The best road running shoes for your goal and budget
There isn’t one best running shoe, but there is usually a best shoe for a particular runner, goal and budget. Below are eight picks for the briefs we see most often, from someone building up to their first 5K to a runner chasing a marathon time.
Every pick scored among the very best in independent lab testing, and every model has a UK retailer page we’ve checked. We haven’t tested these shoes ourselves, and fit always matters more than any ranking.
How we choose: each pick starts from our finder’s ranking for the brief shown, and we check it makes sense for the job. We haven’t tested these products ourselves. Some links are affiliate links, and commission never affects the picks. About affiliate links
Quick picks
| Best for | Model | Reference price | Sold by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best first running shoe | ASICS Novablast 6 | £105 | Run4It |
| Best everyday trainer | adidas Adizero Evo SL | £77.99 | SportsShoes |
| Best cushioned shoe for long runs | ASICS Superblast 3 | £200 | ASICS |
| Best stability shoe | ASICS GT-2000 15 | £108 | Run4It |
| Best race-day shoe | adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 | £131.99 | SportsShoes |
| Best shoe if money’s no object | ASICS Megablast (unisex) | £209.99 | SportsShoes |
| Best marathon racing shoe | Nike Alphafly 3 | £169.99 | Run4It |
| Best on a tight budget | adidas Supernova Rise 3 | £78.19 | Run4It |
Best first running shoe
ASICS Novablast 6
The brief: New to running, building towards a first 5K or parkrun, one pair for everything.
A soft, bouncy and forgiving trainer that copes with easy runs, longer runs and the odd quicker session, so one pair does everything while you build up. It’s one of the highest-scoring daily trainers in independent lab tests, and the cushioning takes the sting out of the first few months. The high stack isn’t everyone’s preferred feel, so try it on first.
Designed for: Versatile one-shoe choice for easy runs, long runs and some faster workouts
A higher stack shoe is not everybody’s preferred feel; ensure secure fit.
Best everyday trainer
adidas Adizero Evo SL
The brief: Some running experience, training for 10K to half marathon, one shoe for easy runs and faster sessions.
Light, fast and cushioned with the same Lightstrike Pro foam adidas uses in its race shoes, but without a carbon plate, so it works for easy miles, tempo runs and even races. It’s one of the top-rated shoes of any kind in independent lab tests, and last season’s colours were reduced to about £78 when we checked. It’s less supportive than a traditional trainer, so it suits runners with a steady stride.
Designed for: Faster workouts and running one responsive shoe for varied distances
Less inherently stable than cushioned easy-run shoes; fit experience varies.
Best cushioned shoe for long runs
ASICS Superblast 3
The brief: Marathon training or long, steady miles, comfort as the priority.
A big, light, highly cushioned trainer that still feels quick, so it handles long runs, marathon-pace sessions and recovery days. It’s one of the highest-scoring shoes in independent lab tests and our finder’s comfort pick at around £200. It’s sold in unisex sizes, which follow men’s sizing: women usually go down about 1 to 1.5 UK sizes. If you have a bit more to spend, the ASICS Megablast scored even higher in testing.
Designed for: Premium versatile trainer for daily mileage and faster sessions
A unisex shoe sold in men's sizes: women usually go down about 1 to 1.5 UK sizes. Worth it if you run regularly across different paces; rarely a necessary first purchase.
Best stability shoe
ASICS GT-2000 15
The brief: Prefers a more supportive, guided feel, everyday training up to half marathon.
ASICS’ everyday stability trainer, with gentle support that guides your foot without feeling stiff. It scored as highly as any stability shoe we list in independent lab tests, and it’s our finder’s pick when you ask for a more supportive feel at around £150. Try it on and run in it before you buy.
Designed for: Lighter, everyday stability trainer with a guided, supportive feel
A stability feel is a preference, not a medical prescription. Try it on and run in it before you buy.
Best race-day shoe
adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
The brief: Experienced runner racing 10K to marathon, chasing a time.
adidas’ carbon-rodded racer for 10K to marathon, and one of the top scorers in independent lab tests. It was reduced to about £132 when we checked. Think of it as a second pair for races and key sessions, not a first trainer. Buy it once you already have a dependable daily shoe.
Designed for: adidas's carbon-rodded marathon racing shoe for personal bests
A carbon-plated race shoe: best kept for races and key sessions, with a dependable daily trainer for everything else.
Best shoe if money’s no object
ASICS Megablast (unisex)
The brief: Experienced runner who wants one premium shoe for long runs, marathon-pace work and racing.
The highest independent lab-test score of any shoe we list: extremely light, very cushioned and very bouncy, so it feels fast at any pace from long runs to races. It costs about £210 and is sold in unisex sizes that follow men’s sizing: women usually go down about 1 to 1.5 UK sizes. It’s soft and tall, so it isn’t the most stable shoe on tight corners.
Designed for: ASICS' super trainer with exceptional bounce, cushioning and grip, light enough for fast long runs: the highest lab-scored running shoe of 2026
Expensive for a training shoe. Unisex sizing in men's sizes: women usually go down about 1 to 1.5 UK sizes.
Best marathon racing shoe
Nike Alphafly 3
The brief: Experienced runner chasing a marathon personal best.
Nike’s most cushioned carbon-plated racer, designed for the full marathon distance, where it keeps your legs fresher in the later miles. Run4It had it heavily reduced when we checked, which makes it our finder’s marathon PB pick at around £180. It’s a race shoe, so keep it for race day and a few key sessions.
Designed for: Nike's top carbon-plated marathon racing shoe, built for personal bests over the marathon and half marathon
A carbon-plated race shoe: best kept for races and key sessions, with a dependable daily trainer for everything else.
Best on a tight budget
adidas Supernova Rise 3
The brief: Running a few times a week, keeping spending to a minimum.
A comfortable, well-cushioned everyday trainer that lab testers rate highly, reduced to under £80 when we checked. It handles easy runs a few times a week and longer runs as you build up. Right now the adidas Adizero Evo SL costs about the same in last season’s colours and scored even higher in testing, so check both.
Designed for: Comfortable, cushioned everyday training for newer runners
Not a specialist high-speed racing model.
Not quite your brief?
Answer a few questions and the finder will pick the best model for your exact sport, experience, priorities and budget, plus two alternatives.
How to choose
Comfort first, not foot type
Choose the shoe that feels comfortable when you run in it. Guidance from the American College of Sports Medicine puts comfort and fit ahead of labels such as ‘overpronator’, and you don’t need a gait analysis to buy a sensible first pair.
Leave about a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, make sure your heel doesn’t slip, and shop later in the day when your feet are slightly larger.
One versatile shoe is enough to start
A good daily trainer handles easy runs, longer runs and the odd faster session. Most runners only need a second pair once they’re training four or more times a week, or racing seriously.
Carbon plates are for racing
Carbon-plated ‘super shoes’ can make race pace feel easier, but they’re expensive, wear faster and are less stable at slow speeds. They make most sense for experienced runners on race day and in a few key sessions.
When to replace them
Many runners replace shoes somewhere around 500–800 km, but how the midsole feels and how your legs feel are better guides than a number. If a shoe that used to feel fine starts to feel flat or your legs ache more after easy runs, it’s probably time.
Questions people ask
Do I need a gait analysis before buying running shoes?
No. It can be a useful way to try lots of shoes in one go, but research and sports-medicine guidance favour choosing on comfort. If you have a recurring injury, see a physiotherapist rather than relying on a shoe to fix it.
Should I buy men’s or women’s running shoes?
Buy whichever range fits your foot. The two ranges are built on different shapes and size scales. Where we list both versions of a model, we link to each separately.
Are expensive running shoes worth it?
Up to a point. Between about £60 and £140 you mostly pay for lighter, livelier foams and better durability. Above that, the extra money usually buys race performance, which beginners don’t need.
How we pick
Every pick starts from the EVENT/READY finder’s ranking for the brief shown. Products only qualify if we’ve opened and checked a UK retailer page for that exact model. We only include products that independent testers rated highly, and the best-rated rank highest, but we don’t reproduce anyone’s reviews here. We then check each result makes sense for the job. Prices are dated reference prices, not live prices. Read our full approach.