Picking the right running shoes for you is extremely important for obtaining the best results. The Beacon might look like a clunker, but looks can be deceiving, and this is actually one of the best all-rounder running shoes available. The Fresh Foam cushioning is so lightweight that the men’s version of the Beacon comes in at just 213g, and the responsive ride it offers makes it as well-suited to racing and fast training sessions as it is long, easy efforts. New Balance opted against putting any rubber on the outsole of the Beacon, which has helped to keep its weight low, but might mean that the unprotected foam wears down more quickly than on other shoes.

I’ve been training in ASICS Speedstars for over five years and can get away with running my longest workouts in them – even up to 22 miles. If you have always worn a more structured shoe then I wouldn’t jump into the Speedstars for 100% of your mileage. Be smart and make the transition gradually since they have neutral pronation control. In other words, there’s no pronation control. Weighing in at 8.9 ounces, the Speedstar is light but not as light as more traditional minimalist shoes like the the Merrell Trail Glove, which weighs only 6.2 ounces. This extra weight comes from a combination of a more supportive upper – more on that later – and a cushioned sole.

Aside from the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%, of which more later, this is the best road racing shoe you can buy. The Reebok Floatride Run Fast is exceptionally light considering the decent chunk of cushioning on the bottom, which ensures your legs stay fresh through each race, and allows you to kick hard for the finish line. The cushioning on the Run Fast is made from the same Pebax material as is used for Nike’s ZoomX foam – found on the Pegasus Turbo and Vaporfly shoes. It provides a huge amount of bounce despite being very lightweight, which makes it perfect for holding your race pace over 10K and half marathon distances in particular. Some runners will also find that the Run Fast is a great marathon shoe, but others will prefer something offering a little more support for the full 42.2km.

Brooks is primarily known for its big, bulky comfort models, like the super padded Glycerin 16. Even its speedy racing flats are full of plush padding and midsoles, like the PureFlow line. But we see a slight departure in the Brooks Hyperion, the new Top Pick for Lightweight Racing Flat. Putting this shoe on was an immediate trip back to the old track days. They seem a lot like racing spikes without the spikes. They’re incredibly light and the feel super fast. A pair of men’s 11 are just 14.5 ounces. As you can expect, when you’re in these kicks, you’ll be doing some serious pace work and generating a ton of heat. To make that an easier proposition, they are super breathable, keeping your feet cooler and drier. They also have a great BioMoGo DNA midsole that takes a good deal of shock out of the stride, but it’s lean enough not to interfere with your stride the way some of the highly cushioned midsoles in comfort models do.

This veteran speed training shoe got a major redesign for its 24th iteration, and it comes with a number of key changes. Most notable is the knit upper—the first on any Asics shoe—which enhances breathability and reduces weight. A redesigned heel counter keeps your feet in place when you pick up the pace, and the FlyteFoam Lyte midsole offers good energy return and ground feel for shorter, faster runs. Read extra info at https://info4runners.com/new-balance-993/.