“Can you recommend stability shoes that come in women’s wide, are soft, and have a padded upper? I plan on inserting my own custom orthotics.”
—BriannaOkonek via the RW+ community page
Amanda Furrer: New Balance is known for offering various widths for runners. I should know—I worked at a New Balance outlet and had to play Tetris stacking all the boxes of different sizes. The Fresh Foam X 860 v13 has a soft Fresh Foam X midsole and matching plush upper with a soft, cushion-like tongue. It also has the more old-school means of stability, a medial post (a wedge on the inner side of the midsole), which some runners find more effective than the guide rails we see in current stability models.
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New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v13
The 860 incorporates the standard stability feature, a medial post, into its midsole to guide and support overpronators’ feet.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22
The Adrenaline has Brooks’s holistic stability tech. A guide rail system on the shoes’ lateral and medial sides serve as bumpers for erratic gait patterns.
Speaking of guide rails (denser foam on the medial and lateral sides of the midsole that act as bumpers to help with erratic motion), I can’t not include Brooks’s Adrenaline GTS 22. It’s the stability version of the brand’s Ghost, a cushioned neutral daily trainer that we recommend for all runners. The Adrenaline, which is slightly firmer than its neutral counterpart, has a guide rail system, making it ideal for overpronators and neutral runners alike. The only knock: Color options are limited for wider widths.
“I finished the Chicago Marathon (No. 8) in the Nike Alphafly Next% 2. At 4:46, I don’t consider myself a fast runner, so I’m wondering whether such high-end shoes with carbon-fiber plates can be more damaging than helpful? I also own the Nike ZoomX Invincible Flyknit 2 and the Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature. Would one of these be better for me?”
—DieterReuther via the RW+ community page
Furrer: Congrats on Chicago numero eight! I recently spoke with Saucony’s shoe development folks (the brand’s fastest shoe, the Endorphin Elite, dropped this week), and they reminded me that the “4 percent” figure—supposedly the extent to which Nike’s shoes can increase running economy—is actually the mean among a handful of runners, who improved their times from as little as 1 percent to as much as 7 percent. The super shoes you’re racing in may be helping you a little or a lot, depending on your current running economy and other factors. With all of that said, unless you’re experiencing pain or think the shoes are making your times worse, there’s no harm in sticking with the Alphafly on race days.
Nike Alphafly Next% 2
An Atomknit upper, Zoom Air units, full-length ZoomX foam midsole, and full-length carbon-fiber plate comprise running’s most renowned super shoe.
Nike ZoomX Invincible Run FK 2
A padded Flyknit upper and ZoomX foam underfoot provide super comfy cushioning all-around. The rocker-shaped midsole ensures a smooth and responsive ride.
Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature
Like the Invincible, the Peg Turbo has a stretchy Flyknit upper, ZoomX foam, and a curved midsole. The shoe is made of sustainable materials and has a waffle-inspired tread.
Runner’s World contributor Scott Douglas also wrote an article explaining how some runners can experience calf, arch, and hip pain because of the plate’s positioning. Firmer plates can cause strain, depending on how hard runners pound their feet and what kind of gait cycle they have.
The shoes you’re curious about also have other attributes (besides just their carbon-fiber plates) that could elevate your run. Both the ZoomX Invincible and Peg Turbo Next Nature have responsive and soft ZoomX foam, which is ideal for long runs and tempos. The Pegasus 39 is a dependable neutral daily trainer for building a base, and the Infinity React has subtle stability features if you tend to overpronate. The best way to find out which is best for you for 26.2? Test ’em at your local store and on training runs. You’ll want to log a few road tests to ensure you’ll run a smooth race.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
