Choosing the right shoe for running is essential for a comfortable and injury-free experience. With so many different types of OCR races, it can be overwhelming to decide which shoe is best for you. In this blog poste, I'll provide sometips on how to choose a shoe for running that meets your needs and preferences.It’s important to let you all know I am not a shoe specialist, and this is based on my personal experience within my 10 years of racing within Obstacle racing. Ia m sponsored by Inov8 and have been since 2016. So naturally, I will be giving tips on which type of shoe within their brand, I feel suits best for the different types of OCR races. I differ in shoes, based on four general kinds of “racetypes/terrains” you will often meet within OCR:

• Long trail/Mountain courses – X-Talon Ultra
• Short trail/Grassy courses- X-Talon
• Elevated grassy courses (skiresorts) or heavily muddy courses - Mudclaws
• Flat and fast hardpacked courses –Trailfly or Packclaw 

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Long trail/Mountain courses:

What I really like about the X-talon ultra is that it feels super stable and gives good cushioning + stability for my ankle all throughout the longerraces over especially soft and muddy terrain. It still manages to have a light feeling, though the stability as it only weighs 260g. It’s so grippy on obstacles and ended up being the best shoe for me while training for the rope world record as the grip especially when the shoes where wet on the rope was outstanding.

Here are some of the OCR races or events I used the X-Talon Ultra 260 V2 for:

> European Championship title in 2022, in Italy, Dolomites (hilly climbs, technical downhills and flat end section)

> Spartan Beasts (mountain courses)

> Double Rope climb record (Extremely good grip on ropes)

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Short trail/Grassy courses: 

Such alight and fast shoe to races in, while also being super-fast at draining water/mud. It’s a great shoe for racing, light weight, fast and lots of grip on the obstacles with its graphene grip.

This is probably the shoes I have races most races in, as when I found it back in 2016, I never really looked back, and the first couple of years of my career, this was my shoe for everything. Even on wet obstacles this shoe is very grippy, which I love. It is not the most cushioned shoe, as it’s super light therefore I prefer this more for my shorter fast races.

Here are some of the races I have used my X-Talon 235 G for is:

> European Championship Short course + Strandard course 2023

> Savage Race Win 2022, Florida. (A grassy 10K race with water obstacles and floating hills).

> Nordic Races in general (Short fast 5K race, often involving water obstacles during the race, more grass than mud

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Elevated grassy courses (ski resorts) or heavily muddy courses

The Mudclaws is a very stable shoe, but also a bit heavier that the X-talon models. It was a really grippy sole, and makes it have extremely good grip on harder grassy/muddy downhill sections. The shoe releases the mud fast, so the shoes doesn’t feel heavy after running through mud. I love the cushioned feeling under my heal, and the ankle stability. Makes me feel super safe on the downhills and in muddy terrain.

Here are some of the races I have used my Mudclaw 260 V2 for :

> OCR World Championship title ’22,  Short distance. (3K in grassy and hilly Stratton mountain resort).

> Red Bull Conquer the Gauntlet win ‘21& ’22 on Rosenholm castle (A extremely muddy and wet flat race).

> OCR Series / Strong Viking (21K water editions, many muddy sections).

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Flat and fasthardpacked courses

What I really like about the Trailfly, is that is it very breathable in the forefoot, while having great ankle cut and heel padding – making it feel very comfortable on harder surfaces, with a good hold of ankles jumping off the obstacles.

Here are some of the races I have used the TrailflyG 270 for:

> Nordic Race Danish Series, “Urban”in 2022. (Flat and fast course).

> Spartan NorthAm Series 2022, San Louis Obispo Super. (10K flat and very hard packed terrain).

> Spartan World Champs in 2021, 21K in Abu Dabi. (The broad sole, I found is also super good for the sandier races, as they don’t dig as deep into the sand).

 I know maybe not everyone can afford a shoe for every single race type, but maybe this can give you a guideline based on what races you do most, which shoes is then ideal for you. Remember also to train in your race shoe (don’t overdo it), but it’s important not only to wear it on race day. It’s important you have had the possibility to feel the grip on obstacles and feeling on downhill or fast sections.

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