The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is the best race shoe ever. Literally ever. I’m going to try to be useful about why, but that’s the review.
How I use it
I race in each pair once, usually a marathon, and then it becomes my workout shoe until it hits about 200 miles, and then I retire it. So this year I’ve had my London pair, my Tokyo pair, and the pair from another race I did in the spring, three pairs for three races, all rotating through track and tempo days. If a long run has speed work in it, that’s 20 miles on the race shoe. It’s fine. It holds up.
I’ve burned all three out now, plus raced a bunch of New York Road Runners races in them, the Queens 10K, a 5 miler, a 5K. So I just had to buy a new pair purely for workouts, which I never do, and it is a very strange feeling to take a brand new pair of race shoes out of the box for a random Tuesday at the track. They already have 150 miles on them. I go to the track a lot. I’m trying to get Local Legend on McCarren Park.
Why Sky and not Edge
I tried the Edge. I go faster in the Sky. The difference: the Edge is designed to help you increase cadence, and the Sky is designed to help you increase stride length. The plate sits closer to the foot in the Sky, so instead of rolling you into a faster turnover it lets you push off and cover more ground per step.
My cadence is naturally about 185, and when I pick up the pace it goes to 195 to 205 on its own. Cadence is not my problem. I’d like to go a little further with each step. That’s what the Sky does, so that’s my shoe. If you’re a shuffler who needs turnover, try the Edge.
Why it beat the Alphafly
I trained the whole Berlin block in the Metaspeed and raced Berlin in the Alphafly 3. The Alphafly was fast and totally fine and it felt like there was no bounce. The Metaspeed is soft and springy and it’s comfortable at mile 20 in a way the Alphafly and the SC Elite are not. Once I’d raced in this I couldn’t go back to either.
Fit
Size 8. [FILL: anything about the upper, heel, and whether you race sockless or with the Metaspeed socks that took your toenails.]
Would I buy it again
I just did, for workouts, which is the highest compliment I can pay a race shoe. I’m excited for the new version this fall. Big fan.
What I wore
| Brand | Piece | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASICS | Metaspeed Sky Tokyo | 8 | race once, then workouts to 200 miles |
All my measurements and every size I wear are on the sizing page.
Questions I get
Metaspeed Sky or Metaspeed Edge?
Sky, for me. The Edge is built to help you raise cadence. The Sky is built to help you lengthen your stride. My cadence is already 185 easy and 195 to 205 when I push, so cadence isn't my problem. Stride length is. I go faster in the Sky.
Metaspeed Sky or Alphafly 3?
Metaspeed. I trained in it, raced Berlin in the Alphafly, and the Alphafly felt like it had no bounce. The Metaspeed is soft and springy and comfortable at mile 20.
How many miles do you get out of a Metaspeed Sky?
I race in each pair once, usually a marathon, then use it for workouts until about 200 miles and retire it.
Can you do workouts in the Metaspeed Sky?
I do all of them in it. Track, tempo, long runs with speed. If a long run has speed work in it you're putting 20 miles on that shoe.
