In 1960 Ethiopian Abebe Bikila raced through the streets of Rome to win what is still considered one of the most memorable Olympic marathons in history. The slim 28-year-old crossed the finish line in two hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds, becoming Africa’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist and new world record holder. Even more impressive: he did it while running barefoot.

Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia crossed the finish line in two hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds, becoming Africa’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist and new world record holder.The Associated Press

Bikila’s stunning, probably blistering feat has never been replicated (not even by him: Bikila wore shoes in the next Olympic marathon in Tokyo in 1964). Barefoot running, save for a few fads, has gone out of fashion since the legendary marathon runner’s victory, then all but disappeared five years ago with the advent of new shoe technology that is changing its paradigm.

According to the story, Bikila got used to running barefoot because sneakers were too expensive. The majority of runners today can understand: the increase in the quality of running shoes at all levels justifies a steep increase in price and runners now need to be careful about how they invest. Broadly speaking, major brands now typically sell three levels of running shoes: ultralight running shoes (supershoes) for around $320, a cushioned version of these running shoes for workouts (let’s call them supertrainers) for around $250, then classic carbon shoes. less training shoes for around $180.

In 2017, Nike released the VaporFly 4%, the first commercially available “super shoe”: a running shoe infused with a carbon plate and a thick layer of lightweight midsole foam, woven together to create better energy return and faster faster finishing. Soon after, Saucony, New Balance and many of Nike’s contemporaries released their own versions of supershoes, for racing and training. Several studies since show that they make everyone – including Olympians, weekend warriors and beginners – a few minutes faster in road races from 10 km to marathon. Bikila’s 1960 world record, for example, wouldn’t rank him in the world’s top 500 today.

Major running companies now make high performance versions of super shoes, super trainers and the traditional trainer. Therefore, choosing the right level of shoes has become more important than choosing the right brand. But choosing between multiple tiers of expensive sneakers can get dizzying, especially if your running shoe budget is under $1,000 per season. To help you make the right decision, I dive into the three categories of running shoes and three investment strategies to choose from when preparing for your fall runs. And a note to beginners and casual riders, rest assured you don’t have to break your budget.

Discover the 2022 shoe family

1. The super shoe

The supershoe will make you run as fast as possible. They could potentially improve your finish time by up to 5% – a huge margin in a marathon. But they tend to lose some of their pop after about 200 km. So it’s best to buy a pair and only keep them for key races and training, to maintain their edge for as long as possible.

You may like: Nike ZoomX Vaporfly; Saucony Endorphin Pro; New Balance FuelCell RC Elite 2; Brooks Hyperion Elite 2; Carbon Altra Vanish; On Cloudboom Echo; Puma Deviate Nitro Elite

2. The Traditional Coach

The dawn of supershoes made these flagship carbonless sneakers look a little ordinary, but running in them doesn’t make you a luddite. Wearing more budget-friendly traditional shoes in training can give you a psychological edge on race day, when you slip on your super shoes and feel that extra bounce. However, wearing traditional shoes on race day will put you at a disadvantage in terms of speed.

You may like: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39; Saucony Kinvara 13; New Balance 880 V12; Brooks Ghost 14; AltraProvision V6; On Cloudboom; Puma Velocity Nitro 2

3. The super trainer

Think of these sneakers as a happy medium between the super shoe and the traditional sneaker, both in terms of performance and price. They tend to boast a foam midsole and carbon plate, all wrapped in more cushioning than supershoes, which adds weight but allows them to retain their bounce for a bit longer. Their carbon plate also makes them a popular upgrade over traditional sneakers, as they can help lower legs and feet absorb landing forces and lift off the ground. Super trainers are great for those long key training days because they replicate some of that super shoe spring feel while providing more cushioning and being easier on the wallet.

You may like: Nike Air Zoom Tempo; Saucony Endorphin Speed; New Balance FuelCell Rebel V3; Brooks Hyperion Tempo 2; Altra Vanish Tempo; On CloudFlash; Puma Deviate Nitro 2

Choose the right buying strategy for you

Now that you know more about the main levels of running shoes and their price, it’s time to build your shoe arsenal for the season. Here are three standard buying strategies:

The standard

Buy shoes of each level and alternate them accordingly: easy runs in the traditional trainer, workouts in the supertrainer, runs in the supershoe. I recommend this strategy for best results and to get through the season without wearing out your sneakers.

I stick to this strategy at the start of my season. To keep costs down, I always ask sellers if they carry last year’s shoe designs. Most brands release new versions of their shoes every year, and previous versions, although they look like their update, often sell at a discount.

About. cost: $800

just the staples

Save money by buying a pair of sneakers and a pair of super shoes, while forgoing the super trainer. Use the traditional shoe for easy runs and most workouts, and break out the super shoe for your top two or three build and race workouts. You save money here, but depending on how long you run, your training shoe may wear out before you finish your build.

About. cost: $550

On a budget (great for beginners and occasional joggers)

Buy a super trainer and wear it for all your runs, including your run. This tactic isn’t suitable for someone planning to run more than 1,000km in their build, but can work well for beginners who aren’t looking to break the bank.

About. cost: $200-250

Finally, when you’re walking (or running) to your nearest athletic store to buy your shoes for fall, never forget the most important part of shoe shopping: finding what’s right for you. Your feet are unique (and probably even different from each other): maybe they roll a little inward, outward, when they land. Maybe they are wide, narrow, with a high or low arch. All of these characteristics can make you react better to certain shoes than others. So when you land on something you love that keeps you fit and healthy – whether it’s a great shoe, a great trainer, or a traditional trainer – stick with it.

Alex Cyr is a Toronto-based writer and runner. A former college conference champion, he hopes shoe technology will continue to improve so he can finally beat his old personal bests.