Six days after logging 130 miles in my new shoes, I went to Southern Utah and ran the Zion 100 mile trail race. Because the Olympus performed so well the previous week, they were my shoe of choice for Zion, too.
The Zion 100 has a lot of leg pounding slick rock along the course, as well as sand, clay roads, rocks and steep climbs and descents. This race throws every fathomable trail condition at its runners and the right shoe is essential.
Despite racking up huge mileage the previous weekend, I was able to finish the Zion 100 in less than 24 hours, and once again, my feet were in perfect shape.
I managed to race 230 miles in the Olympus in the span of one week avoiding a single blister. I had absolutely no issues with my feet and my legs and joints seemed to feel less stressed, which is probably what led to my ability to finish the tough Zion 100 trail race as quickly as I did. I attribute all of this to the added cushioning and engineering of the Altra Olympus.
Running and staying healthy are important in my life and if the Altra Olympus continues to help me attain those goals I will gladly wear them for all my long and abusive runs. Priced at $130 a pair, they are slightly more expensive than some of my other shoes, but if I recover faster and run more comfortably, it’s a small premium to pay.
I sincerely have not had a better experience with a shoe right out of the box and am looking forward to further exploration with these fine shoes.
