Three-Shoe Quiver for 200 Mile Races
Ryan Ramsby completed the 2024 Cocodona 250 and is now training for the Tahoe 200. 100+ explores the gear, nutrition, logistics, and training required to tackle 100+ mile races.
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TLDR, Ryan’s Three-Shoe Quiver:
I love shoes.
Which pairs well with the love of running.
Which really really pairs well with running very long distances.
Ever since I was little, the feeling of new shoes has always been a top tier feeling. Testing new shoes and figuring out what works best for me for specific races and situations is one of my favorite things.
The risk of a wrong shoe choice in a 50k is minimal, however, the risk of not having your quiver selection dialed when running 200+ miles is high.
So, I spent some quality time and miles figuring out which shoes were going to make the cut. With so much new technology being dropped in foam and carbon plates and upper material a shoe can change dramatically from the previous model to the new one.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, the only way to know for sure what’s going to work is to buy it and try it.
I’ve personally bought and tested 10+ pairs in the last 5 months making sure I’ve selected the best shoes available at the moment for me for the Tahoe 200.
I am not going to go deep into the technical details (you can find all of that on their sites), I am simply going to share what I love about each of these shoes and why they’ve made the cut.
Here are my final selections.
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Asics Trabuco Max 4
This thing is a monster truck of a shoe.
It’s big, protective, and burly.
It makes me feel “safe”. It is extremely comfortable on my foot and the lockdown is solid without being too restrictive.
The surprising thing about this shoe is that it runs much lighter than what it weighs. I love the way it rolls through my gait whether I am running or hiking.
key consideration: How does this shoe run at 200M pace. Big difference from how a shoe runs at 50K pace.
The other thing with this shoe is there is no plate and nothing fancy. The outsole of this shoe is great (in the right conditions). It does hold mud in wet conditions, but for dry technical conditions it’s pure.
The Trabuco will be my workhorse over the 200 miles.
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
Within my running group I have openly stated that this is the best shoe of our generation.
More details on the Prodigio Pro here.
I realize that’s a massive statement, but I mean it.
I honestly feel like I could rip a 50K PR on any terrain as well as lean on it for Tahoe 200. This shoe has one of the best fitting uppers I have ever experienced. You really don’t even need to tie the shoe; it just fits like a sock that happens to have some of the best foam ever put on a shoe attached to it.
The foam in the Prodigio Pro is soft and responsive.
Again, no plate and not over engineered.
I think the folks at La Sportiva put it on and said, “It’s perfect exactly the way it is” and threw the thought of a plate off the table.
I look forward to switching to this shoe when I feel fatigued and want something “lighter” on my foot.
I can only imagine how well it’s going to run on those buttery California trails.
Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL
I am a fan of a road shoe in the rotation for long efforts.
There is just something about switching from a trail shoe to a roadie (when the terrain allows) that tricks your mind into thinking, alright let’s run a little faster.
They are also usually a bit softer and let’s face it, just more comfortable.
However, you do typically give up some traction when making this move.
Until now.
Salomon really did nail the happy middle ground with their new “gravel” line up. Which is basically just a road shoe with some small lugs. I think it is the best of both worlds and will fit the bill nicely.
I have a pencil shaped foot and Salomon has always fit very well, but up until the past couple of years everything they made was hard and fast.
That isn’t the case anymore.
You might be looking at this list and thinking “what in the world, this is the most random final lineup of all time.”
You’d be right.
I learned at Cocodona in 2024 that having multiple shoe models that are on opposite ends of the spectrum really came in handy.
Hitting different areas of the foot, using different foam densities, different drops, different uppers, ensures that the potential problem areas of your feet get small breaks.
So, don’t just take multiple pairs of shoes, take multiple styles and fits and feels. You’ll be glad you had options
