Zero Limits -- Growing my Altra collection

I was given the Altra Impulse to test by Altra and I am also an Altra ambassador.  All opinions are my own.  

Impulse

At the Runner's World Influencer event, we were each given a pair of Altras to test out.  Obviously running in Altras is nothing new to me (it's all I run in these days) however the model I was given, the Impulse, is new to me.  I've run in a bunch of different Altra models but never the Impulse.  While some people like to stick to one thing that works for them, I was excited to try something different.  Honestly, I have yet to find an Altra that I didn't like running in.  I do have my go to racing shoes but I love training in all the different ones I have and there's been several times that I've tried a different model and that ended up being my go to race shoe, so I was looking forward to seeing what the Impulse would do for me.

First run in my Paradigms was the Philly Rock N Roll Half

Currently for road training, I've been wearing the Paradigms and the One2.  Both of them are a neutral shoe, the Paradigms being more cushy than the super light One2.   I love them both for different reasons.  I run a TON of miles so I like the cushion of the Paradigm, they keep my feet and legs happy on all those punishing road miles.  I also found that they are super sturdy.  I have three pairs, all of them have about 500 miles on them, and all still feel great.  They have been so key in my training.  Surprisingly, with how big and cushy they look and are, they are very light.  Last year I PR'd in the 5K, 10K, half and full marathon, all in the Paradigms, so they are great for fast road racing as well.

Paradigms are still going strong after LOTS of miles

Even though I was super happy with the Paradigms for training and racing, I still had been longing to try the One2.  I have always had a thing for super light, thin racing flats.  I fell deeply in love with the One2 as soon as I put them on.  They are everything I thought they would be, light but comfy and fast.  I really enjoy using them for my speed workouts and for my road races.  Just the nature of the type of shoe they are, I don't get nearly as many miles out of them, which is why I tend to "save" them a bit and use my go to workhorse the Paradigms more regularly.

Racing in the One2

Ok, so what about these impulses??  So the impulses are actually from a different category than the Paradigms and One2.  The impulses are of the stability variety versus the neutralness of the Paradigm and One2.   As I learned from Brian during one of our sessions with Altra, the stability of the Impulse actually only engages when you need it.   This sounded perfect to me.  I had been loving running in their neutral shoes without issue so I wasn't sure that I really needed any stability but then again maybe I do need a little, I really am not sure, so it's great that it's there if I need it.  The Impulse is also a light cushioning shoe.  So despite it being a bit more substantial than the One2, it's still very light.  I was wearing my One2 (they have been retired from running) when Golden gave me the Impulses to try on, so I was able to directly compare the two.  While I could feel the difference in terms of the Impulse felt a little more sturdy and that it hugged my foot a little more than the One2, I really didn't notice much difference in terms of weight.  The Impulse is still a very light road shoe.

racing in the Impulse, fresh out of the box

My first ever runs in both my Paradigms and One2 were races so I did not hesitate to wear my new Impulses for all 3 races of the Hat Trick at the Runner's World Festival (5K, 10K and Half).  I've also since worn them for two long marathon training runs that included speedwork so I've probably got a solid 70 miles on them so far.  I can definitely feel they are more solid than the One2 but I'm actually really liking that feeling (maybe I needed a little support).  Despite the slightly more rigidness to them than the One2, they feel very light and fast and are very responsive.  They are a bit more narrow and hug my foot more than the Paradigms or One2 however since they have the Foot Shaped toe box like all Altras do, it's not bothersome at all, my toes are still intact and happy.  The upper is flexible yet sturdy so I don't anticipate any issues with my toes poking through.  They are very breathable, no issues with super sweaty feet.  And I ran a rainy tempo workout the other day and was pleased that my feet were not soaked afterwards and they performed well on the wet, slippery surfaces (tons of wet leaves!).

close up of the impulse

It's safe to say that I'm very happy with the Impulses and they will be my race shoe of choice for the upcoming Philly Marathon (told you I always end up changing my go to race
shoes!).

I love making Altra prints