# E55: Your Running Shoes Are a Problem | Colby Gould and Altra Running

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-runegade-podcast-6717046/e55-your-running-shoes-are-a-problem-colby-gould-and-altra-running
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-runegade-podcast-6717046/e55-your-running-shoes-are-a-problem-colby-gould-and-altra-running.md
Podcast: [The RUNEGADE Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-runegade-podcast-6717046)
Published: 2026-04-09T09:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/therunegadepodcast/episodes/E55-Your-Running-Shoes-Are-a-Problem--Colby-Gould-and-Altra-Running-e3gflim
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/ee903b68/podcast/play/116954134/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-15%2F420057242-44100-2-41d669e7d3516.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-runegade-podcast-6717046/episodes/e55-your-running-shoes-are-a-problem-colby-gould-and-altra-running
Duration seconds: 3502

## Resource

"The basic idea ... we make a shoe that lets your foot sit in its normal position and doesn't squeeze the toes together. And it's perfectly balanced and kind of gets out of the way of any biomechanical alterations that other shoes might be creating." - Colby Gould This episode is sponsored by Thrive Protein | Canadian made supplements, nutrition, and hydration to fuel all your adventures. Check them out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thrive Protein⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use the code RUNEGADE to save 20% off your order. Most runners don’t realize that the shoes they wear could be quietly sabotaging their progress - and their injuries. Fooled by marketing gimmicks and grifters, we keep buying shoes that unfortunately contribute to the injuries we runners seem to run into. Colby Gould, ultra runner and the driving force behind Altra’s radical, foot-friendly philosophy, reveals how ditching the high drops and narrow toes boxes can transform your run. Whether you're lacing up for long-distance trails or just trying to stay injury-free. Colby’s journey from college soccer player to trail enthusiast is rooted in one simple idea: your foot was made to move naturally. After discovering that traditional shoes squeeze the toes and restrict movement, he embraced the Altra approach—shoes shaped like feet, with room to splay, zero drop, and the space to run as we were designed to. We break down the core principles that set Altra apart: the foot-shaped toe box, balanced stack height, and the philosophy of letting your foot be a foot. Colby discusses how these ideas are not just trendy and they can change lives. Why does this matter? Because ignoring foot mechanics risks endless injuries, lost miles, and giving up what should be a lifelong joy: running - whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out this ep…

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