By now, you’ve most likely heard that marathons are the brand new quarter life disaster. And whereas operating 26.2 miles with hundreds of strangers might or will not be the repair to no matter is providing you with the mid-20s to early-30s blues, I can attest that it’s shockingly enjoyable. There’s lots that marathoners can do to maintain a smile on their face for as lots of these grueling miles as potential, like coaching good, fueling effectively—and selecting a pair of footwear that makes the race fly by.
Whereas “marathon footwear” might conjure budget-breaking efficiency pairs claiming that will help you get a PR, the reality is that one of the best marathon shoe is no matter works for you. That is perhaps a carbon-plated tremendous shoe, a trusted each day coach, or one thing in between. We rounded up one of the best in every of these classes, with the assistance of operating coaches, shoe consultants, and podiatrists that will help you discover the correct pair.
Our prime picks
- Greatest Total: Nike Alphafly 3, $275
- Greatest for Vast Ft: New Steadiness FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4,
$250$188 - Greatest Finances Plated: Saucony Endorphin Velocity 5, $175
- Most Sturdy: Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, $250
- Most Snug: Saucony Endorphin Professional 4, $240
- Greatest for Inexperienced persons: 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 one of the best marathon trainers
Twenty-six miles has nothing on you and these trusted shoe picks.
Greatest Total: 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 purpose. 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 footwear are tremendous gentle, tremendous cushioned, and tremendous excessive (the stack peak 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 footwear had been so quick that it made laborious exercises enjoyable.”
Dr. Paras Parekh, DPM, a podiatrist based mostly in Chicago, can also be a fan of the Alphafly. “It’s an incredible 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 heart 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 Vast Ft: New Steadiness FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4
Sadly, runners with huge ft who desire a speedy shoe don’t have many choices to select from. Whereas we’ve come a good distance by way of each day trainers being provided in huge (and even extra-wide) sizes, most tremendous footwear nonetheless solely are available one normal dimension. 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 comfy and extra steady than practically another tremendous shoe I’ve run in, and simply as quick. It’s additionally a sensible choice for middle-of-the-pack runners in search of some pace, as I’ve discovered you don’t need to be operating 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 if you happen to discover these footwear are simply too aggressive for you), contemplate 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 operating coach and the proprietor of Woodbridge Operating Firm in Connecticut, tells SELF that he recommends the Endorphin Velocity to prospects in search of 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 lots of of miles in it, and might attest to the truth that it has a quick, enjoyable trip and is as comfy 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 de facto good; they have an inclination to suit my sufferers’ ft rather well,” says Dr. Parekh. “They’re very breathable, and out of all of the footwear 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 stated. “They really feel gentle, comfy, and positively like they’re powering me ahead—like an extension of my foot, however one which makes me springier and speedier. They had been equally enjoyable on the pavement and on the monitor.”
If the Metaspeed Sky Paris isn’t fairly the correct match for you, contemplate 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 Snug: Saucony Endorphin Professional 4
Consolation isn’t at all times a given with quick marathon footwear, 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 typically go for it for shorter races, after I’m logging faster miles.
Licensed operating coach Laura Norris beforehand advised SELF that it’s an incredible possibility for slower runners in search of a brilliant shoe, or runners who might use a contact of stability. “It’s one of many prime favorites for individuals I coach—it’s very accessible,” she says. “It’s acquired a really responsive foam, but it surely nonetheless appears 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 Inexperienced persons: Hoka Clifton 10
You realize it, you like it—the Hoka Clifton is among the most beloved each day trainers on the market, and for beginner runners simply attempting to complete their first marathon, you’ll be able to’t ask for a extra dependable pair. With loads of cushioning; a cushty, locked-in match; and a steady trip, the Clifton has every little thing 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, that 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 dimension: The boys’s Clifton 10 is technically unlawful to race in, with 42 millimeters of froth within the heel, however the ladies’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 normally a good suggestion to go for a pair that has comparable options to no matter works effectively for you on the each day. In different phrases: For those who usually practice in zero-drop footwear, you’ll most likely wish to race in zero-drop footwear too.
For those who’re in search of a zero-drop tremendous shoe, your alternative is simple, as there’s actually solely certainly one of them—the Altra Vanish Carbon 2. Dr. Parekh agrees that the Vanish Carbon is your best option for zero-drop followers in search of a brilliant shoe, and says that it has labored effectively for his sufferers.