RACE DAY is not the time to find out your trusty daily trainers turn into blister factories at kilometre 10. But with the City2Surf bearing down fast and marathon season not far behind it, thousands of runners across the country are about to make the same mistake of lacing up a pair of shoes they bought on sale eighteen months ago and hoping for the best.
Here’s the thing: the shoe that gets you through a casual 5K on a Sunday morning is not the shoe that should carry you up Heartbreak Hill, or across 42.2 gruelling kilometres of a marathon. Race day shoes are a different beast than daily trainers. They’re lighter, springier, built for speed rather than comfort, and capable of shaving minutes off your time. Research shows that carbon-plated shoes make the average runner four per cent faster – over the course of a marathon, that’s a whole 5-10 minutes.
So before you ruin you race by wearing the wrong shoes, here’s what’s actually worth wearing on race day.
8. Brooks Hyperion Elite 5
The Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 is a race-ready powerhouse built for speed, combining ultra-light DNA GOLD cushioning for superior energy return with a minimal upper for a weightless feel and near-invisible fit. The carbon fibre SpeedVault Race+ Plate adds advanced energy return to make your running more efficient.
7. Saucony Endorphin Elite 3
These Sauconys are designed to help you unleash your true speed and really chase those Endorphins. The ultra-light TPE yarn upper feels like a second skin around your foot, with a snug fit that gives you the security you need to push your limits. The dual-layer incrediRUN superfoam is super soft, and the new fluted carbon plate brings almost supernatural propulsion.
6. On Cloudboom Strike 2
The Cloudboom Strike 2 uses On’s latest cushioning system, with thin gaps between the forefoot and the midfoot. These spaces allow the foam to move more freely, adapting and flexing in multiple directions for a smoother, more responsive feel. The end result is a very fast, very bouncy and very light shoe.
5. PUMA Fast-R NITRO Elite 3
One of the funkiest looking shoes on the market courtesy of the dual-density midsole’s design with those interesting cut-outs, the FAST-R NITRO™ Elite 3 offers truly explosive energy return with every stride. The split midsole design optimises efficiency by reducing weight and supporting a gait that maximises energy return.
4. Hoka Cielo X1 3.0
The Cielo X1 3.0 is one of those shoes you can simply feel working its magic as soon as you put it on. That feeling can be attributed to its carbon plate and rocker profile, which provide a great deal of responsiveness and bounce from the get-go. The Cielo makes running at a conversational pace seem like a disservice to the shoe. It’s Hoka’s lightest super shoe yet and brings speed in excess.
3. Nike Alphafly 3
The Alphafly 3 released way back in January of 2024, which is a lifetime ago in the world of running shoes, where advancements happen at breakneck speed. Even so, it’s still one of the best racing shoes on the market. Kelvin Kiptum wore it to break the previous marathon world record, and while that record has since been surpassed by athletes in Adidas shoes, the Alphafly 3 is still officially the fastest shoe that’s readily available to the general public.
2. Adidas Adios Pro 4
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 4 – have you ever said that many words starting with ‘adi’ in a single sentence before? – is one of the best race day shoes on the planet. The Adios Pro 4 is inspired by the Pro Evo 3, which Sabastian Sawe broke the marathon world record in earlier this year. The Pro Evo 3 is hard to come by unless you’re an Adidas athlete, so the similar Adios Pro 4 is as good as you can get.
The Pro Evo 4 features Adidas’ EnergyRods, which are strategically embedded in the midsole to enhance propulsion and efficiency. The dual-layer Lightstrike Pro foam provides lightweight cushioning and unparalleled energy return. This shoe is seriously fast.
1. New Balance SuperComp Elite V6
The SuperComp Elite V6 is the latest evolution of New Balance’s pinnacle race-day shoe. Compared to the V5, which we also loved, the V6 is lighter and more propulsive, making it the king of racing shoes. Utilising the Infinion foam platform that New Balance recently pivoted towards, the midsole is soft but responsive. A redesigned carbon-fiber plate and ultralight upper give it exceptional energy return and efficiency. We managed to test the Elite V6 before it’s official release and found it to be deserving of the ‘Elite’ name. Its aggressive midsole geometry feels propulsive, and there’s a lot of forward roll that makes you want to run fast – which is perfect.
