About Our Running Gear Reviews
Have questions about how we do our reviews? Hopefully, this will provide you with more details about our mission, our process and the people behind all those sweaty feet. Everyone on our team has been running for over a decade and part of RTTF for many years.
Let’s Talk Gear
At the root of our review process is helping runners find the shoes, accessories and apparel that will work best for THEM! Running gear is no longer a quick cheap cotton t-shirt, but an investment in pieces that will often last us for many years.
For that reason, you’ll find everything here has been tested by a real runner to give you first hand experience.
You’ll also notice that we always tell you what we dislike about gear from bad seam placement in a sports bra to sloppy fit or poor traction on a running shoe.
NO ONE LOVES EVERYTHING. And we find it crazy when review sites tell you every single shoe is the best shoe ever.
The Process
Over the years the Run To The Finish testing has expanded from Coach Amanda Brooks to many of the coaches on her team and other athletes.
Shoes are received directly from brands or PR agencies for testing and optional reviews. We are not paid to review the gear, but do make money when you choose to purchase through our links.
We always say that’s like tipping for good service. If you found articles here that helped you make a decision, then we absolutely appreciate that click!
Shoes are used for at least 30-50 miles to help us get a good feel for them and best provide feedback on the fit, feel, and comparison to previous models.
Have a shoe you would like us to review? Feel free to drop us a note >>
Our Run Testers
Over the years, the testing team here at Run To The Finish has grown!
While Owner and Coach Amanda Brooks is still often leading the charge, now you’ll be hearing a lot more from other runners with a variety of experiences from trails to roads to wide feet, Colorado winter running and Arizona summer heat!
Many running shoe reviews are completed by the front of the pack runners. We want to make sure the 5 hour marathon finisher and the curvier runner know how the gear will feel for them too! To that end we have a variety of paces, shoe sizes, body sizes and widths handling gear.
Amanda Brooks
Owner, runner and Coach Amanda Brooks has been testing gear since cotton socks and cotton shirts were a normal go to item! Now over two decades later, she has tested hundreds of running shoes providing her with an in-depth knowledge of what’s changed and how different models compare.
Her time is split between roads, Colorado trails and the treadmill, while logging over 1600 miles each year she’s done every distance, but is mostly focused on 10K speed and long run fun right now.
Stacey Gross
Coach Stacey Gross has been part of the coaching team since 2021 and started taking on gear reviews for the last few years as well! She loves to provide feedback for that middle and back of the pack runner to find the best fit.
She also embraces a good treadmill run, alongside her road running and is a newbie trail runner learning the ropes and providing great feedback in each area. Currently, she’s working on her half marathon and encouraging her husband’s new found love of running too.
Laura Swenson
Coach Laura Swenson has been part of the coaching team since 2021 and as Amanda often says, has completed more ultramarathons than most of us have completed races!
She provides unique feedback from a trail focused runner, who happens to also know how to crush a good road marathon! Plus, she spends her time handling the high heat of Arizona summers, the rugged lava terrain in Hawaii and whatever Florida might throw at her.
Alison Staples
Coach Alison Staples has also been part of the coaching team since 2021 and brings in not only her own passion of running, but knowledge as a Physical Therapist.
She teaches treadmill running classes, which means watching a whole lot of feet move. And has spent her last few years focused on some big marathon PR’s, putting on a ton of road miles to find her Cinderella shoe. Now she’s having fun focusing on some shorter distance speed as well.
Lindsey Gerard
Coach Lindsey Gerard is yet another coach who joined the team in 2021! She brings to us the perspective from the front of the pack. Proving that faster as a master isn’t just a slogan, but a way of training.
She is currently chasing a 3 hour marathon goal and working to run all of the world majors. Her runs are largely completed outside on the roads or crushed gravel paths of Colorado matter the weather. And she absolutely works the track every week, bringing us some good carbon plated shoe feedback.
