Doctors of Running Podcast

Episode 300 is here! And Matt, David, and Andrea mark the milestone by taking stock of the best running shoes of 2026 so far. They work through their top picks across every major category — daily trainers, stability and stable neutral shoes, performance trainers, racing shoes, and strength training and trail shoes. We want to hear from you! What are your favorite shoes of the year so far? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SUMMERDOCS to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
1:19 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
15:52 - Categorizing our top shoes of 2026 so far
19:36 - Top Daily Trainer
29:02 - Top stability/stable neutral
40:52 - Top performance trainers
53:20 - Top racing shoes
1:06:56 - Top strength training & trail shoes
1:14:32 - Wrap-up

David, Matt, and Nathan dig into the mailbag, fielding questions on stable neutral shoe picks, footwear options for runners dealing with bunions, trail stability shoes, and what the evidence says about compression for tendinopathies.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code DORJUNE10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
1:30 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
22:18 - Current favorite stable neutral shoes
30:22 - Running & walking shoes for dealing with bunions
41:12 - Trail stability shoes
49:52 - Does compression help tendinopathies?
1:00:32 - Wrap-up

David and BJ count down their top five max cushion shoes of all time, breaking down what earns a shoe a spot on the list and what sets the top pick apart from the rest of the field, including some deep cuts and new favorites. What are your favorite max cushion shoes? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com!
We're thrilled to announce our apparel collaboration with Rabbit! The collection includes the EZ Tee SS, EZ Tee LS, and a unisex Go-to Hoodie. Pre-sale is open June 3–June 17th, with gear shipping the week of July 6th. Check it out at https://www.runinrabbit.com/collections/doctors-of-running. Note that the monthly discount code cannot be applied to collab items.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code DORJUNE10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
2:42 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
17:39 - #5 Max Cushion Shoe
24:02 - #4
29:43 - #3
36:10 - #2
42:48 - #1 Max Cushion Shoe of all time
49:10 - Wrap-up

Nathan, Matt, and David play a round of This or That, pitting mainline trainers against their premium counterparts to decide which they'd actually pick. They work through head-to-head matchups across several major brands — Asics, Brooks, Saucony, Hoka, Puma, and On — weighing the real-world differences in ride, value, and who each shoe is really for.
We're thrilled to announce our apparel collaboration with Rabbit! The collection includes the EZ Tee SS, EZ Tee LS, and a unisex Go-to Hoodie. Pre-sale is open thru June 17th, with gear shipping the week of July 6th. Check it out at https://www.runinrabbit.com/collections/doctors-of-running. Note that the monthly discount code cannot be applied to collab items.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code DORJUNE10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:31 - Rabbit X DOR gear!
3:29 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
23:24 - This or That: Asics Novablast 6 or Superblast 3?
34:12 - Brooks Glycerin 23 or Glycerin Max 2
39:06 - Saucony Ride 19 or Paramount Max
44:36 - Triumph 24 or Paramount Max
48:40 - Hoka Clifton 10 or Hoka Skyward X 2
51:24 - Puma Velocity Nitro 4 or Magmax 2
54:30 - On Cloudmonster 3 or Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
1:00:08 - Wrap-up

Nathan, Matt, and David open with an update on David's post-Boston rehab before diving into the mailbag. They field a range of footwear and injury questions, covering shoe options for Achilles tendinopathy and medial knee OA, alternatives to high-drop shoes, road-to-trail crossover picks, and lightweight daily trainer recommendations. They also help a listener find a replacement for the Brooks Hyperion 2.
We're thrilled to announce our apparel collaboration with Rabbit! The collection includes the EZ Tee SS, EZ Tee LS, and a unisex Go-to Hoodie. Pre-sale is open June 3–June 17th, with gear shipping the week of July 6th. Check it out at https://www.runinrabbit.com/collections/doctors-of-running. Note that the monthly discount code cannot be applied to collab items.
Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code DORJUNE10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com.
Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
2:16 - David's rehab after Boston
12:04 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
27:46 - Replacements for the Brooks Hyperion 2
33:50 - Shoe suggestions for dealing with Achilles Tendinopathy
38:34 - Alternatives to high-drop shoes
45:42 - Favorite road-to-trail shoes
49:26 - Dealing with medial knee OA
54:48 - Lightweight daily trainer/non-plated super shoes suggestions
1:02:06 - Wrap-up