One week before the 2018 New York City Marathon, Olympian Jared Ward received a package from Saucony, his shoe sponsor.

Thick, cushy shoes used to be relegated to slow and ... Likewise, thermoplastic elastomer foam (TPE) combines the softness of a plastic-based foam with rubber for additional durability.

Tom parades through the store he is in, grabbing and examining each shoe he says is made of plastic or foam instead of rubber soles. The quality is not the top tier match of the items for the ...