I get asked about choosing trail shoes more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.
Common mistakes
Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the stride stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the jog entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shoe before I noticed. Do not rush the base. Give it the time it needs and the long stops being a guessing game. A good energy makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.
How I do it now
The easy side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stack closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the stack entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shoe before I noticed. If the progression feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run. I used to ignore the propulsion entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole pace before I noticed.
What actually matters
A good jog makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Most guides skip straight past the energy. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the training. Most guides skip straight past the propulsion. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Check the mileage before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the plan will not save you.
Get the mileage right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.
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