There are well over 100 marathons in the UK alone in one year, which means that there's always a long-distance run to train for.
While there are myriad things you have to think about when training for a marathon — head to T3's marathon tips guide for more information on this — the absolute basics is getting your trainers right.
Here we have hand-picked 8 of the best marathon trainers around. These are the running shoes that will got the distance, even when you feel like giving up...
1. BROOKS HYPERION ELITE 5
These carbon-plate road racing shoes have been developed with professional athletes to make their marathon times faster. How well they work for you depends on the way your feet land on the ground, but as they're very light (195g each) and have stacked soles that hit the max legal height for road racing, they're a race-day treat.
2. NEW BALANCE 1080V15
NB's classic running shoe has had a redesign to its upper, and sports a new midsole made from Infinion instead of FreshFoam. There's 2mm more depth in the sole, but the 6mm drop remains, and it's still recognisably the 1080.
3. ALTRA EXPERIENCE FLOW 3
Altra's signature toe box helps with a natural running gait, allowing the foot room to spread, and the Flow 3s' low (4mm) drop between heel and forefoot keeps the shoe comfortable over long road-running miles. The Ego P35 foam in the midsole keeps them soft underfoot, and at 255g per shoe they feel light enough to wear every day.
4. SALOMON S/LAB PHANTASM 3
They may look like something you'd wear to cut down on drag while cycling, but these lightweight (198g) aerodynamically optimised shoes with a full-length carbon plate aim to give you the edge over the competition when road-racing using only your feet. The single-layer engineered mesh upper with a flexible gaiter hides traditional laces, and offers a snug fit, and for competitive racers will provide a feeling of high-tech superiority and the chance of extra speed.
5. ASICS NOVABLAST 5
These fan favourites are available in a riot of colours, and Asics is so proud of the bouncy energy-return action that it claims it was inspired by a trampoline. They might not boing you quite that far into the air, but the FF Blast Max foam and 79% recycled upper make this a lightweight (225g) running option that will put a spring in your step.
6. ADIDAS ADIZERO EVO SL
Adidas' versatile racing shoe is priced like your favourite fashion trainers, but they certainly don't perform like them. There's no carbon plate here, just Lightstrike Pro foam in the midsole, but they're responsive and well-cushioned for shock absorption, and returns energy better than some pricier shoes.
7. NIKE ALPHAFLY 3
“Leave your old personal records in the dust” says Nike, and maybe you will. The full-length carbon plate and ZoomX foam midsole on the lightest Alphafly shoes yet (218g) are joined by Zoom Air units to propel you forward to the finish line.
8. SAUCONY ENDORPHIN SPEED 5
Using a nylon plate rather than a carbon one, these 8mmdrop road racing shoes may be positioning themselves as fast training options, so you can save the more expensive footwear for race day. Or you may look at features like the engineered mesh upper and full-length sole groove for smooth transitions, and wear them for everything.
