I ran a half marathon (and a turkey trot) in the Hoka Mach X, and they're at an all-time low in this holiday sale

Hoka Mach X shoes — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

While January is still several weeks and a number of gut-busting holiday parties away, it's never too early to start thinking about your New Year's resolutions. If you're looking for a pair of the best running shoes, you're more likely to find a great deal now than in a few weeks' time.

For example, one of my favorite shoes, the Hoka Mach X, is currently discounted to $119 at Nordstrom Rack, down from its regular price of $180. By comparison, Amazon has limited sizes from $128 and the Hoka Store is sold out.

The main reason why the Hoka Mach X is so cheap right now is that the shoe is a generation old — the Hoka Mach X 2 came out this year, so retailers are trying to clear inventory.

But that doesn't mean the original Mach X is a bad shoe. On the contrary, I (and my colleague, Nick Harris-Fry) found it's great for easy and long runs. I'm not looking to set any course records — you'll want to check out the best carbon-plate shoes for that — but if you want a shoe that's responsive and comfortable if you're working up to a half marathon, this is the one to get.

I've been using the Mach X for over a year now, and have easily put more than 50 miles on them. I can feel the foam isn't as bouncy as when I first got them, but they're the pair I go to whenever I head out for a run.

My only nitpick with the Mach X is that the all-white exterior of the model I have will start to look dingy, especially if you splosh through a mud puddle. (There are red and black versions available, too).

At their current sale price of $119, the Mach X are a great deal for those who want a fantastic running shoe at a big discount.

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.