The Six Minute Mile Holiday Gift Guide
Don’t stress about shopping for your running-obsessed friends and family members—or yourself, wink wink!—we’ve got you covered with the gifts runners want and the gifts runners need.
Late August means the dog days of summer, but it also means that it’s back to school time. And that means it’s time to buy new shoes. If you’re a runner training for a fall race or a a parent who has kids running cross country in school, now is a great time to shop for some new kicks.
Not only are there a lot of hot new shoes coming out right now, but there are also a lot of sales and closeouts going on now, too. We’ve rounded up a bunch of the best here for you.
Here are a variety of some of the best back to school running and training shoes on sale right now. (Each sale model has a variety of color options but limited sizes.)
Sale Price: $99 (Was $140)
Weights: 8.8 oz. (women’s 8); 9.8 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 12mm; 35.5mm (heel), 23.5mm (forefoot)
The Brooks Ghost 16 is a versatile daily trainer for neutral runners, offering comfort, durability, and smooth transitions from heel to toe. Featuring a nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 midsole, it’s lighter, softer, and more responsive than the previous version with improved improved energy return and a more plush sensation in every stride.
Sale Price: $99 (Was $149)
Weights: 6.5-8.0 oz. (women’s 8); 8.0-9.3 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 32mm (heel), 22mm (forefoot)
The NOBULL Allday stands out for its balance of all-day performance, sleek design, and dependable stability for training sessions, light running, and casual everyday wear. The Allday Knit (pictured) offers a sock-like feel, while the Allday Ripstop has a rugged, perforated polyester ripstop upper built for durability.
For a limited time, you can pick up a pair of Allday Knit or Allday Ripstop for just $99 with the code MILE99. But act quickly, because the sale ends Friday.
Sale Price: $110 (Was $150)
Weights: 9.6 oz. (women’s 8); 10.9 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 39mm (heel), 33mm (forefoot)
The Ghost Max 2 is Brooks’ ultra-cushioned flagship model, aimed at runners seeking plush comfort, stability, and durability—especially on longer runs. Its setup is centered around a high-stack midsole, a wide and stable base, and a smooth GlideRoll rocker design.
Sale Price: $116 (was $145)
Weights: 7.5 oz. (women’s 8); 8.8 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 5mm; 32mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot)
The Hoka Clifton 9 stands out as a reliable max-cushioned daily trainer—lighter, softer, and more polished than previous versions. It’s ideal for easy miles, long-distance runs, and anyone who values comfort over outright speed.
Sale Price: $140 (was $175)
Weights: 9.2 oz. (women’s 8); 10.5 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 5mm; 43mm (heel), 38mm (forefoot)
The Hoka Bondi 9 is a maximally cushioned shoe with a new supercritical EVA midsole and increased stack height, that provide a smoother and more responsive ride that excels in long-distance and recovery sessions.
Sale Price: $55 (Was $80)
Weights: 7.7 oz. (women’s 8); 9.2 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 35.5mm (heel), 27.5mm (forefoot)
The New Balance Fresh Foam 680 v8 is an excellent option for runners seeking a soft, comfortable ride and a budget-friendly price that’s ideal for easy runs, recovery miles, or even all-day wear.
Sale Price: $80 (Was $120)
Weights: 5.9 oz. (women’s 8); 6.7 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 30mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot)
The Saucony Kinvara 15 brings back the essence of lightweight, low-stack running—ideal for runners who want a natural, responsive feel. It serves up a close-to-the-ground ride that shines as a speed-oriented trainer or treadmill shoe, especially when plated or max-cushioned models feel like too much.
Sale Price: $100 (Was $160)
Weights: 9.5 oz. (women’s 8); 11.2 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 42mm (heel), 36mm (forefoot)
The Saucony Hurricane 24 high-mileage workhorse—with a soft and bouncy PWRRUN PB midsole— is built for comfort, stability, and long-lasting cushioning, perfect for long runs, recovery days, or runners needing significant support.
Here are some of the best new running shoes right now as you’re looking for back to school shoes or your next pair of training shoes for a fall race.
Price: $150
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)
The Adidas Adizero Evo SL is a speedy and versatile everyday trainer that was inspired by the Adizero Pro Evo 1 racing shoe. The vibrant ride of the Adidas Adizero Evo SL is its special sauce. It’s smooth, soft, lightly bouncy, and very energetic. Although this shoe lacks the carbon-fiber Energy Rods of Adidas’ racing shoes, the premium Lightstrike Pro midsole feels infinitely responsive at any pace from all-out fast to recovery jogging efforts. And that’s what makes it a true do-everything everyday trainer.
Read the full review.
Price: $180
Approximate Weights: 8.5 oz. (women’s size 8), 10.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 45mm (heel), 35mm (forefoot)
The Nike Vomero Plus is a great choice for runners seeking a max-cushion trainer that combines softness, bounce, and style. 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.
Read the full review.
Price: $180
Approximate Weights: 9.2 oz. (women’s size 8), 10.3 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 37mm (heel), 31mm (forefoot)
The new On Cloudsufer Max is bound to draw a lot of interest among casual runners and advanced runners alike. The ride is very soft, shock-absorbing, and smooth with a good amount of flexibility (there is no plate or Speedboard in this shoe) that can match the natural movement patterns of your feet. It doesn’t offer much responsiveness compared to many other contemporary training shoes on the market, but it is very comfortable and inherently stable.
Read the full review.
Price: $140
Approximate Weights: 6.8 oz. (women’s size 8), 8.8 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 36mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot)
If you’re looking for an everyday trainer that will do a lot for a relatively good price, the Puma Velocity Nitro 4 is a good one to consider. The soft, bouncy nitrogen-infused Nitrofoam midsole material (an aliphatic TPU foam) make this a light and springy shoe that’s easy to run in for just about any type of run or workout you set out to do. The midsole is a big upgrade from last year and puts it into the same conversation with other mid-range everyday trainers.
Read the full review.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, $175
Price: $175
Weights: 7.2 oz. (women’s 8); 8.4 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 36mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot)
The Endorphin Speed 5 is a light, speedy, and versatile daily trainer that’s ideal for fast workouts, long runs, and even recovery runs. The ride feels consistently responsive and efficient at any pace, but this year’s edition feels slightly firmer and springier than last year’s model. It’s energetic enough to be a speed day training shoe, but it’s smooth and flowy enough to be a do-everything everyday trainer that can excel on long runs and also put some spring in your step on recovery runs.
Read the full review.
