No Category selected Ultra-runner Peter Lariviere tests the GOrun Ride

    Ultra-runner Peter Lariviere tests the GOrun Ride

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    “iRun for pleasure”~ Peter Larivière

    The following is a guest post by Peter Larivière, who tested the Skechers GOrun Ride.
    To start, a confession: I was completely loyal to a particular brand. But, if the Skechers GOrun running shoe is good enough for American Olympic Marathon athlete Meb Kefkezighi, then it is worth testing. I will admit that I was skeptical at first – the company that makes it is much better known by casual shoe wearers than runners. Well after a month of testing on snow-covered roads, rain soaked sidewalks and even the occasional treadmill run, I can assure you that Skechers has developed a legitimate running shoe that should be considered in your next shoe purchase.  The shoe is not without its pesky little problems but all in all I was very happy with the Skechers GOrun and will continue to use and enjoy running in these shoes long after this review is lost in internet history.

    ProsThe Skechers GOrun is marketed as a ‘Lightweight Minimalist’ shoe that ‘Promotes a mid-foot strike’. With a 4mm drop I would consider this shoe as an option for runners used to a 10mm-12mm drop wanting to get into a lighter shoe without losing the comfort that a slightly higher heel gives for cushioning. The GOrun weighs in at around 196 grams (my current daily shoe weighs in at 349 grams) and fits like a comfortable glove on your feet. I normally require a 2E width, but with the Skechers, the toe box is wide enough that the normal width shoe was perfectly fine for me.

    I also want to say for the superstitious among you that the Skechers GOrun may also be under the influence of magic….okay, maybe it is just good engineering.  These shoes promote a more efficient foot position and have helped me, a self-admitted heel stomper, to become much more light-footed and efficient in my running. The shoe design does this by the ‘rocker’ or curve in the shoe’s design. Simply put, the shoe on a flat surface looks like a banana with the two ends up and the middle contacting the surface. This seems to create a contact point that is easier to ‘feel’ as your foot lands thus creating a smoother more efficient forefoot running stride. The negative to this is that when walking in the shoe it feels funny underfoot so you will likely not retire these shoes for use in yard work.
    Cons:  I was very excited about the potential of wearing these shoes without socks. The interior lining looked well sewn with no seams to act as pinch points and the gusseted tongue would keep debris out of the shoe when running on hard pack trails. Unfortunately, without socks I found some hotspots that developed into nasty blisters. I also noticed that the shoes held water longer than other shoes I have run in, which might have also contributed to the blisters.
    Ideal for: Runners looking to move from wearing ‘bricks’ to a lightweight shoe will find this a nice transition and will likely not see a need to move all the way to a zero-drop shoe. Another group of runners who may find this shoe appealing are heel strikers wanting to find a more efficient running form. The shoes design really helps your run on the mid-foot without requiring you to think about your running form when running.

    As a 200-plus-pound runner I can also categorically say that these shoes provide a nice lightweight option for heavier runners who traditionally are not well served by the running shoe industry.

    Overall: The Skechers GOrun is a well made shoe that should be considered if you are looking at moving to a minimalist shoe or want to have a lightweight shoe for shorter fast runs. Will I be buying a pair of GOruns when these test pair are retired…Yes. I am even considering the Skechers trail shoes to replace my current trail shoes that are starting to look worse for wear.

     

    About Peter Lariviere:
    I started running in March 2010 while on a trip to Cuba. It may have been the location but I discovered that I actually liked running. My running is geared more toward ultra distance racing and solo, self-supported runs. Some recent accomplishments include finishing 50 miles in 12 hours at the Ottawa Self Transcendence Race in September 2012. For 2013 I want to complete a Kanata to Orleans run (over 50km) and run Rigaud to Navan on the Prescott-Russell multi use trail. I hope to run the Rideau Trail from Kingston to Ottawa in 2014.

    Visit his blog: www.peterlariviere.blogspot.ca

    Follow him on Twitter: @lariviere_ peter