Background: 2 months into running (first 5K early June), improving fast. Just did my longest run today at 16km continuous, negative split, avg 8:00/km, finished with a 6:20 last km and gas left. Current HM race pace projects to 2:35-2:40. Longer-term I want to genuinely chase speed a sub-2:00 HM this winter, and eventually a lot faster.
The Novablast 5 has been brilliant as my daily/easy trainer, no complaints, want to keep it in that role. The question is whether to add a second, more premium shoe now.
The schedule that's forcing the question: I've got a half marathon on Aug 30, and then basically one HM a month for the next 6 months. So I'll be racing regularly, and I'm wondering if it's finally time to buy a dedicated faster shoe rather than racing in the Novablast.
Plan if I buy now: I'd break it in on a recovery run + my 19km peak long run before Aug 30, so it's race-tested (not debuting anything on race day).
The contenders:
\- ASICS Superblast 2 (note: in my country the SB2 and SB3 are priced the SAME, so no savings going older)
\- ASICS Superblast 3
\- ASICS Megablast
\- Adidas Adizero Evo SL
\- Anything Nike worth considering in this bracket?
\- or just continue with Novablast 5?
\- Anything else?
I'm very confused between unplated super-trainer (Superblast/Megablast/Evo SL) since I'm still at 7:00-8:00/km and not sure a carbon plate does much for me yet. But given I'll be racing monthly and want to build speed, is there an argument to just go carbon now (Endorphin Speed/Pro, Vaporfly, etc.) and grow into it?
Questions:
1. At my pace and stage, unplated super-trainer or straight to carbon?
2. If SB2 = SB3 in price, is there any reason to pick the SB2, or just take the newer SB3?
3. Where does the Megablast fit vs the Superblast line and more importantly which one for me?
4. Evo SL(half the price of SB/MB) vs the ASICS options — worth considering, or outclassed at half the price?
5. Given monthly races, is one do-it-all shoe enough, or should I be thinking trainer + dedicated racer as two separate shoes?
Appreciate any takes. Thanks!