Asics Experiments With Runners To Show Off Energy-Saving Midsole Construction – Forbes

Asics wanted to prove a point. The Japanese footwear brand has a new midsole cushioning system and it claims the fresh technology allows for longer runs. To show off both the new GlideRide running shoe and the energy-saving benefits of its new midsole, Asics brought together 22 runners across a range of abilities to test shoes on Utah’s famed Bonneville Salt Flats.

The runners, on average, enjoyed a 24 percent performance increase. Asics says the new midsole technology, at least in part, deserves some of the credit, while recognizing the style of run offered a fresh approach mentally for the runners. 

Having no concrete finish line will do that. 

“What was interesting to see was the difference between what runners thought was possible versus the actual results in terms of the time and distance they could run,” says Samuele Marcora, a sports scientists at the University of Bologna in Italy. “Mental and physical barriers can have a powerful effect on performance and this new format has really shown that we can often go further than we imagine.” 

Launched the last week of September, the new GlidRride footwear for men and women incorporates the brand’s Guidesole technology, developed to reduce energy loss and provide a cushioned base for runners of all levels. The GlideRide features a next step on the Guidesole technology by curving the midsole construction to minimize movement in the ankle joint. The well-known Asics Gel cushioning technology still merges into the rear of the footbed and the upper uses engineered mesh. 

The Guidesole, which makes an appearance in GlideRide after debuting in the Asics MetaRide footwear, has a shock-absorbing landing zone meant to lessen fatigue. The curved sole design and stiff forefoot save runner’s energy by reducing ankle flexion, which launches a chain reaction of saved energy throughout the body on every step. The Guidesole technology also includes two layers of differing Asics Flytefoam, along with a layer of gel between the foams in the heel.

“The mission with GlideRide was to deliver the energy-saving experience to a wider range of runners,” says Masanori Sakaguchi, principal researcher for the footwear development team and research department. “The biggest challenge was keeping the functionality in Guidesole whilst making the shoe more comfortable, but we successfully managed to achieve this, while also delivering a softer ride.” 

Asics embarked on creating this new sneaker to find a price point that was more in tune with the average runner while highlighting the new technology, bringing to market a second shoe in the “Ride” family. The first Ride shoe, the MetaRide, has a price point of $250, while the new GlideRide retails for $150.  

“Increasing the accessibility of Asics energy-saving technology was the major motivation behind the rapid development of the new shoe which takes the Guidesole technology a further step forward,” says Kenichi Harano, executive officer and senior general manager at Asics’ Institute of Sports Science in Kobe, Japan. “Guidesole is scientifically proven to reduce energy loss and on the new GlideRide shoe we have also improved cushioning for additional comfort.” 

Harano says the Eternal Run event that drew racers of varying skills to the salt flats in Utah “demonstrated our energy-saving technology has the potential to significantly improve performance and help runners of every level go further than they thought possible.” 

Liz McColgan, a former British Olympic middle and distance runner says she hasn’t run longer than five miles since retiring from the track, hoping to reduce her risk of injury. “The GlideRide shoe performed well on the salt flats and I actually thought I’d only been running for two hours and was amazed to find out I was the last runner to finish and had been running for over four hours, which is the most amount of time I’ve ever run for,” she says. “It was great to put the shoe to the test and find out that my runners’ mindset of endurance is still there.” 

During the event, runners were asked to simply run as long as they could at their running pace, with no music, maps or tracking systems. Prior to the testing run, Asics tracked the individuals to gain a baseline of typical performance levels for each runner. During the Utah run, Asics monitored the runners and alerted each individual if their pace consistently dropped below their personal threshold. If this happened more than three times, the run was over for that participant. 

On average, runners went 24 percent longer than the predicted times and distances, including McColgan’s impressive feat and former Premier League and England footballer Wayne Bridge nearly doubling up on his previous best distance by running over 21 miles on the salt flats. 

Asics hopes the technology created in the new GlideRide shoes and put on the feet of runners in Utah can transfer to the streets and trails the world over, giving runners more energy to keep moving.