Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 — 100-Mile Review
Some shoes you test.
Some shoes you immediately start reaching for.
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 has become the second one.
I’ve put 100 miles on them — treadmill, track sessions, tempo work, and a 13-mile workout run — and they’ve earned a clear role in my rotation.
The reason I bought them was simple.
I race in the Endorphin Elite — Saucony’s carbon-plated super shoe. The Speed 5 sits just below that in the lineup. It uses a nylon plate instead of carbon, making it more affordable and slightly less aggressive.
I wanted a shoe that gave me some of that zip for speed and tempo workouts — without burning through my race shoes.
After 100 miles, here’s what stands out.
The Specs (Peregrune Running Shoe Database)
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Stack Height: ~36 mm heel / 28 mm forefoot
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Drop: 8 mm
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Weight: ~8.3 oz (Men’s 9)
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Plate: Winged nylon plate
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Foam: Full-length PWRRUN PB
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Surface tested: Treadmill, track, road
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My size: Men’s 9
The Foam & Plate — Why This Shoe Feels Alive
The Endorphin Speed 5 uses full PWRRUN PB foam, the same energetic foam found in Saucony’s higher-end race models.
But instead of a carbon plate like the Elite, it uses a nylon plate.
That matters.
Carbon plates are stiff, aggressive, and designed for maximum propulsion. They feel like they’re dictating your stride.
The nylon plate in the Speed 5 is more flexible. It works with your stride instead of forcing it.
What that means in real running:
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You get bounce and energy return.
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You feel forward momentum.
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But you still control the effort.
The foam is noticeably more energetic than what’s in the Hurricane 25. Push-offs feel quicker. Turnover feels easier. The shoe wants to move.
Compared to the Hurricane:
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Hurricane: Absorbs impact first, protects legs.
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Speed 5: Returns energy first, encourages pace.
You feel the difference immediately.
Weight — You Notice It
The first thing you feel when switching from a daily trainer into the Speed 5 is the weight difference.
At just over 8 ounces, it feels light. Not race-day featherweight, but light enough that cadence naturally increases.
That lighter feel changes your rhythm.
On treadmill tempo runs and track sessions, the shoe just flows. The combination of the rocker geometry, the PWRRUN PB foam, and the nylon plate creates a smooth roll forward.
It doesn’t feel forced. It feels natural.
Treadmill & Track Work
This is where the Speed 5 shines.
On the treadmill, it makes steady-state efforts feel easier to hold. When you dial up the pace, the shoe responds immediately.
On the track, turnover feels clean and efficient. You’re not fighting the shoe. You’re working with it.
The foam compresses and rebounds quickly — almost like it’s helping you reset for the next step.
That’s something you don’t get from a traditional trainer.
The 13-Mile Workout
I took the Speed 5 out for a 13-mile workout run — mixing steady pace with faster efforts.
It held up well the entire time.
What stood out wasn’t just speed. It was how smooth the effort felt late in the run.
Sometimes plated shoes can feel harsh when fatigue sets in. This didn’t. The nylon plate keeps it from being overly stiff. There’s still enough forgiveness underfoot.
It feels like a performance shoe you can actually train in.
Could It Be an Everyday Trainer?
Honestly — yes.
It’s light enough. Durable enough. Comfortable enough.
The only reason I wouldn’t use it every day is strategic.
There’s value in having a traditional daily trainer that makes you work for your cadence. Shoes like the Hurricane build durability and strength because they don’t give you “free speed.”
The Speed 5 gives you a little bit of assistance. Not carbon-level assistance, but enough that it changes the feel of the run.
And that’s useful — when used intentionally.
Fit
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True to size (Men’s 9)
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Secure heel lockdown
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Slightly more performance-oriented fit than the Hurricane
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Comfortable through forefoot even at faster paces
No hot spots over 100 miles. No break-in needed.
It feels dialed in but not restrictive.
Durability
After 100 miles:
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Foam still lively
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Plate feel unchanged
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Outsole holding up well
PWRRUN PB tends to hold its rebound well, and nothing so far suggests premature breakdown.
Where It Fits in My Rotation
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Hurricane 25: Daily miles, protection, recovery.
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Endorphin Speed 5: Tempo, threshold, long workouts.
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Endorphin Elite: Race day.
The Speed 5 bridges the gap.
It gives you a taste of race-day efficiency without burning through your carbon shoes. It’s the economical performance trainer in the lineup.
100-Mile Verdict
The Endorphin Speed 5 is fun.
It makes you want to run faster.
But it’s also controlled. The nylon plate keeps it from feeling overly aggressive, which makes it more versatile than a pure race shoe.
If the Hurricane helps you survive the training block,
the Speed 5 helps you sharpen it.
And after 100 miles, it’s earned its place.