What type of shoes do avid runners typically prefer and why? Is there a difference in performance between different types of running shoes?
Last Updated: 28.06.2025 00:30
Pictured: the New Balance XC5000 v6 cross-country spike, favored by many high-school and college cross-country runners.
Some runners may wish to have several different types of racers - one for the road and one for grass, or one for marathons and half-marathons and one for faster races like 5ks.
Similarly to other racing shoes, these do not last nearly as long as trainers - but they do not have to. These are not shoes that are worn every day - they are just brought out for races, so they do not need to be extremely durable. In my seven years of running, I have owned two pairs of cross-country spikes and one pair of track spikes.
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Pictured: the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, a popular carbon-plated “supershoe” racing shoe.
Some runners may have two sets of everyday trainers: a heavier, more cushioned one which they use on slower, higher mileage days, and a lighter, faster one that they use for their fast workouts.
Speaking in general terms, these racers do not last nearly as long as everyday trainers. The lighter, more specialized foam breaks down much faster, resulting in a drop in energy return (and potentially injury problems). However, the light weight and aggressive rocker will definitely aid in running faster times in races.
You can find endless opinions online about what brands or models are best, or what amount of heel-toe drop is better for you, or what type of stack height is superior, but the best way to find a shoe you like is to go to a running-shoe store and ask the employees to help you find one that works for you and your form. In the end, the most important thing is that you put some shoes on your feet, and go running. Enjoy!
These everyday training shoes are generally constructed to last several hundred miles, and to passively assist you in running with good form, but are not necessarily built to actively assist you in moving fast.
These racers range from a more traditional racing flat, with a very short midsole stack and sometimes a plastic plate in the outsole, to the newer model carbon-plated supershoes with a tall but lightweight stack, a full-length carbon fiber plate, and an aggressive “rocker” construction.
These shoes are specially constructed to provide better traction on a more complex or slippery surface, to aid in runner safety and also in running fast.
Each running shoe manufacturer I can think of produces several different kinds of daily trainers to suit people’s varying preferences in terms of stack height, heel-toe drop, running surface, and stability needs.
Pictured: the Nike Zoom Fly 6, a popular “fast-day” trainer used as the second shoe in a training rotation.
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Most runners I know, and every runner I know who hopes to run fast times [1], have a racing shoe of some kind.
Runners who are running very high weekly mileage or running several different types of races will often have multiple shoes from within a given category.
Some runners, who race on a different surface (trails, track, or grass), will have a more specialized racing shoe, like a trail racer or a pair of track or cross-country spikes.
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Generally, an avid runner will have between two and five pairs of shoes:
Every runner I know has a “daily driver” - a shoe they get out and run in most days.
When I was running in college, I had five pairs of shoes: two daily drivers (one for fast days and one for mileage days), a pair each of track and cross-country spikes, and a road racing flat. I was also running upwards of 60 miles a week, so you may not need nearly this many. Now, I only have two pairs - a daily driver and a road racer. This is plenty to suit my training model and my race preferences.
Pictured: the Brooks Ghost 16, named by some surveys as the most popular daily trainer.
You may notice that I have not said anything about different brands of shoes. That is because brand is purely down to preference or brand loyalty. You may find that a certain brand or model of shoe works better for you than another brand or model based on your preference, needs, and running form. I have preferences, but my preferences are not necessarily relevant to your running.