 We are all most there. We are all most there. You have inspired me to get to vlog 999. This is number 999, which means tomorrow on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas, by the way, almost, almost there. Somebody asked the other day, like, did I plan out the fact that vlog 1000 would publish on Christmas Day? I wish I was that good. That is not the case. I did not plan this out, but this is how it's happening. I'm just in a reflective mode, for sure, over these next 48 hours, simply because the journey we have been on together here on YouTube has been hard at times, inspiring all the time, basically. Like, there's moments where I've been challenged, for sure, to keep this baby going, but we've made it now to number 999. And so today, I'm gonna take it a little easier because I actually need a little more time for editing number 1000 for tomorrow. So make sure you come back tomorrow for number 1000. I, whew, I don't want to talk about it too much because it gets me just like in reflective mode of thinking after just looking back on life. So it's exciting, but today, I don't wanna focus too much on the negative for this shoe that I'm about to talk to you about. Let's just say I'm a positive person. I like to stay positive. That's how I approach life because I think it leads to obviously better, greater happiness in life, true joy, authentic joy, not just like fleeting happiness, but like real authentic joy if we remain in a positive state of mind as much as possible and just like real basic as runners, like we like to be healthy people as runners especially, everyone, everyone wants to be healthy, but especially runners, we strive for good health. And so our mental game, if we are in a positive state of mind more often than not, and listen, we all have bad days. We all need to vent at times. Don't get me wrong, but the more we can remain positive, the better we will do in training. The better our body will be reacting to our workouts. Let's get to the shoe that I'm just struggling with and is challenging me to think outside the box. Am I missing something here? Once I reveal it to you, I want you fans out there of this shoe and of this shoe company to comment below and help me through the challenge. Help me understand what they're attempting to do. Help me appreciate the shoe because guess what? This shoe company is the second largest in the world. The Adidas Ultra Boost. Yes, this is the shoe that has brought me the most challenge in 2018 for understanding why I would ever run in it. And listen, I feel a little bad because I did not, I like to put 50 miles into a shoe before I give you a full review. I only got to about 38 miles in this shoe before, according to Strava, before I said, huh, I don't think I'm gonna run in this guy anymore, but I did try. I promise, I tried 38 miles in it. Before we dive into the specs of the Ultra Boost, the Adidas Ultra Boost, I wanna just read a brief history of Adidas. And when I buy a shoe, I like to know the story behind how the company started because I think that influences the lineup of the shoes that they produce. And I was talking to the running shoe store reps a couple of days ago about the on company from Switzerland. And so anyway, here's the a little brief history of Adidas. The founder was Adolf Adi Dossler, which you can see how they got the name going there. Dossler assisted in the development of spiked running shoes for multiple athletic events to enhance the quality of spiked athletic footwear. He transitioned from a previous model of heavy metal spikes to utilizing canvas and rubber. In 1936, Dossler persuaded US sprinter Jesse Owens to use his handmade spikes at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Following Owens's four gold medals, the name and reputation of Dossler's shoes became known to the world sportsmen and their trainers. And so Adidas is a, and it goes on, yeah, it goes on by, they were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes every year before World War II. Anyway, and I don't know all the details of the founder and of obviously that was Tough Times and the world history around between World War I and World War II. But this is early. Like this, when did Bowerman, was Bowerman the 60s? Yeah, I think Bowerman was the 60s. Well, now Nike is the biggest running shoe company in the world, Adidas. I don't know if they're the second largest running, but they're the second largest shoe company in the world. Now I just share that brief history of the Adidas story because I think it's important as consumers of products and running shoes that we know the backstory because guess what? Real people designed this Ultra Boost in 2015 was the first release. And so I, as I share constructive criticism, I fully realized like real people with real stories put a lot of work into this shoe. But I also realized that real people with real stories are spending their hard-earned money buying running shoes now and in 2019 and I wanna make sure you're just making good decisions. And on that note, the Adidas Ultra Boost 19 just released I think a week ago, maybe 10 days ago and I will not be purchasing that shoe, but maybe you will. And again, make your case for Adidas down below in the comment. And now the basic specs behind the Ultra Boost, 22 millimeter stack height in the heel, 12 in the toe box, which gives it a 10 millimeter drop. So a pretty high drop for a running shoe and then the weight and probably if you've run in this shoe, I'm guessing you've noticed that it is heavy. It is, is this the heaviest shoe I ran in in 2018? Outside of the La Sportiva lineup, I think this is the heaviest shoe I wore in 2018, 11 ounces. So like, why would you wanna wear an 11 ounce shoe if you don't have to? That's one of my biggest concerns with this Ultra Boost from Adidas. And yes, the Ultra Boost 19 that just came out is just as heavy. I think I saw on the Adidas website like 10.9 ounces. So basically 11 ounces. That's not so good. All right, let's talk about my biggest concern of the Ultra Boost and I love you, Adidas. Well, Adidas, I'm trying to love you but this is just a major, major, major issue. And it's not the weight and I don't mind actually running in heavy shoes. I think it can help strengthen your legs, maybe give you a little more strengthening workout but Adidas, your prime knit upper. So the upper is the top of the shoe for all of you out there that are just learning about running shoes and shoes in general. This is the upper, it's called a prime knit material. It's thick and heavy and it is comfortable but I would say it is not breathable. It feels very, it feels like you're putting on a wool sock and like that can be comfy in the winter but in the summer, no way. Like I wore this in the summertime and my foot would get hot and especially since the shoe is black like I could literally feel my foot like starting to sweat as soon as I put the shoe on. So a very heavy, thick, prime knit upper material that I'm just not a fan of and sloppy. It's just, it's sloppy. Like you can see it here. It's breaking, it's collapsing in on itself this through the toe box and this plastic cage is what I'm gonna call it. It feels kind of gimmicky, Adidas because your logo has the three stripes, right, Adidas? Your logo is three stripes, which is fine but that should not influence the engine. The logo should not influence the direct design of the shoe and so they have this plastic cage to help lock down your foot in the shoe and they just went with three strips of plastic here. Why not go with four? Why not go with five? Why not go with two? You went with three, I think, because that's your logo. What? What? I don't know what they were thinking with this plastic cage on top but not a fan and that is my biggest concern with the Ultra Boost is the upper, it's just, it's sloppy. I felt like my foot was gonna slide right off the midsole. All right, according to Adidas, the midsole, let's talk about the midsole since we're on the topic. It has what they're calling TPU pellets, basically what provides the Ultra Boost midsole with the energy return. They're saying there's 3,000 TPU pellets inside this midsole and it's a decent midsole. I would not call it responsive. I would call it cushioned and comfortable but as far as like giving you back your energy, not bad but not great either. So the midsole, it's not breaking, here's the thing, okay, one positive because I don't wanna be all negative, durability seems really good. I don't feel like I've lost, now I've only done 40 miles approximately but I don't feel like I've lost anything as far as through the midsole and frankly, you shouldn't just after 40 miles but comfortable, yes, but responsive, yeah, not in my books, not in my books. And just one brief point on the outsole, like no major concerns with the rubber. Yeah, it's like basically almost like a spider web design and it's designed to be flexible but Adidas does have this plastic plate through the midfoot called the torsion system and it's designed to provide a little more support through the midfoot and then transfer energy forward. I don't know, is it working? It's hard to tell. I didn't notice a huge benefit from this torsion system but if you can feel it through your midfoot when you're running in the Ultra Boost, definitely let me know. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on that. So that's the outsole. Now I always want to end on a positive note, very comfortable, very comfortable. It's like wearing a slipper, granted a heavy slipper but it is like wearing a slipper so when could you use this? I treadmill running, I think this would be fine on a treadmill where you're not on any uneven surfaces because I could see this being an ankle breaker real quick, like rolling an ankle real easy in the shoe. It's just, the upper is just too sloppy, too flexible. But it is comfortable or cross training in a gym. If you're working out in a gym, if you're riding stationary bikes, if you're doing the treadmill, doing just cross training, oh yeah, I think you could wear this shoe for sure but as far as getting out there just pounding miles, very expensive shoe if you buy it, brand new, full retail, $180. Definitely, definitely not worth $180. This was my most challenging shoe of 2018. All right, the keyword is Ultra for the Adidas Ultra Boost. Ultra is the keyword, thank you so much for hitting it up down in the comments and the question of the day, I hate to even ask it, what was the most challenging shoe that you wore in 2018, AKA maybe the most disappointing shoe that you ran in in 2018? And maybe you don't have one, if you don't have one, bonus points. That means you made good and productive purchases in the past year but the reason I ask that question of the day is to help all of us avoid making purchases, moving forward in 2019 that are maybe not so solid and it's all about helping each other here on YouTube and helping each other make good decisions and maybe the Ultra Boost 19 has an incredible upgrade. I don't know, I probably won't be purchasing it unless you really make the case for it down below in the comments but and again, everyone's foot is different, everyone's stride is different just slightly and so this shoe might work perfectly for you. I don't want to come across as negative Nancy, I simply want to share my transparent experience in the shoe with you and then you get to go to the running shoe store and actually try them on and see like yeah, this is not working for me or like oh my goodness, this is the best shoe I've ever run in, just let me know down in the comments once you try that. You rock, thank you for watching the 999th Daily Vlog in a row, mm-mm-mm. Folks, oh God, all right, I'm not gonna get into it but I just, I love you, I love you, mm, mm. Wow, yep, seek beauty, work hard and love each other.