Sonicblast 2 vs Endorphin Speed 5

The Sonicblast 2 is ASICS building a super trainer for runners who want a bit of race-day energy on an ordinary Tuesday. It pairs FF Turbo Squared foam with an FF Blast Max base and a forked Pebax plate, so you get a bouncy, propulsive running shoe that still carries enough foam for long runs. With a 46mm heel and an 8mm drop it is a lot of shoe, yet at 242g it is light for that much stack. We see it as a do-it-all training partner: tempo sessions, long runs with marathon-pace blocks, and plenty of steady miles in between. The plate is Pebax, not carbon, which keeps the snap more forgiving than a race shoe and makes it easier to live with day to day. If you mostly run easy and want something simpler and cheaper, the Novablast 6 makes more sense. At £170 RRP it isn't cheap, so check the UK prices we track below before you buy.

The Endorphin Speed 5 is Saucony's do-it-all tempo trainer, and in our view it is one of the most useful running shoes you can own. It sits below the carbon race shoes and above the plush daily trainers: a springy, nylon-plated shoe built for the fast half of your week. At 155 pounds it costs less than a carbon racer, and the nylon plate means it flexes rather than dictating your stride, so it stays friendly across a range of paces. Push into a tempo and the PWRRUN PB foam gives you real bounce and rebound. Slow it down for a steady long run and it still feels smooth and protective. Plenty of runners will race a half or even a marathon in it. If you want one lightweight shoe to cover workouts, tempo days, progression runs and the odd race, this is the running shoe we would point you to first. The nearest rival is the adidas Adizero Boston 13.