We're more than halfway through 2023, so it's time for some mid-season awards! David, Matt, and Nathan are joined by a very special guest: Connor Blalock of Running Warehouse fame. Not only does Connor, and the rest of the team, give their top five shoes of the year so far, but he gives an insight into working for one of the biggest running retailers. Learn about what it's like to interact with shoe companies and test & review more shoes than just about anyone else. Be sure to let us know what your favorite shoes of the year so far are! Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:21 - Getting to know Connor 5:08 - Connor's process reviewing & making videos about shoes 13:00 - Connor & the team's favorite shoe types & characteristics 17:18 - Shoe trends in the industry 27:54 - Maintaining balance and avoiding bias in reviewing shoes 30:24 - Matt's top 5 shoes of 2023 so far 35:22 - Nate's top 5    39:40 - David's top 5   47:14 - Connor's top 5 57:49 - Connor's thoughts & comparisons on the Nike ZoomX Ultrafly 1:02:20 - Wrap-up Be sure to check out this week's sponsor, ⁠⁠⁠Running Warehouse⁠⁠⁠. Summer's all about racking up the miles before a busy fall racing season. Check out some some of our favorite daily trainers like Hoka's 9th iteration on the beloved Clifton series. If you're looking for something soft and bouncy check out Skecher's latest trainers: Go Run Ride 11 and Maxroad 6 featuring their new Hyperburst Ice foam. If you want something that can pick up the pace, take a look at the revamped Adidas Boston 12 with the softer Lightstrike 2.0 midsole. You can find rabbit’s new trail line and more by visiting ⁠⁠⁠runningwarehouse.com⁠⁠⁠ today. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctors-of-running/support