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FEET WEEK

Marathon Competitors Reveal Their Favorite Running Sneakers

Five women share their go-to running shoes for training and racing.

Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

PublishedJul 23, 2026, 5:33 PM EDT

UpdatedJul 23, 2026, 5:34 PM EDT

Updated Jul 23, 2026, 5:34 PM EDTPublished Jul 23, 2026, 5:33 PM EDT

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Somewhere between the pointed-toe stilettos, block-heel boots, and chunky wedges, we forget to take care of the feet that wear them. Trends come and go, but healthy feet never go out of style. Welcome to Feet Week, our series on what to wear and how to care for everything from your ankles to your toes.

All products are selected independently by The Looker’s editors. If you click or purchase something from our post, we may earn a small commission.

If anyone knows the difference between a good running shoe and a great one, it’s marathon runners. After all, they spend hundreds of miles putting their footwear to the test long before race day.

While every athlete’s journey, preference, and feet are different, a large part of racing performance comes down to a runner’s foot health—and proper footwear is essential for preventing pain and injury.

To get the lowdown on the best running shoes, we interviewed five female marathon runners, each with a different outlook on running and opinions about the best shoes for running.

​Loni Zofchack, 63

Loni, an avid runner and former nurse from Akron, Ohio, has completed both the Akron and Chicago Marathons... twice. Her last 26.2-mile race was the 2014 Chicago Marathon.

Loni finished the Pelee Island half-marathon on the first weekend of June and is constantly racing and running. Her go-to running shoes are the Brooks Glycerin Max 2s, which feature DNA Tuned cushioning and the brand’s proprietary GlideRoll rocker for smoother heel-to-toe transitions.

The athlete said that she was once an enthusiastic Hoka wearer, but recently made the switch to Brooks’ bestselling running shoe.

​“I just switched over to Brooks DNA Tuned,” she said. “But all of the shoes I use have one thing in common, and that is max cushioning.”

Brooks Running

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Brooks Glycerin Max 2 Running Shoes

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“I’ve probably purchased at least six pairs of Hokas in my running days,” she said. “But it got to be that when all the other companies started coming out with the max cushion, I was like, ‘you know, I’m going to give somebody else a shot.’”

​The chunky, supportive soul of the sneakers is what she values most about each pair she purchases.

Loni, who participated in an ultra marathon as part of an eight-person relay on June 6, said that when she’s at an Expo ahead of a race, she always checks out the newest running shoes on the market.

“I go and visit the different shoe places, and see what the latest and greatest is, and I guess I look for something that looks like I’m running on a platform.”

Still, as a medical professional, finding shoes that support foot health remains her top priority. Before going into medical sales, she was a nurse for over 20 years. ​“I have seen several doctors for a number of foot-related injuries. So that’s kind of what led me to look for this type of shoe.”

Between participating in more races than she can count (and her never-ending quest for the perfect running shoe), she’s found that the camaraderie and excitement around running and racing are what carry her love for the sport year after year.

“Regardless of your age and your pace, people of all ages can be out there running.”

​Shannon Potter, 44

Shannon, another runner from Akron, Ohio, calls her intense training schedule a “part-time job.”

​The athlete has been gradually rebuilding her mileage in 2026, having completed 2,000 miles each year for three years prior.

​Shannon is currently preparing for the Burning River ultramarathon in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where she will run 100 miles within 32 hours from July 25 to July 26.

Because of the ultramarathon’s varied terrain, finding the right pairs of shoes is extra tricky.

​“I’m going between road shoes and trail shoes at the moment,” she explained. “There are some road and some kind of towpath sections [on the route], and then there’s some good trail sections where you could get by with road shoes, but a couple of sections, you really need trail shoes,” she explained.

While she’s still searching for the right running and trail shoes for the upcoming ultramarathon, her daily running shoes are Asics’ Novablast 5.

ASICS

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Asics Novablast 5 Running Shoes

Down From $150

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​She has both wide and flat feet that blister easily, which means she takes her footwear seriously. Her main priorities? Ample cushioning, moisture-wicking insoles, and width.

Another important consideration is her running style. “I like cushion, because I’m a hard runner. I’m a forefoot striker, and I’m not dainty on my feet.”

Of course, her footwear choices also reflect her rigorous training schedule. “I come in within the 30th- 35th percentile of my age group at the races,” she said, “So, we’re out there for a long time, and you want to be comfortable as much as you can, especially your feet.”

​Both Loni and Shannon stressed that becoming a runner begins with simply putting yourself out there, a sentiment echoed by Zoomies Run Club co-founders Nadya, Ameya, and Issa Okamoto.

​The New York City-based runners and content creators created Zoomies to foster community and connection with fellow runners of all levels.

Nadya Okamoto, 28

Nadya, who inspired her two younger sisters to take up running, finished the 2026 Boston Marathon in April while wearing the On Cloud Cloudmonster 3s.

“I have high arches, very different from my sisters, and I like having more structure on the bottom,” she says.

Nadya also says it’s important to look for shoes that are designed specifically for the type of running you’re into (e.g., long-distance, sprinting, interval running, etc.). “I didn’t realize until I started running that there is a difference between shoes that are meant for small, short training runs [and] long distance,” Nadya said.

Designed for “daily runs,” her favorite sneakers feature a 6-millimeter heel-to-toe drop and a triple-layer cushioning system for enhanced responsiveness.

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On Cloud Women's Cloudmonster 3 Sneaker

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“Having the Cloudmonsters, [which] have a bit more structure on the back, makes a really big difference.”

​Nadya was diagnosed with prediabetes in 2024. Her diagnosis motivated her to start running for cardio and pushed her to run the New York City marathon with just a month of training.

A week after finishing the November race, she convinced Issa and Ameya to sign up for the Cleveland Marathon, which the trio ran six months later, in May.

​While they’ve run numerous other half marathons and races, the last full Marathon the Okamoto sisters ran together was the 2025 New York City Marathon in November.

​Issa Okamoto, 23

​The 23-year-old influencer and TikTok star dealt with foot pain from a very young age due to having flat feet and an accessory navicular, or an extra bone in her foot above the arch.

Unfortunately, as she began her running journey, she quickly learned that wearing the wrong pair of sneakers (or ones that are even just a tiny bit too snug or narrow) can exacerbate pain.

“That was where a lot of my foot pain came [from],” she said. “They were so narrow at the toes specifically, and that was something that really aggravated the accessory navicular.”

After a year of trial and error, she finally found her perfect pair. ​“I wear Saucony’s Guide 19 sneaker because they are a wider shoe.”

Amazon

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Saucony Women’s Guide 19 Sneaker

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Shop Now Saucony

The Saucony Guide 19 Sneaker is available in three widths: regular, wide, and extra wide, ensuring a proper fit for any foot type. Plus, they’re also designed with a flexible mesh upper that delivers an “adaptive fit.”

​Issa’s choice of footwear helped her transition from leisurely walks with her dog, Blue, to marathon running.

​She said that in addition to exercising her foot, “Changing my shoe to that wider, Saucony toe fit, as well as a wider bridge fit, changes everything.”

Ameya Okamoto, 26

The visual artist and fashion enthusiast uses her running shoes as another outlet for creative expression.

“​I think that racing is just as much about looking good and feeling good as it is about racing well,” she explained. “It’s very much a fashion show for me.”

Right now, she’s loving the Adidas Adizero series, which offers a wide variety of colorways.

​“The Adizero [series] is one of the most accessible price points when it comes to performance-based running shoes,” she said, “So, I swear by them. I ran full marathons in them, and I keep wearing them.”

Amazon

$150+

Adidas Women's Adizero Sneaker

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Aside from their aesthetic appeal, the sneakers are designed for performance, too.

Made specifically for road running, the lightweight running shoes feature springy cushioning and a woven upper for added stability on a variety of surfaces.

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Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

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