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Krista DuChene wore a mystery shoe at the Ottawa Marathon

The Saucony shoe isn't available to the public, it's not on their website, and it's got a suspicious black line through the midsole

Krista DuChene raced the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2:38:46, and was the second Canadian woman across the line. DuChene’s 2:38 is even more impressive when you consider that she’s only six weeks removed from the Boston Marathon where she finished seventh in the master’s division in 2:44:12.

Photo: Maxine Gravina

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DuChene, who’s sponsored by Saucony, was wearing a shoe we’d never seen before on Sunday. We’ve searched the website, enlarged the photos Sherlock Holmes-style, and we’re certain this isn’t available to the public. It’s not the Fastwitch, Type A or Endorphin, so this has led us to believe it’s an elite prototype.

Photo: Maxine Gravina

In the past two months alone, three shoe companies have come out with a carbon-plated shoe. New Balance released the FuelCell 5280, Hoka One One released the Carbon X, and Nike came out with their newest carbon-plated shoe, the Next%.

Photo: Maxine Gravina

The discreet shoe Duchene is wearing doesn’t have any Saucony branding, and the midsole is cut with a black band that’s likely a carbon plate. The upper looks pretty minimal, but doesn’t seem to use a knit material. In terms of stack height, the shoe is much taller than Saucony’s other models, with a stack height similar to the Nike Vaporfly and Next%.

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