The 5 Best Shoes for Fall Marathon Training This Summer
Need new shoes for summer? Here are the 5 best shoes for fall marathon training you'll be doing in the coming months.
Need new shoes for summer? Here are the 5 best shoes for fall marathon training you’ll be doing in the coming months.
It’s late June, which means your summer running is in full swing. But it also means that training for fall marathons is already underway.
If you’re running Chicago, Marine Corps, New York, or California International Marathon (or any of the other of the dozens of fall marathons), you’re probably ramping up your mileage and dreaming of a new PB.
If that’s you, it might mean you need a new high-mileage workhorse training shoe to include in your rotation of the models you’ve been slogging in.
Here are five of the very best training shoes available now that we’ve logged a lot of miles in.
Price: $150 (women’s, men’s)
Approximate Weights: 6.7 oz. (women’s size 8), 7.9 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 38.5mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The Adidas Adizero Evo SL is a great shoe because it delivers elite-level performance in a lightweight, no-frills package. It’s ideal for runners who want a fast, light, and responsive shoe for workouts and long runs without dropping $200+ on a carbon-plated racer or even the slightly more expensive Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 ($175). But the beauty of this shoe is that runners of any ability level can enjoy and appreciate it. Plus, it has a sleek design with clean aesthetics and it’s available in a variety of bold colors.
What You’ll Love It: It’s extremely versatile. It’s cushy enough to be a long run shoe, light and bouncy enough to run fast, and flexible enough to accommodate just about any pace. While the stack heights are near-maximal, the shoe’s flexibility and lower forefoot offers really good feel for the ground, which is something I really appreciate for running faster paces.
Read the full review on Six Minute Mile.
Price: $210 (women’s, men’s)
Approximate Weights: 7.3 oz (women’s 8); 8.4 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 46.5 mm (heel), 38.5 mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: Simply put, it’s soft, bouncy and fun. Whereas the Superblast 2 was a little bit more firm, this edition is very springy and responsive. That just makes running in it feel like pure bliss. But most importantly, compared to the previous edition, the lighter weight (about a half ounce less that last year’s version) and new midsole formulation make it feel more nimble, lively, and accommodating without sacrificing much at all in stability, support and protection.
Why You’ll Love It: If you like shoes that feel soft and bouncy under your feet, you’ll very likely love the Superblast 3. It serves up a richly smooth, cushy sensation with a consistent, energetic pop in every stride. It’s very lively but it’s not sharp and snappy, but instead it serves up more of an accentuated rolling ride. As a fit, middle-of-the-pack runner, I found that ideal for medium-length runs and long runs at a wide range of paces from recovery runs to speedy fartlek-style bursts of tempo-paced speed and longer interval repeats (1K to 3 miles).
I like it best for long, Zone 3-paced running, but I think some runners could consider it for their race-day marathon shoe of choice, especially those in the 4- to 6-hour range who are looking for more long-haul comfort than the sharp and snappy propulsion from carbon-plated racing shoes.
Read the full review on Six Minute Mile.
Price: $180 (women’s, men’s)
Approximate Weights: 8.5 oz. (women’s size 8), 10.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 45mm (heel), 35mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The secret sauce of the Vomero Plus is the full-length ZoomX foam midsole. It’s not the same Peba-based ZoomX foam that’s found in Nike’s high-end racing super shoes, but a TPE-based ZoomX compound. This version of ZoomX is tuned for daily use at moderate paces; it’s less spring-loaded, more balanced. It feels soft but not mushy, and surprisingly bouncy for a max-cushion trainer. The geometry includes a slight rocker that helps with smooth transitions, and the wide base provides a grounded, secure feeling on the run. An engineered mesh upper and a durable, high-abrasion rubber outsole round out this premium-level training shoe.
Why You’ll Love It: The Nike Vomero Plus is a great choice for runners seeking a max-cushion trainer that combines softness, bounce, and everyday style. (Yes, the color motifs and overall design aesthetics look good with shorts, jeans, yoga pants, or other casual wear.) Designed for comfort and stability, it’s an ideal companion for easy runs, recovery days, and long-distance training. Compared to the Vomero 18, it delivers a lighter, more responsive ride—making it a clear upgrade for those craving a smoother, livelier feel underfoot.
The Vomero Plus is best for slower to moderately paced long runs and recovery runs. It offers excellent impact protection and cushioning for high-mileage training, making it a reliable option for runners aiming to stay fresh through heavy training blocks or marathon prep.
Read the full review on Six Minute Mile.
Price: $145 (women’s, men’s)
Approximate Weights: 6.3 oz. (women’s size 8); 7.9 oz. (men’s size 9),
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 35mm (heel); 29mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The FuelCell Rebel v5 is a good, reasonably priced daily trainer without a lot of bells and whistles, but with the capability to do a lot of things well. If you’re a novice or more casual runner who’s less focused on running fast workouts or races, this could be a great shoe for a lot of your weekly running. You can do long runs in it, run easy 5-milers, pick up the pace for tempo runs, and rip post-workout strides to your heart’s desire. It could even be the only shoe in your quiver, and something you’d consider for running a 5K, 10K, or half marathon, if you’re not focused on all-out speed.
Why You’ll Love It: If you’re looking for a soft, lightweight everyday trainer that’s not a maximally cushioned behemoth, the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 is a good one to consider. It’s not flashy, but it gets the job done. I’ve run a few long-ish runs in this shoe and have run variations of fartleks and tempo efforts, and while I definitely feel that it lacks a hyper-vibrant underfoot sensation, my only disappointment is that it’s not energetic enough for faster workouts like mile or 1K repeats.
However, it offers good versatility, consistency, and durability, and that’s where it excels. And let’s face it: Having a reliable shoe you’re comfortable in and confident wearing just about every day can provide a subtle but valuable boost to your weekly training regimen, especially for those days when you’re time crunched, don’t feel like running, or don’t have any idea of what kind of running you’ll be doing when you head out the door.
Read the full review on Six Minute Mile.
Price: $150 (women’s, men’s)
Approximate Weights: 8.0 oz. (women’s size 8), 9.3 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 42mm (heel), 34mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The Clifton 10 retains some of the best qualities of the light, cushy, easy-running Clifton while embracing the qualities of more modern everyday trainers. Hoka ditched its traditional 5mm heel-toe drop for a slightly steeper 8mm ramp angle because the thick, soft midsole foam decompresses quite a bit while running slow to moderate paces with a heel-striking gait. That allows it to serve up a soft, shock-absorbing ride with loads of long-haul comfort and a lot of inherent stability. The increased heel-toe drop can put an ever-so-slight spring in your step, but this shoe is mostly about comfy cushion and a smooth rolling ride.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love everyday trainers with relatively soft, high-stack midsoles, you’ll enjoy the Hoka Clifton 10, even though it lacks the energetic pop of shoes with supercritical midsoles The fit, comfort, and cushion are comparable to many other shoes in this genre of trainers, and the ride is buttery smooth.
Read the full review on Six Minute Mile.
Contributing editor Brian Metzler is the Content Director for UltraSignup.com. He has wear-tested more than 2,000 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2021). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado and riding trains to run trails in Chamonix, France.
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