It's the favorite category of so many. Racing shoes help us find our personal bests, giving us the most assistance to get us to the end of our goals. That goal can be totally different depending on the individual. For some it means the fastest time, for others merely crossing the finish line. The following list of racing shoes covers some ground of both sides of the aisle.
HOW WE CHOSE
In this year's Best Of, we decided
to NOT have consensus picks as we couldn't come to terms with just
picking one shoe as the best daily trainer, or stability shoe, or
racing shoe of 2022. With so many variances and specifications for
runners, we decided to leave it a bit broader due to the differences in
many of the picks and let the shoes do the talking. For our Best Racing Shoe feature, our contributors considered shoes that
suited them best for their race day goals for both shorter distances and the marathon. With
many of us falling
into different situations, we hope our picks capture a wide scope of
runners with varying needs.
WRITER'S PICKS: SHORT DISTANCE RACING
AUDIO ENGINEER BJ MCGEEVER
The latest version of the Endorphin Pro is a huge leap forward that’s elevated it to the top tier of racing shoes. While I loved the Endorphin Speed 1 & 2, I found the Endorphin Pro 1 prohibitively firm and stiff. It was definitely propulsive and snappy, but far too firm and not bouncy enough for my tastes. In the third version, Saucony widened the base and added a few millimeters of foam underfoot for a transformative experience. The Pro 3 is an almost perfect combination of soft and bounce. Saucony’s PWRRUN PB foam seems to give back more the harder you push it. It even firms up correspondingly when you push it up to 5K pace. To put some icing on an already delicious cake, it’s the most medially stable super shoe I’ve run in. While almost every other brand is hacking away at the midfoots on their racing shoes, Saucony kept it filled in and sufficiently wide. My ankles and calves appreciate it. In summary, if I was buying one racing shoe to train and race any distance, this would be it.
CONTRIBUTOR ANDREA MYERS
I have been consistently impressed by the performance of the Endorphin Pro 3 throughout my training and racing this year. The redesigned PWRRUN PB midsole has the bounce that I have come to expect from a super shoe, but it feels like it responds commensurately to the force put into it. While I previously used the Vaporfly v1 for race distances from 5k-marathon, I found that the shoe felt pretty much the same, regardless of the speed I was running. The Endorphin Pro 3 feels like it is designed for every pace I train at, from marathon to mile. I also have confidence that the redesigned upper will not cause any hot spots or irritation in longer races.
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR DAVID SALAS
This option may come off as a shock to some. My main reasoning for selecting the Metaspeed Edge+ as my racer of the year is due to its versatility. The shoe maintains a lightweight package, good traction, and a balanced rocker that is not overly involved. The midsole composition provides plenty of protection underfoot, though a tad firmer than some of the other super foams on the market. The shoe provides excellent stability underfoot for me, especially in the forefoot region. This is a racing shoe I could take in pretty much any situation from 5k to marathon and even well groomed cross country potential. The slightly firmer and snappier ride provide a running experience that I like to turnover in.
Honorable Mention: Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite
Honorable Mention: Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite
CHIEF EDITOR MATT KLEIN
The Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 is hands down the best racing shoe to come out this year. The shoe was completely redone from the sole to the upper. The taller stack height, lighter weight, new guidance elements and what feels like a redone PWRUN PB midsole make it a reliable, bouncy and incredibly fast racer. For the few races I have had time for this year, it has been on my feet every time. From 5k to half marathon efforts, this shoe has the speed, comfort and guidance I need to feel fast and confident. The wider midfoot and sidewalls keep my foot centered despite and incredibly bouncy and soft midsole. The upper fits on the snugger side, but adds to the element of security. Saucony really hit it out of the park with this shoe. For those who have not tried this shoe, you need to give it a shot.
Honorable Mention: Asics Metaspeed Edge+
WRITER'S PICKS: LONG DISTANCE RACING
CONTENT MANAGER BACH PHAM
As the slowest runner on the team, when I think about marathon shoes I’m thinking about a shoe that’s going to be as comfortable and decently stable for me as possible while still providing a really fun, easy-going ride to get me through an over 3:30, 4 hour marathon. Out of the shoes I tested this year, The Floatride Energy X was the only real long run shoe that I really connected with and wanted to do more and more miles in. It carries over the Floatride Energy’s smooth ride with a nice, not overly soft or firm midsole formula. The rolling motion is enjoyable, without being too dramatic either. A very rockered ride like the Endorphin Pro often gives me issues over long mileage, but the Floatride Energy X finds a nice balance with a more subtle, steady forefoot rocker.
To be clear: this is not a shoe that's about finding your Sub 2:30, Sub 3, or possibly more PR. It is an easy long run shoe with a ton of comfort that can get you through the distance, which so many first time or casual marathoners often are looking to do as they go out and have a really fun, motivating race. If you're intention is a comfortable running shoe that's got a little more fun than a daily trainer to help you get through 26.2 miles, this is an underrated choice and financially a really great one as there are often excellent deals for it. A point A to B long distance running shoe is often what I seek and this one suits my needs perfectly well. My only gripe is that this year’s edition only came out in full sizes, and I really would have loved a Men’s 9 ½ (my true to size) to really dial in the heel.
To be clear: this is not a shoe that's about finding your Sub 2:30, Sub 3, or possibly more PR. It is an easy long run shoe with a ton of comfort that can get you through the distance, which so many first time or casual marathoners often are looking to do as they go out and have a really fun, motivating race. If you're intention is a comfortable running shoe that's got a little more fun than a daily trainer to help you get through 26.2 miles, this is an underrated choice and financially a really great one as there are often excellent deals for it. A point A to B long distance running shoe is often what I seek and this one suits my needs perfectly well. My only gripe is that this year’s edition only came out in full sizes, and I really would have loved a Men’s 9 ½ (my true to size) to really dial in the heel.
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR NATHAN BROWN
I’ve personally loved the conversations/disagreements surrounding the Superblast. It comes in at a VERY hefty price of $220, which is comparable to all of the carbon-plated supershoes/racers on the market. As Matt wrote about in his recent review of the literature, carbon fiber plates play a small role in efficiency, and more of a role in stabilizing the foam. In the Superblast, you have FF Turbo, ASICS “super foam”. This foam is a bit more firm than others, helping it maintain it’s structure. In addition, the Superblast operates on a bottom sole of EVA foam, additing additional structure to the shoe. For me, the platform is less aggressive than the other options on the market, is more stable (despite the high stack), and is simply the most protective and comfortable shoe that I’ve worn this year for longer runs. Additionally, the lighter weight and poppy foam allow me to run quickly as well (if that will ever happen in a marathon…who knows). If I were buying a marathon shoe (3:30 marathon guy), I’d be picking up a Superblast and use it for a bulk of my long runs as well. The other shoe I would pick is the Endorphin Speed 3. With the winged plate in the midfoot I can finally enjoy running longer miles in this shoe and it feels rhythmic, bouncy, and protective. Given the lower price point, the Speed 3 would win out if buying my next marathon shoe.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Speed 3
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Speed 3
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR DAVID SALAS
The Nika Alphafly Next% 2 has seemed to nearly define itself to the marathon distance. The shoe took some steps from V1 to add some more stability elements geometrically and to make the forefoot a little less aggressive by adding some more Zoom X under the air pod. The result is a shoe that feels very rhythmic at controlled paces. This did come with some increases in weight. The shoe feels a tad heavy for me for nearly all distances but can get away with half marathon (though even there I like something a little lighter). For the full marathon though, this is a shoe that you can lock into pace with and ride it 26 without much issue at all.
Honorable Mention: ASICS Metaspeed Edge+, Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
Honorable Mention: ASICS Metaspeed Edge+, Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
CHIEF EDITOR MATT KLEIN
When I am fully trained and prepped, the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 would be my go to shoe in the marathon. However, if I had to run that distance next weekend, I would go with the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3. The revamp of this shoe from the previous year created a more centrally guided ride that works well holding uptempo efforts for long periods. This has been a go-to long run shoe despite the stiffness as I felt it wasn’t too aggressive to handle easier efforts. The slightly wider fit for a racing shoe provides a light but secure feel, again making it great regardless of the effort. It is still a top contender with the rods and Lightstrike Pro, but is far more of a longer distance than shorter distance shoe. Despite the drop in weight, I have struggled with faster intervals and efforts at 10k pace and below. With every pace above that, it is a comfortably aggressive ride that works if you need something you can trust over longer miles.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
VIDEO
Thanks for reading! Make sure you catch all of our Best of Features this year:
The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
The Best Max Cushion Shoes of 2022
The Best Stability and Stable Neutral Shoes of 2022
The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
The Best Max Cushion Shoes of 2022
The Best Stability and Stable Neutral Shoes of 2022
The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunningYoutube Channel: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
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