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→A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes
* {{H:tongue}}. The RC5000 has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. The tongue is thin and unpadded, but I didn't find it uncomfortable.
* {{H:lacing}}. The RC5000 has traditional flat laces that are a little thinner than most, probably to save weight. I found that they stayed tied more easily than most shoelaces I've tried.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. Not surprisingly, there is no real heel counter [[Heel Counter]] in this shoe. There is a tiny tab that sticks up from the back of the heel, but nothing else. I find it interesting to run in a shoe without the heel counter[[Heel Counter]], and I believe it emphasizes how useless they are and how much better off we'd be without them.
{{FastBlr|new-balance/rc5000-v1-852|852|New Balance RC5000}}
=How Far Can I Run in the RC5000? =
Different runners want different levels of cushioning, so this shoe may not suit everyone. Some runners want a [[MinimaxMaximalist]] shoe when they run a 5K, while others will run a 100 mile race barefoot. Most people find that as the distance increases, they want a little more cushioning to protect their feet from the pounding and to offset a little of the fatigue that sets in over time. You can see from the charts below how the cushioning compares with other shoes I've tested for some comparisons. Remember that a thicker, firmer shoe would have the same cushioning rating as a thinner, softer shoe, but would feel rather different. I've run the marathon distance in the RC5000, but I'd probably want more cushioning for a road 50 mile race. If I wanted to run my best to time in the marathon, this would be the shoe I choose.
=Comparisons=
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
==New Balance RC5000 and RC5000v2==
While the updated [[New Balance RC5000v2]] appears similar to the original, I'm considering it different enough that I think of it as a new shoe rather than simply an iteration. The original was the fastest shoe I've tested, with just enough cushioning and a stunningly low weight. RC5000v2 is quite a bit heavier (~17%), but it offers a lot more cushioning, about half as much again at the heel. The upper is quite a bit thicker and stronger, though I never had an issue with the original tearing or wearing out. So the original is a faster shoe, but the v2 will suit more runners.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-top.jpg|none|thumb|200px|New Balance MRC 5000 top]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|200px|New Balance MRC 5000 bottom]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-inside.jpg|none|thumb|200px|New Balance MRC 5000 inside]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|200px|New Balance MRC 5000 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:New Balance RC5000 v2-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|New Balance RC5000 v2 top]]
|[[File:New Balance RC5000 v2-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|200px|New Balance RC5000 v2 bottom]]
|[[File:New Balance RC5000 v2-inside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|New Balance RC5000 v2 inside]]
|[[File:New Balance RC5000 v2-outside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|New Balance RC5000 v2 outside]]
|}
{{FastBlr|new-balance/rc5000-v1-852|852|New Balance RC5000v2}}
==New Balance RC5000 and Mizuno Wave Universe ==
On paper the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]] seems almost identical to the RC5000, but I found them quite different. For me, the difference in cushioning between the two shoes makes a huge impact on my [[Running Economy]]. The lack of cushioning in the Universe changes my biomechanics and I have to use extra effort to absorb the impact. This means the RC5000 is not only more comfortable, it's a lot faster than the Universe (or pretty much any other shoe I've tried for that matter).
|}
{{ShoeGraphs}}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}