I’ve run 220 miles in the Asics Megablast — here’s 5 reasons why it’s my go-to shoe for marathon training

At $225, the Asics Megablast is one of the most expensive running shoes I’ve ever tested, so it’s fortunate that it’s also one of the best running shoes I’ve ever tested as well.

When I wrote my Asics Megablast review in September last year, I’d run 100 miles in the shoe and was already raving about it, but I still had doubts about the value it offers given the high price.

After doing another 120 miles in the Megablast the value is starting to show through, because it’s proving to be very versatile as well as incredibly versatile.

I review so many new running shoes each year that it’s hard to find the time to go back to old favorites, but the Megablast is one shoe I return to again and again, especially when marathon training — here’s why I love it so much.

Asics Megablast: $225 at Amazon

The Asics Megablast is a very expensive running shoe that's almost never discounted, but still sells out regularly when new colors launch. That's because of its high level of performance and durability, and in my testing, it's proved worth its price tag.

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It’s the most versatile shoe I’ve tested

If you follow a structured training plan, you’ll have a variety of runs to tackle each week, like interval and tempo workouts, long runs, and easy miles.

Most shoes will excel at either fast or easy runs, or be built for one specific purpose, like a carbon plate racing shoe, but the Asics Megablast is brilliant for any run.

Having tested hundreds of running shoes at this point, I’ll say that it’s the most versatile sneaker I’ve tried — I even took it as my only shoe for a week’s holiday and did all my runs plus walking in it.

It’s very cushioned and comfortable for easy runs, and stable enough too in my experience, but then light and energetic enough for fast efforts. I’ve done every kind of run in the Megablast over the past seven months, and it always feels amazing.

It’s especially good for marathon training

There are some highly versatile shoes I love available for a lot less than the Megablast, most notably the Adidas Adizero Evo SL, but the advantage the Megablast has is how good it is for marathon training in particular.

That’s because it’s so cushioned and supportive over long runs, especially faster long runs and tempo workouts.

I’m training for the London Marathon right now and have used the Megablast for a 12-mile steady run, a 22-mile long run, and a 10-mile progression run over the course of five days recently.

It protects the legs well from the impact of all that running while being quick enough to push the pace, whereas shoes like the Evo SL aren’t as stable and comfortable for regular long runs like this.

It’s proven durable

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For $225, you want a shoe that’s going to last, and I have only positive things to say on this front with the Megablast after over 200 miles of running.

The outsole hasn’t worn down at all, even on the exposed foam sections. The rubber remains thick and has its tread, despite the fact that I’ve used the Megablast for a lot of miles on light trails as well as the road.

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More importantly, the midsole is still as springy and responsive as it was when new. The FF Turbo Squared foam used delivers a high amount of energy return, and has softened slightly from when the shoe was new to be even more comfortable.

Given the state of the shoe after 220 miles, I'd expect to easily get over 500 miles from the Megablast, which is a solid return on investment in my view.

It’s speedy enough to race in

I’m an obsessive runner and will almost always use one of the best carbon plate running shoes for my races, because they deliver the fastest ride, but for a shoe you can also use for training runs, the Megablast is very quick.

I’ve run a 16:30 5K in the shoe and done several hard workouts at my race paces, and if you don’t want to use a plated super-shoe, the Megablast is a great alternative for your all-out efforts.

The grip is reliable for winter training

On a practical note, I train in London, and when building up to a spring marathon, I spend a lot of time running in the rain, and the Megablast grip has been reliable for me on wet roads.

While it might not be the best option if your winter weather is colder and icier and you need more of a specialist shoe to grip on ice and snow, the Megablast never felt slippery for me, even on fast runs.

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