Training shoes for sub 3 hrs marathon

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi guys,

I’m looking for some training shoes for my wife. She’s got on her account few half marathons (PB 1:24h), 1/2 IM and other shorter running distances. Now in October she starts in Long Beach Marathon in Metaspeed Sky, but I want to buy her shoes for training. She is quite light andweights less than 50 kgs. I was thinking about Superblast 2 (but actually her size is not available), Mach X, Boston 12, NB FC SC Trainer v2 or v3, Magic Speed 4 etc. But for all of these shoes you can find pros and cons, so I’m bit confused now.
Thank you in advance for any advices!

2

At that weight, even super shoes can last long time. Just train in any super shoes she likes.

3

I’m a big fan of the NB Fuel Cell Rebel mostly because they come in a wide and fit the same as the Supercomp that I like to race in.

4

At that weight, even super shoes can last long time. Just train in any super shoes she likes.

Probably not a good idea to do daily easy mileage on a marathon build. Super shoes are racing flats, they load your legs despite the bounce.

To the OP: if she likes the Sky’s, find from Asics the non-plated version, probably the Superblast. Slower but lots of cushioning.

5

What are her go-to shoes for training and racing up till now?

6

At that weight, even super shoes can last long time. Just train in any super shoes she likes.

Probably not a good idea to do daily easy mileage on a marathon build. Super shoes are racing flats, they load your legs despite the bounce.

To the OP: if she likes the Sky’s, find from Asics the non-plated version, probably the Superblast. Slower but lots of cushioning.

Hoka Skyward X might fit the bill too - if she’s ok with that stack height.

7

Asics novablast are pretty awesome IMO. Really comfortable but don’t feel slow like so many trainers do.

8

I’m a big fan of the NB Fuel Cell Rebel mostly because they come in a wide and fit the same as the Supercomp that I like to race in.

I’ve got Rebels v4 and also consider them, but was thinking about something faster like maybe Trainers v3.

At that weight, even super shoes can last long time. Just train in any super shoes she likes.

Probably not a good idea to do daily easy mileage on a marathon build. Super shoes are racing flats, they load your legs despite the bounce.

To the OP: if she likes the Sky’s, find from Asics the non-plated version, probably the Superblast. Slower but lots of cushioning.

Superblast was my first choice, but like I mentioned in my first post, you can’t get them in her size right now in Europe.

9

As you can already see based on the responses, it doesn’t matter what you train in for any goal time. Just do some familiarization runs in the race shoes in the last 2 weeks. Why would a sub 3 runner need something special?

10

What are her go-to shoes for training and racing up till now?

No she uses Novablast 3 for slower runs and Metaspeed or Nike Tempo for tempo/threshold.
All half marathons she’s done in Alphafly 2 but usually after long runs they make her some abrasions. In all duathlon/triathlon races she uses Metaspeeds.

11

As you can already see based on the responses, it doesn’t matter what you train in for any goal time. Just do some familiarization runs in the race shoes in the last 2 weeks. Why would a sub 3 runner need something special?

You probably right, but I put goal time to indicate that slow daily trainer like Nimbus etc. might be not a best idea.
To summarize, I’m looking for shoes which allow to make a long runs with minimum soreness and responsive enough for tempo/threshold parts.

12

Superblast was my first choice, but like I mentioned in my first post, you can’t get them in her size right now in Europe.

The Superblasts are banned for triathlon races aren’t they or is that another shoe?

13

Superblast was my first choice, but like I mentioned in my first post, you can’t get them in her size right now in Europe.

The Superblasts are banned for triathlon races aren’t they or is that another shoe?

For races yes indeed, but we’re looking for training shoes.

14

If you’re looking for plated super trainers, the shoetubers have been raving the Asics Superblast 2, Mizuno Neo Vista, and Hoka Skyward X.

15

Superblast was my first choice, but like I mentioned in my first post, you can’t get them in her size right now in Europe.

The Superblasts are banned for triathlon races aren’t they or is that another shoe?

For races yes indeed, but we’re looking for training shoes.

Yups, was just confirming I had the right info.

16

A lot of your training volume for a sub3 Mary is Z2 and even Z1, so 5:00 - 5:30 min/ and slightly faster.

I use the Hoka Mach 6 for that kind of training. Totally agree with posters above, that you can do all training in racing shoes.

17

Just get her shoes she enjoys running in and maybe/probably have 2-3 pair of different shoes/brands to rotate through.

As for Nimbus I was running here in Tucson one day and happened to hit the path just as a former female winner of Boston was going past. We ran together for a bit and she was wearing Nimbus.

It’s going to matter more that she likes the shoes and runs in them than it’s going to matter which shoes she’s in for her training

18

Thanks to all of you for your inputs. I’m in a little bit difficult situation here, because I want to buy those shoes as a birthday gift for her and she won’t be able to check them before 😉. But after watching many of reviews I think I’ll got for Boston 12.
Thanks again.

19

We have spouses come into the Running Shop all the time to buy a pair of shoes as a gift which I think is awesome especially since ~ 50% of the spouses don’t run.
We suggest a gift card since the runner themselves know best what they like to run in.

Hope that helps

20

There are so many out there and so many with different opinions. If it is mostly for easy runs Nike Invincible have treated me well (537/210 miles respectively), I also like the Adidas PrimeX (360 miles), Puma Velocity Nitro (340 miles), and Novablast (433 miles). I want to try others but most of these shoes last and last and last as you can see so hard to justify another pair when I have so many in my rotation. For tempo/speed workouts I use Next %, Adios Pro 3, SC Elite, and Alphafly. All of those shoes have over 250 miles and highest is 413 with Next%.

Not sure if it has been suggested but could always order a handful of pairs from RunningWarehouse and see which ones fit her and return the others.