From Olympic Trials Hopeful to Pain-Free in Peluvas

When a hard-training marathon runner with decades of experience says a shoe is amazing, it's worth paying attention. Courtney knows big, cushioned trainers better than most — in the late '90s and early 2000s, she was training to qualify for the US Olympic marathon trials, the kind of pursuit that demands total trust in your gear.

"As any serious runner can relate, we like our favorite brands and models, and stick with them in hopes that they'll minimize injury risk," she says. "Oh, and don't forget to get a new pair every 250 miles!" So when she first encountered Peluva, she admits she was reluctant. Why fix what wasn't broken?

But her competitive days eventually gave way to a harder reality: multiple major knee surgeries that ended her racing career. The old rules — chase the right drop, replace your shoes on schedule — stopped mattering the way they used to.

Switching to Peluva wasn't instant. After years in traditional 6–8mm drop running shoes, Courtney eased into the transition gradually — first walking her dogs 2.5 miles each morning, then wearing her Peluvas to the gym. Once her feet and legs adapted, she moved onto the trails for running.

The real turning point came recently, when she added plyometric training to the mix. "I did two miles of plyometric training on trails in my Peluva Strand ATRs, and they were perfect," she says. "I felt really strong and stable for the first time in years. I've had multiple knee surgeries, so this is really a breakthrough for me. No pain at all."

For a former Olympic trials hopeful who has been through the wringer with her knees, that combination of strength, stability, and zero pain speaks for itself.

Courtney P, Sarasota, FL

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