Super shoes are discussed in terms of finish times. The more useful question for anyone writing a race plan is what they do to pacing.
The variable benefit
Running-economy research shows the advantage shrinks as you slow down. The same technology that delivers 2.7–4.2% at fast speeds drops to around 1.4% at 12 km/h.
Now consider what happens across a marathon. If you fade in the final 10 kilometres, you are running slower — and receiving less benefit from the shoe precisely when you most need help.
The shoe amplifies good pacing and does comparatively little for bad pacing.
What this implies
Even or slightly negative splits matter more, not less. A runner who holds pace keeps the shoe in its effective range for the whole race. A runner who goes out fast and fades spends the final third receiving a fraction of the benefit.
Do not adjust goal pace upward by the full economy figure. A 3% economy improvement is not a 3% faster marathon. Economy is one input; glycogen, thermoregulation and neuromuscular fatigue are unaffected by footwear.
Test at goal pace, not easy pace. If the benefit is speed-dependent, a shoe evaluated on easy runs is being evaluated where it does least.
Who gains most
Research suggests female athletes may benefit especially from advanced footwear technology — possibly due to lower body mass, stride characteristics, or greater cumulative benefit across a larger number of ground contacts over the same distance.
That last mechanism is worth noting for pacing: more steps means more opportunities for a small per-step saving to accumulate, which rewards consistency over surges.
Context
Adoption is now mainstream — Strava’s trend report found 44% of marathoners wearing super shoes, and the men’s world record has fallen by three minutes and 27 seconds since their 2016 introduction.
At 12 km/h — roughly a 3:31 marathon — the benefit is about a third of what elite athletes receive. For a 4:30 runner it is smaller again.
The practical plan
Race in them if you are running fast enough for the benefit to be meaningful. Train in a durable trainer — the soft plated foams degrade quickly under high mileage, and loading patterns need adaptation before race day.
And pace the race as though the shoe is not there. If you do that well, it helps throughout. If you do not, it helps least when you need it most.
Sources
- Marathon Handbook — Super Shoes and Pacing Strategy
- The Irish Times — Super shoes and marathon running
- Pace Perfect — 2026 Marathon Shoe Playbook