The Saucony Shay XC2 cross country racing spikes are super-lightweight racing shoes suitable for distances from 3K to 10K. As Saucony’s newest model, the XC2 was released in June of 2010. The main update is to be found on the upper part of the shoe, whereas the footplate, midsole, and outsole remain unchanged.

A cool new feature of the Shay XC2 is a window where you can place a piece of mylar of any color to customize the look of the shoe. Given the number of athletes who race XC for their team, these Saucony running shoes provide the perfect way to personalize your team’s racing look, boost team spirit, and really stand out from the crowd.

The XC2 is available in both men’s and women’s models, and also in both the spike and spikeless versions. The spike version includes twelve 5/16 inch pyramid spikes, plus a spike wrench. Like most cross country racing shoes, the cushioning is minimal to reduce the overall weight of the shoe.

It’s good that Saucony did not change the design of the midsole, because this is one of the most surprisingly comfortable foot beds ever found on a shoe made specifically for cross country racing. The dynamic traction that the outsole of the XC2 provides allows for superb control of the challenging terrain found on any cross country course.

The Shay XC2 is available in three different colors:

• Blue / Citron — (men)
• Black / Silver — (men & women)
• Plum / Citron — (women)

Saucony keeps the XC2 super lightweight, which is one of the best features of this XC shoe. The upper on the Shay XC2 uses a bootie-style construction, which wraps securely around the midfoot to provide a customized fit on your foot.

The Saucony Shay XC2 is named after the memory of All-American distance runner Ryan Shay.

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One of the biggest mistakes runners make is utilizing the wrong shoes to exercise. Walking for long distances is not the same as running, and for serious runners; shoes that are meant for walking will not do the trick. It’s even important to not utilize standard athletic shoes, but rather, use running shoes. If you neglect your feet, and utilize any old shoe, you’ll soon experience discomfort in the joints, and eventually injure your knees and ankles.

There are several brands that you can take advantage of, when looking at quality shoes for running. However, one of the best brands to come out with running products and the best shoes for underpronate running is Saucony. When you look for reviews you’ll see that saucony mens running shoes, are amongst the top rated by all websites and users that run on a regular basis. They offer a style and substance that most shoe brands do not, and specifically tailor their shoes for a variety of feet.

You’ll notice that when running in a pair of properly designed shoes, they tend to bend at the middle point a little bit more than the average shoe. This allows for flexibility and support when running long distances. This is where you’ll find the better models succeed, and standard running shoes fall to the wayside. You need to remember, if a shoe is too stiff, or is shaped wrong, your arches and your joints will begin to ache long before you complete your run. The adage of “breaking in” shoes does not necessarily play well with serious runners.

Consider the fact that the human foot has over 20 bones and attaches to dozens of muscles, and tendons. They are all designed to work in unison, absorb the impact of running and transfer the motion throughout the body. When wearing a proper mens running shoe, the body moves in proper alignment, and if you were to watch a slow motion video of proper running, you could see the striations and flexes in the muscles, all working together in perfect harmony. However, when not properly aligned, the body has to overcompensate in certain areas, breaking the alignment, and forcing injuries. When the foot has to bend in an unnatural way, or add more pressure to certain points, an injury is inevitable.

There are a lot of brands of running shoes on the market, but it seems that there’s only a few that are consistently providing quality support to runners of all ages and backgrounds, and one of those brands is Saucony. If you’re looking for saucony mens running shoes, consider the fact that they properly engineer their products for proper alignment for runners. You’ll notice the difference from day one, as they are more flexible than most brands, and are reviewed positively by many amateur and professional runners. You owe your feet proper protection, and the right shoes are key to ensuring longevity for your joints, bones, and muscles.

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