By Paul Freary What is stack height? In recent years the terms ‘stack height’ and ‘heel to toe drop’ have become commonplace in the running and running shoe community.Stack height became a more commonly used term after Eliud Kipchoge ran the sub-2-hour marathon. The record brought particular attention to the shoes he wore, a pair of […]
Paul Freary
Paul has a lifetime of running experience. As an athlete, he competed at the international level and has some pretty impressive PR’s including; Mile 3:56, 5000m - 13min55sec, Half Marathon - 64min 55sec and, although he says ‘It’s not that good’ a pretty impressive Marathon best of 2hr 35min from Chicago in 2002.
Paul was the British Half Marathon Champion as we as World Masters Champion at the same distance.
He says one of his best runs was at the Berlin Marathon last year, where he finished in 2hr 39min at the age of 54 and hopes to go a little quicker this year.
Paul has worked in the running industry for over 30 years, both with brands including Puma, Fila, Adidas and Nike as well as owning his own running specialty store.
He lives in Lancashire in the UK and writes for several leading publications including Athletics Weekly.
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HOKA Clifton 9 Review
By Paul Freary The Clifton is one of, if not the best-selling shoe from HOKA. The ninth-generation model is an improvement on the previous version, with slight updates to the upper and midsole.On the whole, the shoe remains true to the styling of the previous models of the shoe so that long-time users will find it […]
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23 Review
By Paul Freary The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23 is Brooks’ most popular support category model. In terms of cushioning, Brooks places the shoe in the middle of their offerings, as they do with it in terms of support.I’ll talk more about the support the Adrenaline provides later, as the shoe provides a unique solution to control […]
6 Best Brooks Running Shoes – My Top Picks
By Paul Freary As one of the leading running shoe brands in the world, Brooks has established itself as a favourite with many runners.By making the commercial decision several years ago to focus purely on performance running, no fashion or other sports shoes, the brand has gone from strength to strength.If you click, or buy […]
HOKA Vs Altra- Which is the Better Running Shoe Brand?
By Paul Freary HOKA and ALTRA are two of the youngest running shoe brands on the market. Both brands came about from a desire by their founders to create something different.Both Golden Harper of Altra and Jean-Luc Diard of Hoka wanted shoes that provided them with a running experience that wasn’t otherwise available at the time. […]
HOKA Gaviota 5 Review – Mastering the Run
By Paul Freary The Gaviota 5 is the latest stability running shoe from HOKA and features a brand-new design element, the H-Frame. This new stabilising feature has allowed the brand to use softer midsole foam for cushioning in a deep stack while still being able to provide sufficient control for over-pronators.If you click, or buy from, […]
Brooks Glycerin GTS 22 vs Adrenaline GTS 24 – Brooks Support Shoes Compared
By Paul Freary The Brooks Adrenaline GTS and Glycerin GTS have been running shoe staples for me for several years. Both from a personal perspective and from that of being a running shoe store owner, they have always proved reliable options for runners requiring a good combination of cushioning and support for daily training.If […]
8 Best HOKA Running Shoes for All Types of Runners
By Paul Freary Here, I’ll look at some of the most popular Hoka running shoes and make my recommendations for different runners, from those wanting a lightweight, performance marathon racing shoe or to those that simply want a shoe for everyday easy miles.If you click, or buy from, links on this page, we may receive […]
7 Best Walking Shoes for Overpronation Correction
By Paul Freary I am often asked what the best shoes for walking are by people who overpronate. In many cases, running shoes tend to be the best option as they are specifically the only category of footwear that is available that features different levels of control for pronation.Here, I’ll explain what overpronation is and […]
6 Best Walking Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain
By Paul Freary Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot injuries or conditions. Pain in the heel, arch and bottom of the foot is most commonly classified as Plantar Fasciitis and can be debilitating.Here we’ll look at some of the best walking shoes for those suffering from Plantar Fasciitis.If you click, or buy […]
