The Best Running Shoes for a Marathon

At Trenara, we ensure you’re in peak condition for your marathon start. But to perform at your best, there are other crucial factors that need to be addressed. Proper nutrition and coaching are essential, but running shoes also play a vital role in your success.

Carbon Running Shoes or Not?

Carbon shoes have become the standard in the marathon world. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the best choice for everyone. While we can prove they have a significant positive impact on marathon performance for most runners, that might not be the case for you. Still, it’s clear that carbon running shoes are among the best options currently available.

The Best Running Shoes in a Row

There are countless (carbon) running shoes to choose from. In terms of price, they are all fairly similar, so that doesn’t make the decision any easier. Personal preference plays a major role here. For instance, the "drop" of a shoe may be the same, but the feel of the shoe can differ greatly. So, the best running shoe for you may not necessarily be the best for someone else.

A few years ago, the choice was simple: the Nike Vaporfly was the only carbon shoe on the market. Now, nearly every brand has its own version of carbon shoes. Wondering how to pick the best carbon running shoe for your marathon? We’ve got you covered in this blog.

For heel strikers:

• Nike Vaporfly

• Brooks Hyperion Elite 3

• Nike Vaporfly Next% 3

• Nike Alphafly 3

• On Cloudboom Echo 3

• Saucony Endorphin Pro 4

• Hoka Cielo X1

For midfoot strikers:

• adidas adizero Adios Pro 3

• New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4

• Hoka marathon shoes: Carbon X 3 and Rocket X 2

• ASICS Metaspeed Edge

• ASICS Metaspeed Sky

In another blog, we discussed why and how a carbon shoe works. If the shoe fits, wear it… and you’ll likely improve your personal best. Based on feedback from our community, we can confirm this. A quick poll revealed that 38% of our followers owns carbon shoes, and 16% is looking for a pair!

Do you have a marathon planned for this fall? Now is the time to make your purchase, so you can get a few training sessions in and allow your body to adjust to the new balance.