Review: Skechers GOrun Ultra

A top maker of casual and lifestyle shoes, Skechers has jumped into the forever-growing athletic/running market with its GOrun series — recently endorsed by Meb Keflezighi. I’d been hearing a lot of buzz about these shoes, and my reaction was, “If it’s good enough for Meb, it’s good enough for me!”

But, alas, you don’t really know a shoe until you take it for a ride. After a number of test runs, including a 50-miler on fairly technical terrain, here are my thoughts on the Skechers GOrun Ultra.

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Promo Copy from Sketchers:

Discover the ultimate in cushioned running with the Skechers GOrun Ultra. Great for long distance runs, recovery runs, or for those looking for maximum cushion, with more Resalyte than ever before.

Details:

• Enhanced Resalyte cushioning than Skechers GOrun Ride shoes
• A unique combination of a soft Resalyte midsole and more rigid Resagrip outsole provides cushioning and support
• Aggressive traction control GOimpulse sensors on outsole allow for superior control on any terrain
• 4mm heel drop without insole; 8mm heel drop with added optional insole
• Four-way stretch mesh on side panels for added comfort
• Promotes a midfoot strike
• Weight: 7.5 oz. in a women's size 7

Construction:

• Synthetic and mesh fabric upper
• Synthetic overlays for stability
• Four-way stretch mesh for added comfort
• Side S logo
• Lace-up front
• Soft fabric shoe lining for barefoot wear

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My Take

Appearance & Price
The Skechers GOrun Ultra is flashy. The shoe definitely makes a statement right out of the box, and if looks could kill, this would be the shoe for me. Retailing at $85, I actually found my pair on Amazon for $64.16. BAM! I was sold.

Fit & Feel
The shoe seems to have an average fit. I typically wear a size 8.5, but running distance has killed my toenails, so I now wear a size 9. Foot in the shoe, here’s what I noticed:

• The toe box is narrow, but with going up a half-size, I had plenty of room.
• The shoe upper is soft and pliable, making it easy to slip your foot in and out.
• Standing in it, the shoe feels soft and cushy, extremely light, with a barely-there feel.
• The 4mm heel drop isn’t as drastic compared to other minimal shoes. I actually like how the shoe felt!

Ride
My first two runs in the shoe were 10 miles each — two miles on the road and eight miles on the trail. These runs were smooth, almost like I was gliding along with nothing on my feet. The shoe allowed me to run naturally, without forcing my foot to do anything it didn’t want to do. The GOrun transitioned smoothly at a variety of speeds and performed well regardless of the surface I was running on, until I hit the technical part of the trail with rocks and roots, where regardless of the cushioning I could feel the terrain under my foot, especially running down hills.

Not fully satisfied, I decided to take the shoe for a 50-mile run on an intermediate technical trail. The first 15 miles were smooth and easy. Then, I noticed with each step that the shoe felt mushy, and on the technical parts of the trail, it was too soft and unstable. About 20 miles in, I started to feel hot spots on the ball of both of my feet. About 25 miles into my run, I decided to change the shoe — I was that uncomfortable. Sections of the trail I ran were narrow singletrack with grass above my ankle and moisture, which the shoe definitely picked up. When I kicked off the GOrun, my socks, along with the shoe and the insole, were soaking wet. With minimal to no water drain, the shoe definitely retains water.

Conclusion
Not the bang for my bucks that I was hoping for with the purchase of this shoe. I would refrain from taking it on a technical trail. There was plenty of cushioning and protection when running on the roads, but I found the shoe too soft and unstable to use for speed work or long racing.

To call it a wrap, I’d say Sketchers is onto something, but they still have a long way to go before they’re taken seriously as a running shoe brand. I would use the GOrun as a supplementary shoe to strengthen the feet and encourage midfoot striking — but no further than 10 to 15 miles on the trail under fair-weather conditions.

Author: Shalini Kovach is a trail junkie and ultra distance runner, forever in search of the perfect running gear that will make life easy out in the wilderness.