The best marathon training shoes recommended by Pacers staff
By Kelyn Soong
The best marathon training shoes recommended by Pacers staff
By Kelyn Soong
As summer approaches, many runners planning to run a fall road race will start their training. And that means it’s likely time to get new running shoes.
There are several popular D.C. area distance road races this year held in the late summer and fall, including the Parks Half Marathon on Sept. 8, the Pacers’ DC Half Marathon on Sept. 15, the Army Ten-Miler on Oct. 13, and the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 27.
If you’re looking for new running shoes, the Pacers Running team can help customers get fitted for the right shoes, depending on each individual’s goals. We talked to five Pacers staff members to get their advice and recommendations on what they look for in their marathon and long distance road race training shoes. Here are their picks.
BROOKS GHOST
Both Andrew Benfer, the Store Manager at Pacers Running in Georgetown, and Kayla Bruzdzinski, a Fit Specialist at the Pacers in Alexandria, like the Brooks Ghost for its versatility.
“I love that it can be a running shoe or everyday gym shoe,” Bruzdzinski says. “It can be an all around good trainer for everything. Because it’s a neutral mid cushion shoe, you’re not super high off the ground. It would be a good everyday running shoe.”
The way the shoe is designed with a higher offset — meaning that inside the shoe, your heel sits a little bit higher — can also help take pressure off your ankles, Achilles, calves, and shins, Benfer says.
SAUCONY TRIUMPH
Tim Hughes, a Fit Specialist at Pacers on 14th Street and Community Lead for Pacers Social Runs, enjoys running with the Saucony Triumph because of its “real soft feeling.”
“They are a neutral, high-cushion shoe,” he says. “So if you have that neutral gait, it’s really good for those individuals and people who are looking for a soft landing.”
Hughes, who is also a run coach for the YMCA Anthony Bowen triathlon team in D.C., uses the Saucony Triumph for his easy training runs. “It just feels really comfortable on the foot, and that secureness when I’m out there,” he says. “My foot’s not sliding around. It just feels like a glove on my foot.”
ON CLOUDMONSTER
Bruzdzinski loves the On Cloudmonster because of how minimalistic the shoe is. “It feels like I’m not wearing shoes, honestly, and it has enough cushion to give feedback but it’s not too plush,” she says. “It’s a great mix of firm and soft.”
She uses the On Cloudmonster for long runs on the weekends and occasionally mid-week runs when her legs are feeling tired. “I would pull the Cloudmonster for people training for a marathon, to use on their longer runs when they’re going to have more time on their feet,” Bruzdzinski says.
Asics Gel Nimbus
Steve Ballesteros, the Assistant Manager at Pacers Running in Clarendon, uses the Asics Gel-Nimbus for longer runs because the shoes have a “fair amount of cushion and padding in it,” he says. “It feels like a sock fit. It’s very comfortable.”
New Balance 1080
Similar to the Saucony Triumph, the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 is another high-cushion shoe.
Both Ballesteros and Hughes use the shoes for their recovery runs. “It’s nice to have that extra softness,” Hughes says.
Additional advice when looking for your next marathon training shoe:
- Prioritize comfort: “Comfort is probably the most important factor,” says Eric Chesterton, a Fit Expert at the Pacers Running in Navy Yard. “I always tell customers: ‘There’s no secret sauce or specific thing to look for. You’re looking for the shoe that is most comfortable.’ That’s ultimately going to be the best one for you.”
- Track your mileage: “I usually get new shoes every 300 to 500 miles,” Hughes says. “I like using Strava to easily track that for every workout I do. I can assign what shoe I did that workout in. It’s an easy way to see how many miles I put on them.”
- Rotate your shoes: “It’s useful for people to have multiple pairs of shoes,” Bruzdzinski says. “Have more cushioned shoes for longer runs and have lighter shoes for speedier runs, track workouts, or tempo runs during the week.”
