7 Best Long Distance Running Shoes in 2024

How we test running shoes

It is our mission to test every single long-distance shoe on the market and let you know about the best options.

We’ve been in the running shoe game since 2014 and are now equipped with our own shoe testing lab to put every new release through the wringer. Here is our process:

• Buy a shoe with our own funds to avoid bias
• Run test each pair
• Cut the shoe open and take it into pieces (literally)
• Measure over 30 parameters that contribute to the shoe’s performance
• Summarize it all into comparable data

How to choose the best long-distance running shoes

Be it a long weekend run or a marathon race, you must have the right type of footwear to keep you comfortable and determined to keep going.

In this guide, we cover shoes that are suitable for distances of 10 kilometers and longer. We will help you choose the most suitable pair of running shoes considering:

• the type of terrain you run on
• your pace and running goals
• your foot striking pattern
• your pronation type
• your foot shape and size, among other factors.

Long-distance running shoes for roads and trails

Road shoes

About 70% of all long-distance running shoes are meant for surfaces like asphalt, pavement, and tarmac. This is the go-to choice for both casual and competitive runners.

Trail shoes

If you plan to brave a single track in the mountains, forests, or the countryside, you definitely need a trail shoe. It is also a perfect option for power hiking and speed hiking.

Here is what makes trail shoes better for the great outdoors than their road counterparts:

• better reinforced uppers with larger toe bumpers and thicker protective overlays
• thicker and more hard-hearing outsoles (3.2 mm on average)
• deep lugs (up to 6.0 mm) and better traction to bite raw ground, mud, slippery roots, rocks, etc.
• rock plates (in some shoes) to protect the foot from stepping onto sharp rocks

For extra soft and muddy terrain, make sure that you’re getting at least 4.0 mm of lug depth in  your running shoes:

Hybrid shoes

Some models fall in between road and trail shoes. They can be recognized by shallower lugs (3.5 mm or less) which don’t hurt the foot on the road but still offer good grip on the trails.

You should consider a hybrid shoe if:

• you mostly run on light, hard-packed trails or double tracks with small stones
• you mix running on both roads and trails

Daily running shoes for long distances

To clock at least 10 km on your long-awaited weekend run, you must have the best cushioning and comfort underfoot to keep you going that far.

Be it your regular running pace or a slow recovery run, you will benefit from softer and thicker cushioning.

The average heel stack of long-distance training shoes hovers around 34 mm, ranging from 30 to 40 mm in most shoes.

Here is the overview of heel stacks in the most popular daily trainers:

Your feet will also thank you for choosing softer cushioning on longer distances as they provide better impact protection, keeping your feet and knees safe.

We press an HA durometer against the half-cut midsole to measure its softness.

The most acclaimed daily trainers on the market today use softer foams for primary cushioning - between 10 and 20 HA (the lower the number the softer the foam).

Example of a midsole softness of 18 HA

The problem with daily trainers, however, is that they typically put comfort and durability above all else, including weight. We found that 65% of long-distance trainers weigh 270g or more, which is heavier than the average of running shoes.

But if you prefer to pick up the pace on your long runs or simply don’t like to feel dragged down, you might enjoy these lighter daily trainers for long distances:

Race shoes for long distances

When timing and competition are involved, you need to look for more than just comfortable cushioning. Your race shoe becomes the most important piece of equipment for using your energy efficiently over a long distance.

A good long-distance race shoe must have several characteristics to help you succeed:

• lightweight build
• sufficient cushioning
• highly responsive foam
• propulsive ride (through carbon plates, rockers, air units, etc.)
• perfectly-fitting, breathable upper

We put every single race shoe through meticulous tests in our lab to find which ones live up to all these parameters.

That involves cutting shoes in half to measure stack, drop, and midsole softness as well as checking the carbon plate placement. We weigh each shoe in the same men’s US size 9 for consistency.

To measure stack heights, we follow the guidelines set by the World Athletics to make sure that race shoes do not exceed the allowed 40 mm of heel stack.

Based on our tests, measurements, and personal experience, we have come up with the best race shoes for every distance:

10K

We recommend choosing very light shoes (8 oz/230g) or less for this distance. You can even use a speed trainer/tempo shoe for this race but it must have at least 25 mm of heel stack.

Half-marathon/Marathon

To handle such long distances you will need more cushioning (at least 30 mm of heel stack). Even though extra cushioning makes half-marathon/marathon shoes slightly heavier (up to 9.5 oz/270g) it’s a fair trade-off considering the benefits.

But it’s not just any cushioning. The foams used for these race shoes are commonly referred to as “super foams” because they show an incredible energy return of up to 80-95%! Each brand has its own variation of a super foam but what they all have in common is the PEBA compound.

These days, every long-distance race shoe comes with a stiff carbon plate to propel you forward. Multiple studies have shown that carbon-plated shoes improve running economy by up to 4%.

Example of a shoe with a carbon plate (black piece running through the midsole).

You will also find that long-distance race shoes often have a rockered shape. Research shows that this shape mimics the natural foot curves reducing pressure on the ankles and toes. It also encourages faster heel-to-toe transitions and feels much more fun to run in.

Ultra

Ultra refers to a race where the distance exceeds a marathon (26.2 miles/42.2 kilometers). Official ultramarathons typically begin at the 50 km distance and go up to 200 miles or even more.

Most of the time, these races take place on trails in the forests, mountains, or even deserts and often cover mixed terrain. That’s why lugged and protective trail shoes are often the top choice.

A perfect ultra-running shoe will have:

• at least 30 mm of heel stack
• pronounced lugs (2.5 to 5 mm)
• durable upper and outsole

Some shoes also feature carbon plates for added propulsion on harder and more even terrain. Others will have a rock plate to protect the foot from stepping on sharp rocks, roots, and other debris.

Heel-to-toe drop in long-distance running shoes

Drop refers to the difference in height between the shoe’s heel stack and forefoot stack. It shows how much the heel is elevated above the toes inside the shoe.

Can you see the difference between a low-drop shoe and a high-drop shoe?

If you are a beginner runner, don’t worry about the heel drop as much. About 90% of runners feel comfortable in a shoe with an 8-12 mm drop. Most long-distance running shoes on the market have a drop of at least 8 mm.

The higher drop (8 mm or more) is more beneficial for the heel-striking pattern (when your heels land first on the ground). It offers more cushioning in the rearfoot and doesn’t put stress on your ankles and Achilles.

It is often the go-to choice for long-distance runs because even runners who strike with their forefoot/midfoot first, tend to fall back on the heels more as they get tired.

Even such an acclaimed long-distance race shoe as the Nike Alphafly increased its heel drop from 4.7 mm (in version 2) up to 8.5 mm (in version 3)! Apparently, to be more versatile for all running styles.

But if you are a dedicated forefoot/midfoot striker who is looking for a low-drop or even a zero-drop shoe, the options are still plenty.

Our guide on the heel-to-toe drop dives deeper into the benefits and precautions of different drops if you’d like to learn more.

Arch support in long-distance running shoes

Running distances beyond 10K can exacerbate health problems which may not be as apparent on shorter runs.

One of the very common foot problems is overpronation or excessive inward rolling of the foot.

It often goes hand-in-hand with flat feet or low arches.

If you are not sure about your case, try doing this DIY wet test at home. You might as well check if your old running shoes wear out more on the inner side. That’s usually a sign of overpronation.

If you experience pain or discomfort, please do consult a podiatrist!

Flat feet and/or overpronation mess up the running form because your feet struggle to handle the impact naturally. This not only makes the stride less efficient but can also lead to an injury!

Having the right type of support, especially on a long-distance run, will help you avoid the negative consequences of these conditions.

Can you see the difference between a shoe without arch support and the one that has it?

Neutral shoe (no arch support)

Stability shoe (has arch support)

Stability shoes use additional components like shanks, firmer foams, stabilizing sidewalls, and other features to support the arch on the inner side (where it collapses) and keep the gait straight.

Even runners with healthy feet and neutral pronation sometimes reach for supportive shoes to help their feet rest on recovery runs.

In our lab, we perform several tests to check the level of support in each shoe. The most stable ones have:

• higher torsional rigidity (hard to twist the shoe sideways and roll the ankle)
• stiffer and more structured heel counters (hold the heel and ankle firmly in place)
• wider platforms (lowers the risk of rolling the foot over the edge of the shoe)

Here is the overview of long-distance running shoes with the best arch support, based on our lab tests:

Torsional rigidity and heel counter stiffness are assessed manually on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest (most supportive).

Torsional rigidity test

Get the right size and fit

Even if you get a shoe with the best cushioning and support imaginable, it can all be ruined by a poorly fitting upper.

Getting the right size in a running shoe is tricky enough as is. But it gets even more complicated on a long-distance run where your foot volume increases and requires more in-shoe space. Especially if you run in warmer temperatures.

An ill-fitting shoe will not accommodate these changes which can result in hot spots, blisters, and can even impact your finish time in a race!

Here are a few guidelines to help you get the right size in a long-distance running shoe:

• measure your foot length precisely as our feet continue to grow and change even in adulthood
• check your foot length measurement with the brand’s official size chart

Trying the shoe in, make sure that:

• there is a thumbnail’s width gap between the longest toe and the front edge of the shoe (especially important for long-distance runs)
• there should be no pressure at all (check the rearfoot, the midfoot, and the toebox)
• there should be no bunching or loose sections
• the upper fabric should feel soft against the foot (no pinching)

Your foot shape and width are equally important to consider. Bunions or any other foot deformities must be taken into account as well.

These days, runners are lucky to have a huge choice when it comes to shoe toeboxes. Even within one brand, you can find models with a narrower fit and shoes with a more spacious fit.

Some brands offer their running shoes in multiple widths, from narrow to 4E wide (Brooks, New Balance, ASICS, Hoka). Others are known for their extra spacious toeboxes even in the medium width (Altra, Topo Athletics).

In our lab, we carefully measure the toebox dimensions of every single shoe. We use a caliper to measure both the widest part of the forefoot as well as the area where the big toe ends.

Greek and Egyptian types of feet might appreciate a more tapered (pointy) profile, whereas Celtic, German, and Roman feet may benefit from a more rounded toebox shape.

Here is the overview of long-distance running shoes with the widest toeboxes:

Nothing is more annoying than having to stop and readjust your shoe tongue or laces. Especially if you’re running a race and it compromises your finish time.

To avoid this nuisance, you may want to consider shoes with fully- or semi-gusseted tongues.

Attached to the upper on both sides, a gusseted tongue doesn’t shift around and makes the lockdown more secure as well.

Consider breathability

Another potential disruptor of your long-distance runs is the lack of airflow inside your running shoes. Especially if you run in a warm and humid climate.

The shoe’s upper must have plenty of ventilation holes that allow the heat to escape and fresh air to come in. Aside from keeping you comfortable, aerated uppers will prevent nasty things like hot spots, blisters, fungi, etc.

It is especially critical for distances that take several hours to complete and you don’t have the option to change shoes.

We perform several breathability tests on every long-distance shoe in our lab. In one of these tests, we pump smoke through the shoe’s upper to check how well it passes through the material. Each shoe then gets a score on a 1-5 scale where 5 is the most breathable.

This is what a 5/5 breathability looks like (shoe on the left) compared to 1/5 (shoe on the right).

Race running shoes tend to have exceptionally thin and well-ventilated uppers. There is little-to-no padding inside these shoes which makes them even lighter and airier.

The good news is that 60% of long-distance running shoes have a high breathability score of 4 or 5, based on our lab findings.

Here are the most breathable long-distance running shoes for daily runs and races:

On a 1-5 scale, 5 stands for the most breathable in our lab.

Durability of long-distance running shoes

Long-distance running takes a huge toll on running shoes. So much so that some race shoes can only handle one single marathon (i.e. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1).

That’s why daily trainers for long-distance runs are equipped with exceptionally hard-wearing rubber outsoles and sometimes even reinforced uppers. We use a Dremel with a sandpaper tip to check the durability of each one.

Here are the most durable daily trainers for long-distance runs, based on our lab tests:

Toebox durability is assessed on a 1-5 scale based on the damage caused by the Dremel: 5 is the most durable. Outsole durability shows how deep is the damage according to a tread gauge: the lower the number the smaller the damage.

Trail running shoes tend to be even more rugged than their road counterparts due to harsher conditions:

As for the race shoes, traditionally, they have been made with papery uppers and very thin rubber outsoles that didn’t even cover the entire midsole foam. This design helped to keep them as light as possible. But this setup has been changing as the brands come up with new fabrics and rubber compounds that are just as light but much more wear-resistant.

The race shoe in this photo has an outsole damage of 0.8 mm. Can you spot where we drilled it with a Dremel? Bonus: Can you guess which shoe it is?

We were amazed by the durability of some recent competition shoes: