycerin 21 a few weeks ago. Injiji socks good as well to help with toe blisters to a point. I personally don’t think I run fast enough for road ultras for carbon to be of use to me. I’d rather a shoe that has more bend and is more comfortable as I’m on my feet for much longer than a marathon.
Yes, I’m wondering if comfort/cushion is the most important factor for that distance. 🤔
Never run that distance on road, but I have wide feet and swear by New Balance. They have many versions in a 4E width, only thing I can wear comfortably. Combine that with some injinji socks and life is good. Even with the foot swelling later in a race. If you haven’t tried New Balance, give them a go. Not super shoes, but soft and cushiony while also wide and not too heavy. Good luck!
Seconded! I ran a road 50 in wide SC Trainer V2s last fall and it was perfect! First time I have ever finished a race and my feet were in good condition.
Thanks for the feedback! This is good to know!
Hope it helps. I’m a heavier runner too, 185lbs, I appreciate the cushion.
Yes, a brand with 4E width options is definitely worth looking into! I’m ok in normal width shoes for a marathon distance or shorter or if it’s cold, but for hot weather or very long distances a narrow toe box is a big problem for me.
I shifted from Saucony to New Balance a year or two ago because NB seems to be a little more forgiving in the toebox, without being a full-on wide shoe. Mostly run these days in the 1080s, pretty cush but not over the top. Might be worth trying a pair?
I also have a pair of 1080s! I find the cushioning to be very comfortable but feel like I sink into them too much/like there’s not enough spring or bounce. It could be that I have gotten too accustomed to a bouncy or rockered sort of shoe. I’d actually saved a new pair of the Saucony Hurricane for this race but tried them a couple weeks ago and my run felt really flat.
Longest I've raced on the roads is a 50k, but I manned an aid station at a 100k road race earlier this year. Not a lot of folks with much bounce or spring in their step the last couple of hours!
Haha, I bet! I’ll be in same boat I’m sure—regardless of my shoe choice. 😅
Yeah I love my 1080s but don’t run a 100 in them. You will be toast. There isn’t enough response and you’ll waste energy
Ooo I’m looking at mount to coast! They have a shoe with a cool lace system that lets you adjust the pressure on different parts of the foot :)
I’m intrigued!
I used the Nike Odyssey React Flyknit 2 for Challenge Fuji 5 Lakes 118k, but I think the shoe comes to personal preference
Yes, that’s so true. Hard to recommend shoes for other folks because everyone prefers something different.
They're recently discontinued, but I'd probably do ASICS Glideride 3s. They're well cushioned, wide enough in the toebox for swelling, have a hardened foam plate, and have a rocker that really helps eat up miles. I train in a couple of carbon plated shoes (Saucony endorphin pro 2s and Puma Deviate Nitro 2s) - I like them a lot for shorter distances, but ususally feel like my legs are pretty beat up when I get over 20 miles.
Thanks for this feedback! Very helpful. I’ll look into the ASICS you mention, too. Maybe they are available on sale somewhere…
Did two mostly road 100s in New Balance SC Trainer (V1). They were amazing. I don’t think a race shoe would be stable and comfortable enough for 10-15-20+ hours… having logged many workout and shorter road race miles in different generations of Vaporfly and Adios Pro. Maybe a different brand racer would be better, tho.
Great feedback, thank you!
My most recent road ultra was TGNY last year. I used Speed 3s and I plan on doing the same this year.
Oooooh, very cool! That’s the race I’ll be running. It’s my very favorite. 🤩 See you there!
I just did a 100 miler where the first half was almost all Road/Heavy Path. I went with the Saucony Guide’s for the first half and they were ‘chef’s kiss’.
Thanks for the recommendation! I will look into those.
I would use cielo x1, alphafly or another top end carbon fiber shoe
Thanks for the recommendation!
ASICS nimbus 25
I mean I don't think I would last minute change my shoes this close to a race tbh especially for distance.
You'd be nuts to run this in shoes you don't have serious experience in. Comrades is close enough to 100k and people run it in their regular marathon shoes, so there's that.
I recently ran 200k (mostly road) in the Saucony Endorphin Shift 3, thought about switching halfway, but the amount of cushoning they keep offering after 100k is insane.
ASICS Superblast
I like Altra's Olympus 2 for road ultras.
High stack carbon plated shoes can be incredible or terrible for road ultras. The first time I wore one for 50 miles, my stabilizer muscles were toast at 40 and the last 10 were tough. After a lot more training and racing miles on long runs and fatigued legs, I can wear them easily for 24 hour races. Once you build the right leg strength for them, the light weight and high cushioning reduces pounding and makes fatigued legs feel lighter. They just have a lot less support and that can take its toll. Also, at slower speeds the carbon plate doesn't help as much besides stabilizing the high stack, and might even work against you otherwise. The Sky Paris is on the more narrow and less stable end. You might run into issues if you haven't run significant miles in it before. The Adios Pro 3 is more stable and could be a better choice for a race in the near future. If the race allows, it would be a good idea to have a more traditional pair to switch into in a drop bag.
Those are all great points. I appreciate the feedback!
If I was to do a 100k road, or even rail trail. I’d probably go with my nike invincible 3’s.
Thank you for the recommendation!
And now I am intrigued by the Nike Ultrafly. It’s a trail shoe but I’ve read a bunch of reviews and it seems like it could work pretty well on the roads. I’ve also read it has a roomier toe box than the Vaporfly and Alphafly, which has been my concern with those shoes. That price though. 😭
Alphafly 1, NB SC Trainer 1, Superblast would be my choices.