Running & Endurance Sports — 2026-05-15
This week's top story from the ultramarathon world: David Sinclair and Blandine L'Hirondel toppled course records at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon on La Palma, in the Canary Islands. On the gear front, Hoka's Skyward X 2 arrives today with a re-engineered carbon plate and meaningful weight savings. Race results from earlier in the spring continue to generate discussion, with the sub-two-hour competitive marathon barrier now firmly in the history books.
Running & Endurance Sports — 2026-05-15
Race Recap
Transvulcania Ultramarathon 2026 — Course Records Fall
David Sinclair and Blandine L'Hirondel claimed victories and toppled course records at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon on La Palma in the Canary Islands, according to results published in the past week.
The Transvulcania Ultramarathon is one of Europe's most celebrated trail ultras, traversing the volcanic terrain of La Palma. Both the men's and women's course records were broken, marking a standout performance by the field. Full results are available at iRunFar.
Note: The sub-two-hour competitive marathon milestone set at the 2026 London Marathon by Sabastian Sawe (1:59:30) was covered in our previous issues (2026-05-08 and 2026-05-12). That story remains the defining achievement of the spring road racing season.
Gear & Science
Hoka Skyward X 2 — Available Today
Hoka's Skyward X 2 releases today, May 15, 2026. The brand redesigned the shoe's carbon fiber plate for a more aggressive stance, updated the upper, and reduced overall stack from 48 mm down to 44 mm in the heel — a 4 mm reduction. Weight dropped substantially as well: in a women's size 7.5, the shoe went from 9.4 oz down to 8.4 oz.
The midsole retains the dual-density construction pairing a PEBA foam top layer with a Super Critical EVA (SCF EVA) frame below — the same formula that made the original Skyward X a standout. The carbon plate, however, has been fully re-engineered. According to reviewers at Believe in the Run, both the men's and women's reviewers agreed the original "absolutely rocked," and early impressions suggest the redesigned version holds up to that standard.
Outside's running coverage also flagged the Skyward X 2 as one of the hot shoe drops of May 2026, noting the drop holds at 5 mm.
Carbon Plate Racing Shoe Landscape in 2026
The broader super-shoe market continues to evolve. Outside's May shoe roundup notes that one of the lightest super shoes ever has recently hit the market, with a men's size 9 weighing in at just 3.42 oz and a 39–36 mm stack at a 3 mm drop — released April 27 with broader availability expected this month.
The Run Testers note that 2026 notable new entries in the carbon-plate racing category include the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure, and Hoka Cielo X1 3.0, alongside the Puma Fast-R 3, which launched with research suggesting it boosts running efficiency beyond several top competitors.
Coming Up
No fresh race announcements with confirmed post-May 8 publication dates were available in this research cycle. Check iRunFar and the major marathon websites for the latest schedules heading into summer ultra season.
Freshness note: All stories above were published or updated after 2026-05-08. Earlier spring race results (London Marathon world record, Pittsburgh Marathon, Copenhagen Marathon, Boston Marathon) were covered in previous issues and are not repeated here per our dedup policy.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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