The Best 5k Racing Shoes for a Fast PR
The 5k racing shoe segment has exploded in popularity over the past few years. Here are the best options on the market today.
The 5k is that iconic race distance for recreational runners. An approachable entry into racing for beginner runners and a painful test of fitness for dedicated endurance athletes, there's something to love about the 5k for everyone. If you're looking to shave some time off your PR, there are a new crop of lightweight, responsive racing shoes designed for mastering the 5k distance. Here are the best 5k racing shoes for fall 2023.
The Best 5k Racing Shoes
The 5k racing shoe segment has exploded in popularity over the past few years. What was once an underdeveloped corner of the market now has fast, competitive options from nearly all of the major brands. While marathon racing shoes are piled with massive stacks of foam and rigid carbon fiber plates, the best 5k racing shoes are more restrained affairs, prioritizing stripped-down constructions that balance responsive speed with light weights.
1. Adidas Takumi Sen 9 ($180): The Best 5k Racing Shoe for a Fast PR
If you're an experienced runner looking to shave time off your PR, the Adidas Takumi Sen 9 should be your weapon of choice to do so. The Takumi Sen is nimble, lightweight and feels low-profile on foot. It uses Adidas' bouncy and responsive supercritical TPE Lightstrike Pro reinforced with EnergyRods (the brand's carbon plate equivalent) to add snappiness and rigidity. On the run, it feels highly responsive and akin to a racing flat of yore, though the heel stack is 33mm (cutouts from the foam shave weight, contributing to the feathery feel). The downside of the Takumi Sen is that its fit and ride are not the most comfortable for everyday running paces or for longer efforts, so it's a shoe best reserved for race day and your fastest interval workouts. The good news is that you can often find it on sale for around $100, so you won't be breaking the bank on a limited specialized racer.
Adidas Takumi Sen 9
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2. Nike ZoomX Streakfly ($160): The Best 5k Racing Shoe with Ground Feel
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly is a great 5k racing shoe for runners who want a fast platform that also lets them feel the ground on toe-off. Taking the approach of old-school racing flats, the ZoomX Streakfly has an extremely light 6.0 ounce weight and a modest stack (32mm heel, 26mm forefoot, 6mm drop) that feels lower than it measures due to how much the ZoomX compresses. There's a carbon element in the midfoot to provide stability and structure to the soft ZoomX, but the forefoot is encumbered by a plate. This provides a ground contact ride in the front of the platform that is best for strong, efficient runners with a midfoot to forefoot strike. The Streakfly is also a good option for short to medium distance workouts where you'll be pushing to pace to half marathon effort or faster.
Nike ZoomX Streakfly
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3. Hoka Cielo Road ($160): The Best Non-Plated 5k Racing Shoe
The Hoka Cielo Road is the newest performance shoe out of one of the hottest brands in running right now. While Hoka got famous from the massive stacks of cushioned, comfortable EVA in models like the Clifton and thd Bondi, the Cielo Road is the polar opposite of those two shoes. It uses a 100% PEBA midsole, one of the first Hoka shoes to integrate that top-tier racing foam (the other two Hokas using PEBA are the marathon racing Rocket X 2 and high-mileage trainer Mach X). It has a snappy feel from the non-plated but firmer formulation of PEBA that feels best at harder racing efforts—half marathon pace and faster. Unlike some of the other dedicated 5k racing models on this list, it also has a decent rubber outsole covering, which pushes its weight to the 7 ounce range for a US mens sample size 9 but will increase its durability over the life of the shoe.
Hoka Cielo Road
4. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer ($150): Best Dedicated 5k Racing Shoe with a Full Carbon Plate
The New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer is the dedicated short-distance road racer in the New Balance lineup. Unlike the four other dedicated 5k racers on this list (Takumi Sen, Streakfly, Cielo Road, Sinister), the SC Pacer has a full-length carbon-fiber plate in the midsole. This makes it a firmer option than its competitors, providing a smooth and snappy ride that's great for faster runners. The FuelCell foam used in the midosle of the SC Pacer is the same compound in the marathon racing SC Elite, daily trainer Rebel v3 and high-mileage SuperComp Trainer. Here, it provides energy return and bounce when paired with the plate—but due to it being a supercritical TPU and EVA mix instead of a PEBA-based foam, it does add weight to the shoe (7.1 oz for US mens 9) versus the competition.
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer
5. Saucony Sinister ($150): Best Racing-Flat Style 5k Shoe
The Saucony Sinister rounds out the top 5 of our list as the final dedicated 5k racing shoe on the market. Saucony's approach to the segment with the Sinister was to craft a minimal, racing-flat style shoe with ruthless design decisions to achieve a sub–5 ounce weight. The Sinister has an unstructured, sock-like upper that fits snug and will take a bit of podalic gymnastics to get on foot for some runners—though the lockdown is unquestionably secure. The midsole uses a full-length bed of Saucony's PWRRUN PB PEBA-based foam that's also in shoes like the Endorphin Speed 3 and Pro 3. There's no plate, allowing the inherent bouncy and responsive qualities of the foam to shine with the shoe's moderate stack (25mm heel, 19mm forefoot, 6mm drop).
Saucony Sinister
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6. Hoka Mach 5 ($140): Most Comfortable Shoe for Running 5k Races
If you're not gunning for a sub-20 minute PR but want to rip off 3.1 fast miles in comfort, the Hoka Mach 5 is the 5k racing shoe for you. Unlike the previous shoes listed, it balances comfort and speed, adding more supportive cushioning in the midsole and padding throughout the upper. The midsole has a dual-foam construction where a top layer of bouncy and soft supercritical EVA sits above a firmer standard EVA that also serves as the shoe's outsole. The one downside to this construction is that the shoe is not the most durable due to the exposed foam which wears easily without an outsole. It weighs in at a relatively lightweight 8.2 ounces, which isn't as spry as shoes like the Streakfly and Sinister, but you're also getting way more comfort and cushion.
Hoka Mach 5
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7. Asics Metaspeed Edge+ ($250): Best Super Shoe for Racing 5ks for Efficient Runners
The Asics Metaspeed Edge+ is a great 5k racing option if you're looking for a traditional super shoe. Asics' marketing copy positions the Edge+ as a marathon shoe for runners with a high cadence, but it's also a good option for runners seeking a fast 5k time. The Edge+ has a lower foam stack than other super shoes with 33mm of FF Turbo in the heel and 25mm in the forefoot for an 8mm drop. The foam used in the Edge+ is a supercritical compound that's highly responsive but on the firmer side, making it a great option for shorter efforts like a fast 5k. There's also a full carbon fiber plate reinforcing the foam and adding extra snap. At $250, it's more expensive than the dedicated 5k racers on this list which sit in the $150 to $180 range, but to even out the extra costs you can also use it as a fast long run shoe and racer for longer distance efforts if it works for your mechanics.
ASICS Metaspeed Edge+
8. Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 ($225): Most Comfortable Super Shoe for Racing 5ks
The Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 is a max-stacked marathon racing shoe that's as comfortable as it is fast. It has a wider heel than most super shoes, giving it a stable ride, while the rockered platform makes transitions between paces feel seamless and the ride smooth. The midsole uses Saucony's soft and bouncy PWRRUN PB PEBA foam (39.5mm heel, 21.5mm forefoot, 8mm drop) reinforced with a carbon-fiber plate. This is also among the most durable super shoes, as the rear landing area of the platform has more rubber coverage than competitors. If you're looking for a speedy do-it-all shoe that can handle 5ks as well as fast training long runs and marathon races, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 is a great choice. At $225, it's also $25 cheaper than many of the popular super shoes on the market today.
Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
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9. Topo Athletic Cyclone 2 ($150): Best 5k Racing Shoe for Wide Feet
The Topo Athletic Cyclone 2 is a low-drop trainer with a fast and bouncy ride. Dedicated to making natural-feeling shoes, Topo uses a wider toe-box than most of the mainstream brands, which allows toe-splay for runners with wide feet. Underfoot, there's a full-PEBA midsole of Pebax foam that's soft, responsive and bouncy—similar in feel to Saucony's PWRRUN PB. Unlike Saucony's fast shoes, the Cyclone 2 has no plate, which allows a more connected feel and a less rigid platform. This is also a great training option as the upper is padded and there's a decent covering of outsole rubber. Plus, at $150, the price undercuts many of the more popular competitive models. The only downside here is that you'll have to explain what Topo is to your friends.
Topo Athletic Cyclone 2
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10. Altra Vanish Carbon ($240): Best Zero Drop Shoe for Racing 5ks
If you're a fan of zero drop platforms, the Altra Vanish Carbon is the best option out there for road races of all distances. The shoe has a 33mm stack of the brand's supercritical Ego Pro foam in the heel and the forefoot. While most brands use a drop to get you up on your toes, Altra uses a forefoot rocker to accomplish a similar effect. You're also getting the same full-length carbon-fiber plate here as in standard drop super shoes like the Nike Vaporfly and Saucony Endorphin Pro 3. At $240, this is a bit of a gamble for runners who have never tried a zero drop shoe before—if you're looking to experiment with the platform considers one of the other top Altra shoes. For experienced zero drop runners, the Vanish Carbon is an excellent choice that you can use for fast long runs, speed work and all lengths of road races.
Altra Vanish Carbon
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11. Atreyu The Artist ($100): Best Affordable Option for Racing 5ks
Atreyu is an independent running brand out of Austin, Texas that's dedicated to producing simple, affordable running shoes. Their Artist model sticks to this formula, serving up a lightweight carbon-plated ride at $100. At a price point that undercuts mainstream brands by more than 2X, it's hard to argue against the value proposition here. The only downside is the foam used in The Artist is not a PEBA-based compound like Nike's ZoomX or Saucony's PWRRUN PB, but a supercritical EVA like we find in the Mach 5. It's still a fast foam, but it won't return the same energy as a PEBA compound. But we're likely splitting hairs here unless you're running sub-15 5ks.
Atreyu The Artist
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12. Saucony Tempus ($160): Best 5k Racing Stability Shoe
The Saucony Tempus is a do-it-all trainer that offers both speed and stability. It uses a unique midsole construction where a firmer shell of EVA-based PWRRUN cradles an inner core of responsive and squishy PWRRUN PB, a super foam that's the first to be used in a stability shoe. The ride is responsive and fast while retaining stability from the EVA shell and secure upper. The one downside is that it's not carbon-plated and won't be as fast as some of the other options on this list—but it is the most stable. For serious overpronators who need a stability shoe, the Saucony Tempus is best option on the market today for racing a fast 5k.
Saucony Tempus
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Final Thoughts
There are three main categories of 5k racing shoes on the market today. For enthusiast runners who like to manage large rotations of shoes, there are dedicated 5k racers like the Nike ZoomX Streakfly and Hoka Cielo Road that offer speed in a stripped-back package. For runners who want one racing shoe for all distances, there are excellent and versatile carbon-plated super shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 and Asics Metaspeed Ege+. And for recreational runners targeting their first 5k, shoes like the Hoka Mach 5 and Saucony Tempus blend speed and comfort. Happy training!
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