ROAD TO 2:45: SPENCER MATTHEWS HUNTS FOR HIS VALENCIA RACE DAY SHOE AT SPORTS DIRECT
Published: 07/10/2026 | By: Alex Courbat
Spencer Matthews walked into our Oxford Circus flagship sure he knew what he'd be racing in at Valencia, but that’s before he got stuck into our running section. One shoe had him running quicker than he thought, another he would have happily worn to his wedding, and by the end his mind was far from made up. Here's what he made of the four pairs that stood out.
There are few things more dangerous than giving a man who's just run a 2:49 marathon access to an entire wall of running shoes. So we did.
The man in question is Spencer Matthews, and he's at our Oxford Circus flagship for the latest episode of Road to 2:45, his YouTube series chasing a sub-2:45 marathon. Berlin gave him a massive PB and Valencia's next, which leaves one big question: what goes on his feet?
Until now, the answer's been the same few brands, with the PUMA Fast-R 3 doing him a few favours in Berlin. He's never really strayed. "I've always kind of just followed the crowd," he says. But with Valencia getting close, he wants to make his mind up properly, and that means trying the lot.
He pulls on the new Nike Pegasus Plus 2, the New Balance SC Rebel v1 and a fair few others, but only four really stick: the PUMA Deviate NITRO Elite 4, adidas Hyperboost Edge, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo and On Cloudboom Strike 2. This is what Spencer made of them.
PUMA Deviate NITRO Elite 4
First up is the PUMA Deviate NITRO Elite 4, and this one already has a bit of history with Spencer. He loves PUMA trainers, and the Elite 4 was actually a serious contender for Berlin. If the shoe he eventually raced in had proved too harsh on his body, this was the one he was prepared to reach for. That's a pretty decent vote of confidence before we've even got out of the shop.
The Elite 4 is a proper race-day shoe, with PUMA's lightweight NITROFOAM Elite and a full-length carbon PWRPLATE giving it plenty of speed without making it feel like some enormous piece of laboratory equipment.
"I love this shoe," Spencer says. What he likes most is how normal it feels. "It has tech built into it. Obviously it's plated, but it doesn't feel like you're wearing a big lairy shoe full of tech. All quite neat and tidy."
That neatness is a big part of the appeal. There's plenty happening underfoot, but none of it feels particularly shouty. "This feels like an everyday shoe. You could, in theory, if you were going to do a session after picking your kids up from school, just wear this out and about and it would kind of feel normal." He says.
High praise for a shoe designed to go very, very quickly. It nearly got the call in Berlin, and it's easy to see why.
adidas Hyperboost Edge
The adidas Hyperboost Edge is the curveball. Spencer's a massive adidas fan, so he's super excited to get them on, but this isn't a spiky carbon racer. There's no plate in here at all, just a big, soft stack of new foam.
First impressions are all comfort. "They do feel super comfortable and snug," he says, and with that "tremendous stack height" underfoot, it's a cushy place to be. The ride is a bit odd, though. They "almost feel sticky", and there's none of the fling he gets from the PUMA Fast-R 3. He puts it down as "more stable, probably slightly slower", and he isn't totally sold. Until he looks down at his watch.
"I'm running like 3:15s. I thought I was running like 3:30s."
So much for slower. "That's a strange kind of ride," he admits, and it's what makes the shoe so interesting. It isn't firing him down the road, it's just letting him get on with it. In a world of race shoes all trying to launch you into orbit, that could be exactly what you want over a marathon, settling in and finding your rhythm.
He sees it as "a really interesting option for slightly slower runs, like steadier, longer runs". Not bad for a shoe he wasn't sold on at first.
ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
The ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo arrives with a reputation. This is the one Spencer knows all about before he's even put it on. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the Metaspeed. "Everyone raves about these," Spencer says.
The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is a serious piece of racing kit, built around ASICS' latest foams and carbon plate, with a design aimed at helping stride-style runners lengthen their stride and maintain efficiency deep into a race. It's clearly capable of big things, but it doesn't spark for Spencer in the same way some of the others do.
"They're fine," he says. "They're not my favourite."
Running shoes are personal. What feels like a rocket under one runner's feet can feel completely ordinary under someone else's, and a shoe being loved by everyone else doesn't mean it has to be yours. Spencer gets that.
Different runners have different mechanics, different feet and different ideas of what "fast" should feel like. The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo can be an excellent shoe and still not be Spencer's shoe. No hard feelings. There are plenty more pairs on the shelf.
On Cloudboom Strike 2
The On Cloudboom Strike 2 has Spencer interested before he’s even laced it up. Back in the shop, he’s already clocking the shape: a flattish bottom, followed by what he calls a “really aggressive” lip. For Spencer, that design is part of what makes the shoe interesting. “You do get a falling forward sensation,” he says, with a bit of momentum created to go with it.
Once they’re on his feet, he’s sold. “This is literally like having a basketball on your foot,” he says, before getting straight to the point:
“F***, I love those.”
The Cloudboom Strike 2 is built for the marathon and half marathon, pairing On’s CloudTec Sphere cushioning with Helion HF foam and a carbon Speedboard. But Spencer’s more interested in how it feels than what’s written on the box. “They’re great. Wow. What a shoe.”
What really catches him out is how something that looks and feels so aggressive can actually be pretty comfortable. He can see himself taking them into a fast half or full marathon, where he reckons “there’d be a serious level of comfort to it. Not aggressive at all.” Before adding “I’d have happily worn these at my wedding.”
By the end of the day, the Cloudboom Strike 2 has gone from an interesting option on the wall to one Spencer genuinely wants to run in. He’s keen to take them out for a 5K and see what they can do.
So, which one?
Spencer came to our Oxford Circus flagship thinking he had a pretty good idea of what he'd be racing in. Now? It’s a different story.
The PUMA feels like the trusted option. It was already close to making the Berlin start line and has the sort of versatility Spencer clearly loves.
The ASICS is the reminder that there's no such thing as a universally perfect shoe. Everyone can rave about something, but you've got to find what works for you.
The adidas is the surprise. Spencer thinks he's running 3:30s, looks at his watch and discovers he's actually running 3:15s. Not a bad way to make an impression.
As for the On, Spencer falls for it on sight.
"This has been quite eye-opening for me, trying shoes," he admits. Spencer arrived thinking he knew which shoes he'd race in. After trying a whole new range, he's less sure and better informed. When you're chasing 2:45, that's no bad thing.
Berlin proved the big target isn't as far away as it once looked. Valencia is the next test. The training is underway, the confidence is growing and one question remains.
Which pair gets the call?
