Episode 32 of The Middle of the Pack dives into Ian O’Brien’s running journey — from starting after a medical scare and taekwondo roots, to coaching, club runs, and an expanding collection of running shoes. The conversation centers on choosing the right shoe for easy runs, sessions, long runs and race day, and looks at brands like Saucony, ASICS and Adidas.

Ian shares practical tips on shoe rotation, fitting, trying shoes in specialist shops, breaking in race shoes before race day, and how comfort and purpose should guide your choices — whether you’re a middle-of-the-pack runner or chasing PBs.