“My Runs Are Soft, Smooth, and, Once Again, Satisfying”

I’ll let you in on a little secret: Until recently, I’d been dreading my runs. All the joy in them was gone. They felt more like a chore than an escape. They were just…hard. Every time out, my body felt heavy, my mind wandered, and staying in bed seemed so much more appealing. I needed to find my spark again: the glide, the levity, the freedom.

That’s why I decided to try On’s Cloudsurfer 3 for a few days. I was ready for a major change, something that would help me enjoy my runs again, and maybe this was it. After decades of logging miles, I wasn’t ready to accept that running wasn’t working for me anymore, mentally or physically. Luckily, after three of the softest running experiences I’ve ever had, I know I have still have many miles left in me.

Here’s my day-by-day account of testing the Cloudsurfer 3 across New York City parks, stairs, and hills:

Day 1: Easy

I’ve been resting for a couple of days and my plan is to do a couple of easy miles. Unlike my other shoes, the Cloudsurfer 3 is cushioned—hyper-cushioned compared to anything that I have run in before. After lacing them up, I like how the upper mesh forms around my feet and makes them feel tucked in.

Then, I stand. Instantly I feel taller, which throws me off. I figure the extra height will translate into a soft ride, since that’s the whole point of the Surreal™ superfoam in the midsole and the geometry of the outsole. I know I’ll get used to it.

Once I’m outside, the moment of truth comes with my first propulsion. Immediately, everything seems lighter, smoother, softer. The extra height seems to be worth it. The levity and the spring from when I first started running are back; my gait is smoother than it’s been in a while, and I keep going. My plan to keep this run short gets smoked. The final tally is 5.25 practically effortless miles. When I return home, my legs don’t feel heavy and my post-workout yoga isn’t met with the normal “oohs” and “eeks.”

Day 2: Stairs

Last night, I dreamt about running. I can’t remember the last time that happened. My body feels good. No aches and pains like I usually have after my first run of the week. There might be something to a cushioned shoe after all. I decide to tackle some stairs and hills with a short out-and-back route to Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain stairs.

Running the steps, my toe strikes feel bouncy on the down phases and I’m able to get my knees up higher on the up. Both my heart rate and RPE rating—an 8 or 9 out of 10—tell me this is a tough workout. I climb the hill back home in a run-walk to recover, and this is when the rolling motion of the shoe feels more pronounced to me. The hill seems easier than in the past, and my heart rate recovers sooner. So I decide while exiting the park that I’m going to do streetlight intervals, alternating running and sprinting from one light to the next.

Day 3: Inclines

I dreamt about running again. Specifically, running Harlem Hill in the park. For those who aren’t familiar, this hill is a bear. Even though it’s only 0.3 miles, the incline can reach close to 8 percent at the top and averages around 4.5 percent. It’s brutal, and I haven’t run this hill since a half-marathon I did over a year ago, but I’m game to tackle it when I wake up. Yesterday’s runs piqued my curiosity about the Cloudsurfer 3’s performance on a more substantial incline.

Navigating the downhill switchbacks to get to the hill’s base is controlled and fast. I don’t feel like I’m pounding or lumbering down. Each step rolls from heel to toe, supported at every touchpoint. It’s a soft, smooth ride. But the real test of the day is still to come.

As I head up the hill, the roll continues to help propel me forward. The effort is greater than the day before (but so is the incline). There’s less pain than in previous passes of this run. When I get to the top I’m still winded, but my legs and glutes aren’t nearly as tired as I remember. I finish the second half of my run easily. When I get home, my overall pace says it all: 45 seconds faster per mile compared to day 1.

Thanks to Cloudsurfer 3, I found my running groove again.