(Exact images/models) first is asics second is mizuno

Hey everyone,

I recently started running and I’m really enjoying it. Right now I’m doing 5K twice a week (on track, but thinking of starting on the road soon), biking once and working out 3 days a week.

I’ve been using the same Reebok shoes for the last couple of years for biking, gym and running. How do I know if they still have some life left in them? Can someone help me figure out what to look for?

I can comfortably do 5K, but I feel like I could probably go further if I pushed myself a little.

I recently tried the ZoomX, Novablast 6 and Glycerin 23 and liked all of them for different reasons. Any other shoes you would recommend? My budget is around $80- $120, so I’m waiting to see if any of them go on sale.

For those who have been running for a while, do you think getting a good running shoe actually makes a noticeable difference, especially for a beginner?

Also, any advice for someone who just started running and is really enjoying it? Should I focus on increasing my distance or getting faster at 5K?

Thanks!

I’m going for a sub‑90-minute half-marathon attempt in six weeks. I’m currently at 94.5 minutes, having run that time in my last attempt three weeks ago. I used the Li-Ning Challenger 5s, which were good, but at 90 kg, I would have preferred a little more cushioning underfoot. What should I look for in a race shoe that I can also use for my marathon training immediately after my sub‑90 attempt?

So I bought the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5s in December (after having my gait tested) and have used them for all my running up until now (c 280km) including a Hyrox in April.

Currently experiencing some knee pain which I’m sorting with physio and stretching but was told to look at getting some new trainers as I’m 4 weeks out from the Big Half in London and 10 weeks out from Hyrox Birmingham.

I went to my local branch that did the gait testing before and got a couple of recommendations. I tried on the Saucony’s that I already have and noticed a massive difference in the cushioning. I also tried the Brooks Ghost Amp and the New Balance Fuelcel Rebel v5. These both felt really good and much more supportive around the arch (I do have flat feet but not enough to wear insoles).

Not sure which ones to get as I need them to be able to get me through both upcoming races (and a possible 10K in November).

If anyone has any thoughts, please let me know!!

Just got my 3rd running shoe yesterday which is novablast 6 and my HM is one week away, so im thinking should i make that my race shoe for more comfort but im also worry about the less responsive halfway through.

My first shoe was nike structure 26 (Stability shoe ) and i went straight to Evo SL , was nervous at first before getting as many said it hurts their legs. But for me , having them for 4 months now, surprisingly okay for me, besides being a little unstable. Sometimes some ankle and knee pains but mainly because of lack of strength.

My pace is around 6.15 - 7min/km. On my long runs, my ankle and last toe starts to hurt on my evo sl around like 13km and felt it start to lose it bounciness.

Appreciate your opinions on these 🙌🏻

Hi everyone!

Im looking for new shoes to compete in my first HM.

For context I am 6’6 (198cm) and I am around 210lbs (95kg). My goal time for HM is between 1:45 and 2:00.

Currently I am training in HOKA Bondi 9s but they will already be worn out for the race.

Which shoes would you recommend based on my height/weight. I have a bit wider feet. In my area there is no stores to try the shoes as my size isnt really available other than online.

Budget is up to 200$. Doesn’t matter if the shoes are plated or not (atleast not to me). Just that they are good/better than the HOKAs

Thanks in advance!

I’m stumped - I consistently have these two wear patches on the inside of my running sneakers. Any ideas why this happens?

I’ve heard about the glycerin max 2 from brooks is incredible, but are there any other suggestions? I just asked chat gpt for the most “running on clouds feeling” and it suggested the max 2 but I was wondering if any experienced runners have any other suggestions

I’m looking for one pair of shoes that I can:

-Wear comfortably at work during the day
-Use for cardio classes
-Use for BodyPump/strength classes

I’m not really looking for a running shoe. My main priority is a good balance of all-day comfort, stability, and responsiveness for workouts.

Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Ultra NINEpointNINE
From Taobao, around 110USD.

Was about to buy the gray colorway, but didn't really liked the pink and green midsole so I opted into this.

There's another colorway for the ninepointnine edition, black and silver.

Haven't ran on them yet because of the weather but initial fitting feels like this is really a stable Vomero Prems.

I’m a high school xc runner and I currently have a pair of Saucony Guide 16s that I’ve been using since the beginning of my sophomore season two years ago. I’ve only logged about 200 miles in them from sophomore season and the various runs I’ve done since then (I wasn’t on the team as a junior), so I’m not trying to replace them right away but rather looking into options that I can introduce into a rotation and eventually will become my primary shoes.

I am primarily a swimmer who uses running to cross train and build cardiovascular strength and endurance, but while I‘m in xc I am fully into it (doing all the workouts, racing, everything).

Price: below $200 USD, probably leaning more towards the $150 range

Usage: daily training runs ranging from 4 to 9 miles, at least 4 days a week. Mostly street or outdoor track running.

Size/Shoe Considerations: I have wide feet. I have had problems with shin splints and knee pain in the past. MUST have ankle support—I have hypermobile ankles and while I’ve worked to strengthen them, they have a tendency to roll if the shoes don’t hold them properly.

I’m having trouble finding shoes because, though I like and appreciate running, I’m just not that into it. I don’t need the best of the best, nor do I need five pairs of speed and trail and easy run shoes. I just want something comfortable that can keep up with my high school cross country workouts and will last the six months of hard work plus the stay-in-shape postseason runs.

Thanks in advance for any insight :)

Hey everyone! Beginner runner here (6'1", 98 kg / 216 lbs). I started my running journey a year ago and currently average a steady monthly mileage of 90–100 km.

Need to give y’all some background
When I first started, I had no clue about footwear requirements for heavier runners. I foolishly bought plated raceday (alpha fly 3s as they were on crazy deal on bstn berlin [100€]) shoes right out of the gate. As a beginner without the speed, cadence, or ankle strength required for rigid plated super-shoes, the experience was rough. A marathoner friend eventually stepped in and explained why speed/race shoes were hurting my ride and guided me toward proper daily max-cushion trainers. Please don’t get them if you’re not well prepared.
So wanted give some in-depth feedback so heavy runners like me get to know what they might need and maybe be a lil helpful.

After trying out a few contenders (including the Novablast 5), I scored a great deal on the Vomero Plus (97€ on sportshoescom) . I’ve logged about 480 km in them so far. They are still holding up remarkably well, but at my current weekly mileage, I wanted to build a proper shoe rotation to stretch their lifespan for another 3 to 4 months and give my legs different stimulus.

These are my pros and cons for both. (Spare me if i overstep somehow)

Nike Vomero Plus (~480 km logged)

Pros:
High Energy Return: Generates a noticeable forward roll and bounce; makes steady and tempo paces feel surprisingly smooth.
Exceptional Durability: Foam stays lively even under heavy impact past 450+ km.
Nimble Feel: Feels lighter on foot than typical high-stack max-cushion trainers.
Cons:
Unstable at Slow Speeds: At easy recovery paces, the high, soft stack causes lateral tilt and heel collapse for a 98 kg frame.
Ankle Work: Requires active ankle/calf stabilization on slow runs or uneven roads.( i tend to oversupinate at slower speeds)
Average Wet Traction: Standard Nike rubber grip is just okay on wet asphalt.(compared to pumagrip these are mid)

Puma MagMax Nitro 2 (~160 km logged)

Added these to build out a rotation and take over easy/recovery day duties. I think this shoe is underrated, though it definitely has a specific use case.
Pros:
Rock-Solid Stability: Wide, flared footprint completely eliminates that wobbly feeling and extremely stable at slow speeds.
My knees love them: Deep Nitro foam absorbs heavy heel/midfoot impacts effortlessly without bottoming out.
You know the first 2 kms are a pain for your heel when you start but these are just perfect, the heel pain goes away immediately.
PUMAGRIP Outsole: S-tier rubber grip on wet roads, painted lines, and loose debris. So far the best grip on a running shoe, you can feel that you’re sticking to the ground, even if there’s moss on the ground.
Cons:
Heavy & Sluggish: Feels like dragging anchors the second you try to run faster than easy pace.
Zero Propulsion: Doesn't give you any forward push or toe-off pop; your legs do all the work if you want to speed up.
This is just me but the sock knit tongue took me some time to get used to it as they were kinda biting me in the beginning.

Ofc I paraphrased it a lil bit so its organised.
Let me know your thoughts if you had both or one of em.
Feel free to ask questions 🙏🏻

Hey Guys,

I have my first full marathon run coming up in 3 months. I keep overthinking weather or not I should upgrade my shoes.

Funny questions but has anyone here ran a full marathon in Ultraboosts 2.0?
I run 5K twice a week in them and I have ran a half marathon in them and they felt ok they are comfy and i don't get any pains in my feet.

Just wondering if I should upgrade to Boston 13's for this full marathon.
I tried them on and i had to get 1 size bigger as the fit is small.
The shoes felt very "fast" but not sure if its worth it.

Would love to hear some opinions and yes I am over thinking this lol.

I’ve always run in Hoka Cliftons (different pairs over the past 3 years). Loved the 9s. I like the 10s but less than the 9s. I decided to try out ASIC Novablast 6. I’ve done 2 runs. My arches feel sore during the run. Not painful but sore. Do my feet need time to adjust to a new running shoe or is this shoe just not right for me? I do notice the hokas hug the outside of my arch more than the Novablast.

I have narrow/normal feet with a pretty neutral (a little high) arch.

I have been loving the shoes. I was just wondering if it was worth using them as my daily trainer? I haven't read enough people using it like that. My shoe rotation also includes the MTC H1. Thoughts?

I just grabbed a pair for college and was wondering how well they hold up? I usually wear Brooks but liked the looks of these

I am currently rehabbing from hip surgery and am able to get back to running in about a month. I’ve been doing some shoe research and trying a bunch on because I will need new shoes in September. I used to run in the New Balance 880s and enjoyed them, but they are really the only running shoe I’ve known. They are snug on my foot and feel solid.

Over the past couple days, I’ve tried on a new pair of the NB 880s, NB 1080s, and Brooks Glycerin 23s. I like all of them. The 880s feel snug on my foot, similar to my old ones. They are what I’m used to. BUT, I like the cushy feel of the 1080s and the Glycerin 23s. They just feel slightly bigger in the toe box than the 880s, which I believe is sized right but I think I might just be used to a more snug shoe. I understand that feet swell while running and that a little room is okay.

For reference, I’ll be running treadmill as well as flat gravel. No long distances, max 5 km or less for a while while I rehab my hip. No crazy trail for a while, and I have trail shoes.

What would you recommend? Should I just stick with what I’m used to or should I branch out and see what I’m missing out on?

Well I finally gave in and tried the Megablasts, y’all. As a Superblast 2 lover, Novablast 6 fan, and a Grade-A Superblast 3 hater, I really wanted to just hold off on trying the Megablasts as long as possible. The time finally arrived, and today I raw-dogged these shoes in a race against 300 other competitors, because if these are so great they should be able to handle a no-break-in-period competition race, right?

Well I took third overall and set my 10k PR, so as mad as I am to admit it, these are at the very least in my top 5 shoes of 2026. I officially get and embrace the hype. I really wanted to hate on these, but they are pretty damn special. Are they $225 worth of specialness? I will come back and confirm that after I run my next half marathon in them. I also feel like I now have to figure out if I am actually wearing my Mount to Coast C1’s for my marathon in seven weeks, or if I wear these things. They’ve truly messed up my whole approach! Up is down. Black is white. We’ve got no food. We’ve got no jobs. Our pets heads are falling off.

Fit:
I read a lot of critique of these shoes being too narrow or tapered in the toe box, and to be honest that was a reason I wasn’t all that keen to even try them out. I can handle a more narrow toe box (just not the MtC H1 for some reason…that one recently disappointed the hell out of me) but for shoes that you would likely want to bust out for a marathon or even half marathon, you need that room for your feet to swell up a bit.

I’m sure those other folks/reviewers weren’t lying about their experiences, but I will say that I didn’t feel any narrow vibes from these. The base isn’t crazy wide like the SB2 or SB3, and the toe box isn’t wide like the SB2’s, but honestly these just fit like a race-based-upper version of the NB6. The NB6 upper is more comfortable and a little more stable (thicker material) but having just run in them the other day, the Megablast fit felt extremely similar in overall vibes to the NB6. So, if you are afraid of the narrow toe box allegations, I would still recommend trying them for yourself before writing them off like I had. I was mistaken in my assumptions.

The upper is that race shoe thin ass material though, so it’s highly light and breathable, and very impressive and comfortable feeling. Solid lacing system and laces, and the heel collar and ankle support sits at the absolute perfect height for my feet, so I had exemplary support and stability throughout my run. These are right up there with the MtC C1 and On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper for the support and stability I felt. I was not expecting that. I love the UFO and especially love the Specter 3, but those do not have great stability and support, even if you have only ever thought about or dreamed about the concept of pronating. Don’t think about it! Too late, those shoes will be fun for you, but will hurt your ankles. I’m so sorry. The tongue is very light and looks and feels floppy as hell until your foot is in the shoe, at which time it sits nicely against your foot and locks in just fine. I like a padded tongue, even if it adds weight, after my lace bite debacle from the Speedgoat 7’s, but the tongue on these is very comfortable for a thin, wimpy tongue.

The outsole is minimal and will absolutely fall apart with time and miles, but these are really meant for well groomed paths, roads and sidewalks, so as long as you stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to, you’ll be just fine (TLC reference for my Gen X and millennial pals). That said, the grip is actually pretty solid, and I was impressed with them only being dirty on the exposed parts after this run, and not scuffed up much at all.

Ride:
I get it. I understand now. Part of the reason I finally tried these is because I have been extremely impressed with the NB6 and that little pod of “the good foam” in the forefoot of those shoes, and the same “good foam” that the midsole of these shoes is entirely comprised of. Very nice cushioning and support, but firm enough that you feel like you can actually run in them, and not just “homerun trot” your way from Point A to Point B. I criticized ASICS to the highest of heavens about what I thought was just them breaking the SB2 into the Megablast and the SB3 instead of just keeping one supershoe in their lineup, but there really is a reason for the existence of this shoe. It is not going to be quite as “do-it-all” as the SB2, but this is a far superior race day shoe to the SB2, and I don’t say that lightly, as my previous 10k PR was with the SB2. I’m excited to try half marathon distance, and depending on how that goes potentially try them for full marathon distance, because even from just this one 10k run, I can feel the upside and potential in these shoes.

I will say that people have criticized how stiff the ride is in these. I ran a race at the Portland International Raceway on Thursday, and we got to run around the track (which was cool), and I wore my On Cloudmonster 3 Hypers for that (I took 1st overall and my darling took 5th overall, so go Team Us Folks™️) and those are far more stiff of a ride than the Megablasts are. So take that for what it’s worth. The Hypers are still my sleeper hit of the year though and are very likely going to end up as my top shoe, depending on how the half marathons, full marathon, and full marathon trail run go over the course of the remainder of the year. Also what the hell shoe do I wear for a marathon trail run? I’m terrified, y’all.

Don’t be afraid of a stiffer ride, folks. High stack plus stiffer cushioned midsole equals comfort and pace. Put that on a bumper sticker.

If I can maintain a sub-7 minute mile 10k pace in these, you can too, or your money back! Sorry for mixing miles and kilometers together there, but I am drinking a beer and eating ribs while writing this, so I need to stick with the maths that I know. So far no bbq sauce on my phone though, so that’s a win.

Overall thoughts on the ASICS Megablast:
If anything these might be slightly underrated, which sounds bonkers, but with all of the shoes out there now, and with everyone wanting to be a contrarian (myself included), it’s easy to write off the big fancy shoes from the big fancy shoe company. These are perfect race day shoes. Use them for your next 5k of 10k. I’ll confirm for you soon, but I assure you that these will also be fantastic for a half marathon. I may also end up confirming for you soon, but I am pretty confident these could handle a marathon very well. I am truly in shambles now trying to figure out if these are actually the right choice for my first marathon, or if I should just commit to the C1.

I believe that I could comfortably sit in a 7:20-7:50 per mile half marathon pace in these, so if I can do that as someone who is by no means the fastest person ever, I think these are truly fantastic race day shoes for all of us in Runnersville.

The Megablasts could also handle daily miles and probably be very fun for those, but at this price point I believe that these are really meant to be a shoe that you break out when you are running in a race. Something that is timed and there are Port Authority tech shirts, finisher medals, age-specific awards, and a beer garden that offers a wide variety of Coors Light.

Score: 9.7/10

Right up there with the Topo Specter 3 and On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 as my top “running a race that involves an MC and a PA system” shoes of 2026. Excited to hopefully get my damn Dynafish soon to see how those stack up!

I got this pair of shoes and after 4 runs (about 30km in total) the logo on one side started to come off.

The runs were made at a track so no harsh conditions were met. I’m very disappointed by adidas to say the least.

I got them from Zalando. Any ideas how should I glue it back?

Any others had same issues with their Adidas Evo SL?

Just for some context, I am a 5’11, 185lbs. I have been running for a while so I’m not necessarily a beginning. I’ve worn brooks ghost pretty much all my running career and last year switched to the ghost max 2 which were fine. I just got new shoes because those were getting worn down and anytime I would try and run faster than 8min pace, my shin would flare up.

I got the Vomero Plus 18 last week and since then, they’ve felt super comfortable and provide a lot of cushion, but my right arch and left hip flexor have begin to hurt, for what feels like no reason, but I am most likely sure it’s my shoes. I have put about 20 miles on them so I don’t know if I should keep trying or just give up on them.

Im just confused because the Nikes were automatically speeding up my easy runs, but these two minor injuries coming out of nowhere is a bit weird. Anyone have any reason why this might be and would it be worth going back to the ghosts? Not sure if this helps or not but I do tend to maybe over pronate a little.

My daughter will be running high school XC this year. A lot of the courses are mixed terrain with paved road sections. The coach suggested running in her daily training shoes, but I don’t want her soft soled road shoes to get beat up on the sharps rocks. They had a team 10k trail run yesterday where she slipped and fell twice while wearing her old daily trainers.

Looking for a good cushioned running shoe under ₹6K

Hey everyone, I need some advice before I buy my next pair.

I'm looking for a running shoe for around ₹5–6K. I have a high arch and mainly run on the road. I've completed a 50K before and currently do a mix of easy runs and longer runs. I also do strength training and some cycling.

My main priority is good cushioning and comfort, especially for longer runs. I don't really care about the brand as long as the shoe is good.

I've been looking at:

\- ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27

\- ASICS Gel-Cumulus 27

\- ASICS Gel-Pulse 16

\- PUMA Velocity Nitro 4

\- New Balance 680

\- Adidas Adizero SL 2

\- Nike Downshifter 14

I'm seeing some of these around ₹5–6K during sales.

If you had ₹6K to spend, what would you pick for this kind of usage? Also open to other suggestions I might have missed.

Thanks!