Changes

* {{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 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, and I believe it emphasizes how useless they are and how much better off we'd be without them.

=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 [[Minimax]] 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.

|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 outside]]

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==New Balance RC5000 and Asics Gel Hyper Speed==

The [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]] is another favorite shoe, and if I need more cushioning than the RC 5000 provides, the Hyper Speed is my first choice. If you find that the RC 5000 does not provide enough cushioning for you, then I'd recommend the Hyper Speed. Don't expect a plush, cushy ride even from the Hyper Speed; it still is stripped down, go faster running shoe.

|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-6-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 outside]]

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==New Balance RC5000 and Asics GT 2000==

I realize that this is a rather foolish comparison, but bear with me. I like to compare shoes against the [[Asics GT 2000]] as it represents the traditional running shoe. The GT 2000 weights over three times as much as the RC5000, so what do you get for all that extra weight? Mostly you get over engineering, with excessive features that go against [[The Science of Running Shoes]]. This is more likely to cause problems than solve them, as well as adding a lot of extra weight. Of course, you also get a huge amount more cushioning with the GT 2000, with better padding in the upper, especially in the tongue and ankle opening. Running in the GT 2000 after the RC5000 feels like you've put on a wooden clog and ankle weights. This weight difference impacts your [[Running Economy]], and the calculations suggest that an average runner in the RC5000 is around 12 seconds/mile faster than in the GT 2000. (In practice, I feel like it's a bigger difference than that.)

|[[File:Asics-GT2000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics GT2000 outside]]

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=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=

{{:Shoes-include}}