You might be wondering where the picture of the shoe is. Well, I do not have
the rights to show it. Screw adidas though, that is their loss of free
promotion. I will say this however, they have made one incredible running shoe.
I came across it when I was searching for a comfortable shoe to run longer
distances in. I have a number of different pairs, but none of them were
particularly holding up well for those slightly longer distances, greater than
15k or runs over the 1hr 20min mark.
Let me start by outlining my pace and performance averages over the last
month. This will be useful for you understand my current ability, what
distances I use the shoe for, and whether it might be the shoe for you.
Ok, so June 2024 was lower than average. I clocked up 115km with my longest
distance been 18km, an average heart rate of 150bpm, pace at 5.53km and a
moving time of 1hr 46min. For some people out there, this is a slow run. I
wanted this however, as I need to get some miles into those long legs of mine
to help me run quicker over shorter distances. The Adizero prime x 2 strung was
the perfect shoe for this, but it can also move quicker when you need it to,
especially for taller, slower runners like me who’s fastest 1k is 4.50km.
Who is the Shoe for (in my opinion):
So, the above information provides you with some light data into the type of
runner I am, and why I found it useful. Perhaps, you are a smaller runner but fast over flat surfaces, or maybe you are a heavier runner. This shoe is perfect for taller to heavier runners looking to break personal bests in the region of
50min for a 10k or 25mins for a 5k. It will bring you all the way up to half
marathon level. It will suit a pace average of between 4 to 5.50k. I found it
difficult to run slower than this in the shoe. It just feels bouncy, and you cannot
help but move your feet quicker.
Shoe specifications:
So, this is a blog post, and it is difficult to give technical details in a
clear written format. For those people who are more particular about
specifications and need the details, I would recommend some YouTube posts by
EDDBUD or KOFUZI. They have slightly different opinions to me on the shoe
itself, and they are at different running capabilities also. However, their
insight and review of shoe specifications are far more advanced than I can do
right now.
Only thing I will say is this, it has a 50mm stack height with an energy
foam layer to reduce weight. This gives it more spring in the fore and
midfoot…. Yes, cool, right?
What surface is it best on?
I live in Ireland as you may know from my other posts. You can read them in
various sections throughout my site – I say various, because I have not got
around to organising the posts just yet.
Ireland is full of all types of terrain and some very unpredictable weather.
Having tested the shoes in all matters, I believe it to run best on smooth and
flatter surfaces. It has run perfectly fine in wet weather and the sole has
held up perfectly, providing sufficient grip to keep me upright and on pace. It
does not perform well on more gravel or Stoney surfaces, so smoother roads or
parks are best. I tend to avoid wet grass when running in general. I find
the ankle support on the shoe to be quite low, so for beginner runners keep
this in mind and try to be careful. Once or twice when the road became slightly
uneven, I did have one or two “oh oh” moments where I slightly rolled
on to my left ankle. Going around turns and corners can feel slightly clumsy
due to the stack height most likely. It feels like I am on platform shoes at
times in these situations. For me, the shoe operates best when on a smooth
and straight surface, so a road race or a run in a long stretch of park is perfect.
Comfortable?
I cannot even describe how comfortable the shoe is. I have tried to stop
using it so much to give my other ones a turn. It really does feel good over a
number of different paces and distance. It can do easy runs, fast runs and even
long-distance runs (which is why I bought it). 18k to half marathon is perfect
for this shoe and you feel good in it, even towards the last few kilometres. In
other shoes I really struggled towards the 18k mark. Joints started getting
sore and stiff, and I really needed a shoe that could absorb that extra force
my knees and ankles were under. The shoe is perfect for this, and it really
does run like a dream.
I have also run faster 10ks and my current personal best was
obtained using this shoe. It is perfect for race day in fact. I have a pair of
Nike streak fly next percent which are also good over shorter distances for
speed. However, I would not make a comparison between these shoes. Would I
classify the Adidas Adizero prime x strung 2 as a speed shoe? Probably not, as
its slightly heavier than its previous counterpart’s but its right up there.
Cost?
It is expensive! Its right up there at the super shoe prices of €300 in
fact. Look at running shoe outlets or even online where you might find it
slightly cheaper. It comes in a few colours, but this does not change the cost.
For me, they are worth the price and as I wrote in earlier blogs, you cannot
put a price on the right shoes for your feet. I am in training for a sub 50 min
10k. During my program I must run, 14, 16 and 18k long runs. They are slow-paced runs, about 5:15 to 5.50k pace. This shoe is perfect for that, especially if
you are a tall build like me.
Summary
If you are an intermediate runner who is building their way up to half
marathon training for longer distances, and looking for a versatile shoe that
can also give you some speed over 5 and 10k races, this is the perfect shoe. If
you are a beginner starting off, then I would look at the Asics, Brooks or
Hokas for a little bit more ankle support and a shoe better suited for running
slowly. I am not an advanced runner yet at marathon distances, or sub 40min
10ks. Maybe you are? If so, I would love to hear your opinion, so feel free to
leave it in the comments.
I am hoping to run my sub 50m 10k in the next few months, and this will be
my go-to shoe. It is a game changer for me during my running journey so far. It is a bit on the costly side, but having this in my locker gives me great versatility.