Any recent surveys on what shoes serious non-elite runners train in?

I'm 63, have been running for 51 years. I currently run about 30 mpw (used to run 50-60).

I always liked the Pegasus and I've tried Brooks Adrenaline, Puma Eternity Nitro and lately On Cloudflyer. I like them all. I go by my whim and sometimes buy a shoe that someone I know personally gets sponsored by.

how serious are you talking? I'm 50 and have been running barefoot for about 19 years. I did not run in high school or college. I started running when I was 31. I'm not particularly talented or fast by LR standards but compared to the general public I'm above average.

I currently run about 30 mi w/2000ft+ elevation per week, although at times I have run 60 mi/wk when I ran marathons. My marathon PR is 3:15 which I did barefoot as well as a ~39:00 10K from about the same time when I was around 40.

I run in shoes sometimes but not much. I do a weekly trail run with a club lately and I often wear shoes for that. I wear VFFs or very minimal shoes like Merrell Trail Glove. I tried running in Altras for a while and rolled my ankle and couldn't run for weeks. My ankles just aren't stable enough for any sort of stack height I think. I sprained them a lot as a kid. I wasn't able to run more than a few miles until I started running barefoot.

My story isn't typical but it is a valid data point. If it wasn't for the barefoot running community I probably never would have thought I was cut out for running at all. I can't help but think there are other people out there like me who might have talent but we'll never know because we stuff their feet in big shoes as soon as they can walk.

Ons are trendy especially if they are sold by a local running store. They also look good as casual shoes.

Others I see a lot are Brooks (adrenaline, Ravenna, Glycerin, Ghost) and Hoka (Clifton, Bondi)

60, averaging about 35 mpw this year down from 41 last year, around 80% age-graded for 5Ks. I'm finishing up my 8th pair of Reebok Forever Floatride Energys (the first version) for easy, steady, and long runs. They've lasted longer for me than any other shoe, over 500 miles each. Hope the 3rd version will work as well for me, as I doubt I'll be able to find any more of the originals. Also use Reebok Symmetros for recovery runs, which I do on a treadmill. They've lasted even longer - I'm over 700 miles on my first pair and close to 500 on my second - but I think doing only slow treadmill running has helped extend their life.

Saucony Cohesions on easy runs

Hoka Carbon X for workouts and long runs

PRs somewhat close to OTQ, but will never OTQ.

Asics Novablast 3's, NB Rebel v2

I am seeing more Hokas on with hobbyjoggers in my area.

I dont think serious non elites have one answer for that. Tuesday a month before Boston, are you thinking of the long run that week? The track work? The intervals? Or maybe the tempo? Different answers there.

Hoka cliftons (arahi is the stable version) are my go to for easy day training. I use saucony endorphin speeds for workouts. 31M, 50-55 mi/wk

I was just making the point I wasn’t asking about racing shoes. Strava could probably give a very good answer aggregate shoe usage by runners logging great than 30mpw, but that is probably valuable IP they sell under NDAs if they are smart.

Since I started the thread and there have been some anecdotal responses, I’ve been running in Nimbus for easy days and Speeds for faster days. I’m getting bored of the Nimbus after a few years and so have picked up a pair of the recent model 1080 and a pair of Novablast 2. Both had very high online reviews and get good in store. On one run each, my feet better in the Novablast and they were fun to run in. I think the lower effective drop in the 1080 (reported at 3mm despite NB statements) was a shock to my feet. I think I’ll like them a lot more after I get used to to the different feel.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 2's for training and Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pros, which feel light and cushy for any distance 1500 and up, although I think I could get better grip with spikes

I'm 48, run about 60 mpw. Like you I got bored of the Nimbus and switched to Novablast (starting with 1) and there's been no turning back. I use them for all of my easy runs, long runs and strides. Zero issues.

I prefer the 1 over the 2 and haven't tried the 3 yet, but Asics tends to eventually screw up every model in the long run, so I imagine I'll have to switch to something different in the future.

Three years ago, the Facebook group Running After 60 did a poll. Here are the results.

By far, Hokas were the favorite... 29% of responses so far. Here are the raw numbers for responses. I'd bet that with the advent of supershoes and the higher disposal income of this age group, the shoe choices have changed since then. I know a lot of 10 min/mile older runners are now wearing supershoes.

Hoka 21
Brooks 10
Saucony 9 (mostly trail runners)
Asics 6
Altra, NB 5
Mizuno 4
Adidas, ON, La Sportiva 2
Diadora, UnderArmor, Karrimor, Merrill, Topo, Nike, Inov-8 1

Anecdotally, Brooks are the clear favourites round my way, followed by ASICS and Nike, then a mix of the rest.

Ran Amsterdam last week and most folks around my pace (3:20ish) were wearing cushioned trainers, again mainly Brooks but also Hokas, mainly Cliftons, Rincons for myself. Back home in Britain many more people my speed race in the supershoes.

Kind of interested in this, but I'm not sure how it helps, whenever I've tried Brooks and ASICS in a shop they have been to wide for me.

Hoka and Brookes get pushed by my local shop quite heavily. Hoka Clifton was a shocker for me, felt dead despite the huge foam. I enjoy the adidas adios 6 as a daily all rounder that’s decent at faster speeds.

I'm 62 and have been running for 47 years now. I've run almost exclusively in Nike Pegasus since they first came out. When was that, the late 80s? Maybe 4-5-6 pairs each year. And all previous Waffle Trainers, Elite, LDVs, Tailwinds before that. I can't imagine what I've spent on running shoes over the years!

I use them for everything; Long runs, tempos, speedwork, longer races. I've never switched up shoe types for different workouts.

Dave

I'm 72 and have been running for 55 years. I'm averaging 45mpw this year. For most of my running career I have trained in minimalist shoes. I have found in the last couple of years that I finally need more cushioning in my shoes. I have been training mostly in NB's for about 10 years, which seem to have a good last for my foot shape. I have been training in the NB Fuel Cell Rebels since they came out, and, recently, got some NB FC Super Comp Pacers, which I rotate with the Rebels.

In case anyone was wondering where “serious non-elites” fall in the LRC pecking order, it’s as follows:

Kipchoge

Elites

Sub-elites

Unserious happy-go-lucky (UHGL) sub-elites

Very serious sub-elites

Serious sub-elites

UHGL non-elites

…

Serious non-elites

…

Serious water-bottled C25K’ers