By now, you’ve in all probability heard that marathons are the brand new quarter life disaster. And whereas working 26.2 miles with hundreds of strangers might or is probably not the repair to no matter is supplying you with the mid-20s to early-30s blues, I can attest that it’s shockingly enjoyable. There’s a lot that marathoners can do to maintain a smile on their face for as lots of these grueling miles as doable, like coaching good, fueling nicely—and selecting a pair of sneakers that makes the race fly by.
Whereas “marathon sneakers” might conjure budget-breaking efficiency pairs claiming that will help you get a PR, the reality is that the very best marathon shoe is no matter works for you. That could be a carbon-plated tremendous shoe, a trusted each day coach, or one thing in between. We rounded up the very best in every of these classes, with the assistance of working coaches, shoe consultants, and podiatrists that will help you discover the appropriate pair.
Our prime picks
- Greatest General: Nike Alphafly 3, $275
- Greatest for Broad Toes: New Steadiness FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4,
$250$188 - Greatest Finances Plated: Saucony Endorphin Velocity 5, $175
- Most Sturdy: Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, $250
- Most Comfy: Saucony Endorphin Professional 4, $240
- Greatest for Learners: Hoka Clifton 10, $150
- Greatest Zero-Drop: Altra Vanish Carbon 2, $240
- Greatest for Overpronators: Brooks Glycerin GTS 22, $165
- Greatest for Path Marathons: Hoka Speedgoat 6, $200
On this article
Store the very best marathon trainers
Twenty-six miles has nothing on you and these trusted shoe picks.
Greatest General: Nike Alphafly 3
For runners trying to BQ, PR, or simply run quick, the Nike Alphafly—a.ok.a. the unique tremendous shoe—nonetheless reigns supreme, and for good cause. A 2024 Sneaker Award winner for simply how speedy it’s, the Alphafly boasts a full carbon plate for propulsion, AirZoom pods to soak up affect and add bounce, and a stack of trampoline-level foam.
When SELF’s health editor examined them, she beloved how they felt speedy and thrilling. “These sneakers are tremendous mild, tremendous cushioned, and tremendous excessive (the stack top and foam underfoot are legit),” she wrote. “They’re additionally actually, actually quick. As quickly as I picked up the tempo from warm-up to speedwork, I instantly felt the bounce and push ahead with every step. The sneakers have been so quick that it made exhausting exercises enjoyable.”
Dr. Paras Parekh, DPM, a podiatrist primarily based in Chicago, can also be a fan of the Alphafly. “It’s an amazing shoe, and the suggestions from my sufferers has been that they’re sturdy, and so they actually assist runners enhance their pace as a result of it teaches them to shift their middle of gravity onto the ball of their foot,” he says.
Sizes: US 5 to 12 | Materials: Engineered higher, carbon plate, foam, rubber | Weight: 6.1 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Greatest for Broad Toes: New Steadiness FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4
Sadly, runners with huge ft who need a speedy shoe don’t have many choices to select from. Whereas we’ve come a great distance by way of each day trainers being supplied in huge (and even extra-wide) sizes, most tremendous sneakers nonetheless solely are available one normal measurement. One notable exception: the New Steadiness FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4.
It additionally occurs to be a top-tier racing shoe. I put on the conventional width, and have run two marathons in it—together with my present PR. It’s extra snug and extra steady than practically every other tremendous shoe I’ve run in, and simply as quick. It’s additionally a sensible choice for middle-of-the-pack runners searching for some pace, as I’ve discovered you don’t must be working six-minute miles to reap its advantages.
Sizes: US 5 to 12 | Supplies: Engineered higher, foam, carbon plate, rubber | Weight: 6.6 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 4 mm
Greatest Finances Plated: Saucony Endorphin Velocity 5
If investing in a carbon-plated shoe isn’t within the price range (or in the event you discover these sneakers are simply too aggressive for you), think about a shoe just like the Saucony Endorphin Velocity. It has a extra forgiving nylon plate within the midsole, plus a lower cost tag and an extended lifespan.
Chris Dickerson, a working coach and the proprietor of Woodbridge Operating Firm in Connecticut, tells SELF that he recommends the Endorphin Velocity to clients searching for a quick marathon shoe that’s a step down from a brilliant shoe. Whereas I’ve by no means run a marathon on this shoe, I’ve logged tons of of miles in it, and may attest to the truth that it has a handy guide a rough, enjoyable experience and is as snug as a each day coach.
Sizes: US 5 to 12 | Materials: Engineered mesh, winged nylon plate, foam, rubber | Weight: 7.2 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Most Sturdy: Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris
One other Sneaker Award winner and one other favourite of Dr. Parekh, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris is ultra-lightweight tremendous shoe that is constructed to final. “The Metaspeed sequence is actually good; they have a tendency to suit my sufferers’ ft rather well,” says Dr. Parekh. “They’re very breathable, and out of all of the sneakers I’ve seen my sufferers are available with, they’re extraordinarily sturdy.”
Our tester was impressed too. “These sneakers are tremendous bouncy and quick,” she mentioned. “They really feel mild, snug, and positively like they’re powering me ahead—like an extension of my foot, however one which makes me springier and speedier. They have been equally enjoyable on the pavement and on the monitor.”
If the Metaspeed Sky Paris isn’t fairly the appropriate match for you, think about the Metaspeed Edge Paris, which has all the identical advantages in a barely completely different form.
Sizes: US 5 to 14.5 | Materials: Mesh, foam, carbon plate, rubber | Weight: 6.5 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 5 mm
Most Comfy: Saucony Endorphin Professional 4
Consolation isn’t at all times a given with quick marathon sneakers, and a few runners select to sacrifice feeling good for feeling quick. With the Saucony Endorphin Professional 4, there’s no want to decide on. I ran my first marathon in an earlier model of this shoe, and couldn’t perceive why everybody else was complaining about blisters and misplaced toenails afterwards. It’s additionally so quick that I usually go for it for shorter races, after I’m logging faster miles.
Licensed working coach Laura Norris beforehand informed SELF that it’s an amazing possibility for slower runners searching for a brilliant shoe, or runners who may use a contact of stability. “It’s one of many prime favorites for folks I coach—it’s very accessible,” she says. “It’s acquired a really responsive foam, however it nonetheless looks like there’s a component of management.”
Sizes: US 5 to 12 | Supplies: Mesh, foam, carbon plate, rubber | Weight: 6.5 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Greatest for Learners: Hoka Clifton 10
You realize it, you adore it—the Hoka Clifton is without doubt one of the most beloved each day trainers on the market, and for beginner runners simply attempting to complete their first marathon, you possibly can’t ask for a extra dependable pair. With loads of cushioning; a snug, locked-in match; and a steady experience, the Clifton has all the things that newbie marathons want—and nothing they don’t.
Dr. Parekh, for one, is a fan of all of the shock absorption the Cliftons provide. His fellow podiatrists agree: The Clifton 10 was awarded the American Podiatric Medical Affiliation (APMA) seal of acceptance, which means a bunch of podiatrists reviewed the shoe and concluded that it promotes good foot well being.
A phrase of warning to anybody looking for this shoe in a males’s measurement: The lads’s Clifton 10 is technically unlawful to race in, with 42 millimeters of froth within the heel, however the girls’s model is protected for racing, with solely 38 millimeters.
Sizes: US 4 to 12 | Materials: Jacquard knit higher, foam, rubber | Weight: 8.8 oz | Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Greatest Zero-Drop: Altra Vanish Carbon 2
One other rule of selecting a marathon shoe: It’s often a good suggestion to go for a pair that has comparable options to no matter works nicely for you on the each day. In different phrases: In case you usually prepare in zero-drop sneakers, you’ll in all probability wish to race in zero-drop sneakers too.
In case you’re searching for a zero-drop tremendous shoe, your alternative is straightforward, as there’s actually solely one in all them—the Altra Vanish Carbon 2. Dr. Parekh agrees that the Vanish Carbon is your best option for zero-drop followers searching for a brilliant shoe, and says that it has labored nicely for his sufferers.
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