In this monthly article series, ultrarunner, race director, and coach Gabe Joyes answers reader questions about anything and everything running. Learn more about this ask-the-athlete column, and be sure to fill out the form below to submit your questions for a future article!
In this article, Gabe answers questions about how to reframe your effort when the outcome isn’t as you’d hoped, how to avoid palate fatigue during long efforts, learning about sweat rate, and more.
Gabe’s Tip of the Month
“That run felt harder than it should have.”
Have you ever uttered this statement after a run? Let’s break it down for a moment. Is what you really mean, “This run felt harder than I expected?” The truth is, a run feels exactly how it should based on your training status, fitness, fueling, hydration, sleep, and everything else going on in your life. What is the big deal here? “Should” is a word that is loaded with value and judgment. If you are saying, “I should have been better,” it is a sly way of putting yourself down and telling yourself that you are not good enough. Reframing it as, “That workout did not go as well as I expected,” opens the door for you to find solutions — like saving the spicy enchilada soup for after the workout rather than before, or making sure you got in the proper warm-up before training.
No one has the right to “should” on you, so don’t “should” on yourself either.
Luke Nelson accepting and feeling all the feels on a big day (or two) in the Gros Ventre Mountains. All photos courtesy of Gabe Joyes.
Palate Fatigue
How do you deal with palate fatigue during longer adventures and races? — Amanda
Alas, dear reader, you are not the only person who has ever been completely repulsed by another sip of your favorite watermelon-flavored sports drink that somehow gets its taste from so-called natural flavors — yet somehow tastes nothing like watermelon — and contains enough sugar to make a diet culture social media influencer have a tantrum. The struggle is real, and I’ve been so burnt out on overly flavorful snacks and sweets at the tail end of 100-mile races that I opted to eat nothing for the last 30 miles. I don’t recommend this strategy.
I’ve found that the best fueling strategy for ultrarunning is to think of your body as being in an almost flu-like state. What do you eat when you are trying to put yourself back together after the flu? The most bland, flavorless, yet high-calorie and easy-to-digest food available — often with plenty of salt. Think about it: Have soda, broth or soup, and potato chips ever been all you can stomach during the late struggles of a race? Anything that has a strong flavor — even flavors you love — will be unpalatable after many hours. My best advice is to go for flavorless gels and drinks paired with mostly bland and salty snacks. Save the fun and delicious meals and snacks for the days before and after, and keep race day all about getting to the finish line without swearing off yet another sports nutrition company.
Save the flavorful snacks for after the race!
Sweat and Sodium
Do you have a sodium intake goal for long and/or hard efforts? — Cameron
Amazing timing with this question, as just this past week, I visited Skratch Labs in Boulder, Colorado, for a proper sweat test. Hydration has been the major performance-limiting factor for me while racing, and with the HURT 100 Mile coming up in January, I wanted to make sure I was getting things right.
For years, I have been just guessing on how much sodium to take in, going off the fact that I’m always the most salty and crusty looking guy at the finish line of every race — both literally and figuratively. When my puppy was excited to see me come home from runs this summer, just so she could attempt to lick the salt off my legs, I knew it was time to dig deeper.
Your author contending for the most salty and crusty looking guy at the race.
The sweat test only took about 30 minutes, was perfectly pleasant, and proved an interesting experience. The chemical pilocarpine was rubbed on my arm to induce sweating, and the sweat was collected and analyzed using some fancy-looking science lab equipment. My sodium sweat concentration ended up at 1,200 milligrams of sodium per liter, which, as suspected, is on the higher side of average.
It’s important to note that the sodium concentration of your sweat does not change with temperature or humidity, but your total sweat rate does. If I am sweating out two liters of water per hour on a hot summer day — which I do — that means it’s recommended that I take in 2,400 milligrams of sodium an hour. It is no wonder I am always craving salty snacks after long runs. Your sweat sodium concentration might be totally different than mine, and the only way to know is to do your homework. In the past, I have attempted a sweat test with a cheap patch I ordered off the internet, but the results were wildly inaccurate as it suggested my sweat’s sodium concentration was only 10 milligrams per liter, so I do not recommend that. Precision Fuel and Hydration has widely available certified sweat testing centers that you can track down on the internet, but otherwise, I had an excellent experience at Skratch Labs.
Getting a sweat test performed at Skratch Labs in Boulder, Colorado.
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The best road-to-trail shoes will perform well on multiple surfaces. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Out of necessity or preference, many runners will traverse multiple surfaces throughout the course of a single run, and the best road-to-trail shoes will handle this varied terrain with ease. Whether it’s by adeptly transitioning between pavement and trail or providing a comfortable ride on dirt roads, road-to-trail shoes are versatile options that many runners have in their shoe rotation. Not for the first time, they’ve once again exploded in popularity recently, with seemingly a new option on the market every time you check.
Naturally, you might have some questions: What are road-to-trail shoes, and do I need them? Are they different from gravel shoes? Can I just run in my trail shoes on the road or road shoes on the trail?
Our team is here to answer those questions and help you parse through the endless options. While we have longstanding and frequently updated guides on the best road running shoes and the best trail running shoes, this is our first guide on the best road-to-trail shoes. Our product recommendations include shoes that our testing team have been using for years on both roads and trails, and some that are newer to us. In all cases, our testers logged at least 100 miles — and usually much more — in every shoe in this guide before making their recommendations. They ran on a variety of surfaces — roads and trails, of course, but also gravel and packed dirt, from Colorado to California to North Carolina, all in the hope of helping you find the best road-to-trail shoes for your needs.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 10.2 oz (290 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 37/27 mm | Drop: 9.5 mm
Pros:
Tremendous midsole foam
Breathable and comfortable upper
Can handle almost everything
Cons:
Not the best performer on technical trails
The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 was our top pick for road-to-trail shoes. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 has everything you’d want in a road-to-trail shoe. It’s incredibly comfortable, versatile, and durable, making it our top pick for this guide.
Any discussion of this shoe has to begin with its midsole, which Nike upgraded to its ReactX foam. This is the brand’s high-end foam behind only its premium ZoomX, which comes in most of its more expensive shoes. The foam is lively and provides tremendous cushion, most noticeably when the run approaches double-digit mileage or transitions between roads and trails. After running 150 miles in these shoes, our primary tester experienced no signs of compression in the midsole and said the shoes felt as comfortable as ever.
The upper is also top-notch. It’s a single layer of highly breathable mesh with well-placed overlays to help keep out dirt, sand, and moderate amounts of water. The ankle collar, particularly around the Achilles notch, is also much improved from previous versions, and a gusseted tongue stays in place and protects the top of the foot well.
Nike redesigned the outsole by making it wider and utilizing a proprietary rubber material that improves the grip and makes it less stiff on roads and packed dirt. This is not the shoe to take on highly technical trails, as it struggles with traction in those conditions.
For the roads and less technical trails and runs that feature them both, this shoe is hard to beat, making it one of our top picks in our Best Trail Running Shoes and Best Nike Running Shoes guides.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 10.7 oz (303 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 35/29 mm | Drop: 6 mm
Pros:
Strong balance between agility and protection
Can handle technical terrain
Energetic and well-cushioned ride
Cons:
High-volume toebox is not for runners with narrow feet
The Brooks Cascadia 19 is an agile shoe on roads and trails alike. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Cascadia line has been around for more than two decades, and the Brooks Cascadia 19 was our tester’s favorite version thus far. It strikes a near-perfect balance between dynamism and protection, allowing it to be a go-to shoe for your road-to-trail adventures.
While most of the other shoes in this guide are primarily suited for smooth trails, this shoe can handle more rugged terrain. In fact, our tester’s first run in these shoes was an 11-mile adventure through the rocks and rubble of Colorado’s Front Range, and they performed admirably. With 4-millimeter lugs that shed mud easily and a durable, sticky TrailTack Green outsole, they offer ample traction for the trails without being overbearing for the roads. If your road-to-trail runs hit more technical trails, this shoe would be a worthy companion.
Even better, they’re also light and agile enough for smoother surfaces. Brooks dropped the weight of this shoe to 10.7 ounces (U.S. men’s 9) and added its nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 foam in the midsole, creating a zippy, well-cushioned ride on roads and smooth trails. For a shoe that’s been clunky in the past, this version of the Cascadia is a refreshing change, making it one of our top choices for road-to-trail runs. It also appears in our Best Trail Running Shoes guide.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.3 oz (264 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 42/34 mm | Drop: 8 mm
Pros:
Offers a smooth ride on roads and light trails
Well-cushioned and comfortable
Cons:
Does not perform well on technical trails
The Hoka Challenger 8 can provide plenty of cushion across varied terrain. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Hoka Challenger 8can sop up miles on pavement, dirt, and non-technical trails along with the best of them. Like many Hoka shoes, it has ample cushion — it’s often described as the trail version of the Hoka Clifton — and this version significantly increased the stack height to 42 millimeters for men and 39 millimeters for women for an even plusher ride. Both of our testers said that even with this extra cushion, the shoes don’t feel mushy, but it still could be too much for runners used to more responsiveness and a close-to-the-ground feeling.
The outsole features moderate 4-millimeter lugs, which offer a smooth ride for roads and trails. Our testers loved this shoe for those surfaces and everyday easy runs, but they noted that it didn’t perform as well on more technical terrain or faster efforts. After splashing through creeks, this shoe drained and dried well, and after 130 miles, it has shown minimal wear.
Overall, it’s a durable, comfortable shoe that we loved for everyday road-to-trail runs.
Keep your eyes open for a full Hoka Challenger 8 review.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.5 oz (269 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 42/34 mm | Drop: 8 mm
Pros:
Fast, lively, and versatile
Great upper
Stylish
Cons:
Expensive
Not for heel strikers or technical trails
The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra was our top choice for a road-to-trail racing shoe. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is the brand’s ultramarathon racing shoe, worn by many runners hunting podium finishes at some of the biggest races in the world. Professional trail runner Ruth Croft won the 2022 Western States 100 in a prototype of this shoe, while Tom Evans followed suit in the 2023 race. Those victories underscore the best features of this shoe: It’s fast, lively, and designed for running on relatively smooth surfaces.
While most super shoes opt for a carbon plate in the midsole, this shoe features four PEBA-composite rods, spread out toward the edges of the forefoot with two more prongs extending to the heel. The result is enhanced stability without the typical rigidity of a carbon plate, making it uniquely suited to running on smooth trails. Combined with two layers of the brand’s Lightstrike Pro Foam, the same foam adidas uses in its road racing shoes, the shoe offers a fast, responsive ride. Our tester appreciated this shoe’s upper as well. “The upper material is quite thin but actually has a lot of structure,” he said. “I found that it became a little more forgiving over time and became more comfortable.”
The most polarizing aspect of this shoe is its rocker. It’s aggressive, it’s extreme, and if it works for your foot, it’s extremely effective. The rocker, plus the midsole features, is what makes this shoe so fast, but it comes at the admittedly significant expense of stability for certain types of runners. The rocker is designed seemingly exclusively for forefoot and midfoot strikers, offering an incredibly fast and fun ride for those runners. But for heel strikers, it’s a different story. Some heel strikers find that the rocker begins so far forward that they simply can’t run in the shoe, so if you know that you land toward the back of your foot when you run, we’d suggest pursuing a different option.
On the outsole, the lugs are only 2.5 millimeters deep, making it a viable option for road-only runs, too. Our primary tester has used it in that capacity plenty of times and found that the lugs don’t drag along the pavement. Because of its 42-millimeter stack height and the aggressive rocker, this shoe doesn’t perform well on technical trails, so we’d recommend another option if your road-to-trail runs involve more technical terrain. But if you’re a midfoot or forefoot striker seeking a fast shoe for smooth roads and trails, this shoe will be a worthy companion on race day.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.6 oz (274 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/23 mm | Drop: 6 mm
Pros:
Excellent grip on dry, hard surfaces
More natural feel without sacrificing cushion
Nimble and responsive ride
Cons:
Run a half-size small
Not for wet conditions
We loved the Inov8 Trailfly because of its traction. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
One of the drawbacks of many road-to-trail shoes is their suitability for technical terrain. Enter the Inov8 Trailfly, a grippy, lower-to-the-ground shoe with excellent traction on dry, hard-packed surfaces from pavement to technical trails. This is the shoe for those runs that feature truly varied terrain.
While Inov8, a brand born in England’s famously rainy Lake District, has carved out a niche for shoes that thrive in the mud, this shoe strikes the opposite note. With relatively low-profile 4-millimeter lugs on its sticky Graphene Grip rubber outsole, it’s designed for running on packed, dry surfaces. Our primary tester found these shoes to be comfortable on forest roads and pavement while still excelling in more technical terrain, making it an excellent choice for those who want more grip on their road-to-trail runs.
Aside from its grip, what sets this shoe apart is its anatomical fit, which Inov8 calls its Natural Fit. Our tester characterized it as the perfect balance between hugging the foot’s natural contours while still providing ample space in the toebox. With a stack height of 29 millimeters at the heel and 23 at the forefoot for a 6-millimeter drop, this shoe offers a more natural, approachable feel than many of the high-drop options that dominate the market without sacrificing cushioning. Its Powerflow Pro foam in the midsole still offers ample cushion for longer efforts, and the removable insole features hundreds of squishy foam beads to boost energy return. The upper is simple, breathable, and comfortable.
It’s important to note that these shoes tend to run small, so it’s best to order a half-size up.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.4 oz (266 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/29 mm | Drop: 0 mm
Pros:
Grippy outsole
Reliable, comfortable midsole
Race ready
Cons:
Expensive
More of a dirt path shoe than a road-to-trail shoe
Zero-drop shoes aren’t for everyone
The Altra Mont Blanc Carbon is a race-ready zero-drop shoe. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Altra Mont Blanc Carbon is a zero-drop, carbon-plated shoe ready to move fast on moderate singletrack and gravel roads. This is the first time Altra has produced a true race-ready trail shoe.
The Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole of this shoe shines. One of the most respected outsole materials across trail running shoes, the Megagrip lives up to its name, offering ample traction without feeling too burdensome when the surface flattens. Our tester loved this shoe on gravel roads and singletrack but found its performance diminished on pavement, so if your road-to-trail runs involve more road than trail, we’d recommend looking for a different shoe. In this way, this shoe is more of a gravel or moderate trail shoe than a road-to-trail shoe, two categories that are often conflated.
The midsole of this shoe features a full-length carbon plate that offers both propulsion when you’re moving fast and protection when the pace slows — acting as a carbon-rock plate combo. Altra used its Ego Max foam for the rim of the midsole and Ego Pro foam in the core, a combination that, along with the carbon plate, offers a fast, fun ride, making it a strong choice for race day.
Our tester noted that this shoe feels narrower than other Altra shoes she’s worn, but said it still has an ample toebox and an upper that feels breathable and secure. The shoe’s laces are, in the eyes of our tester and other reviewers, too long, a small but strange issue for a shoe, especially one that costs $260.
This shoe also has a sleeker look than many of Altra’s other options. For those who can’t stomach paying $250-plus for a pair of shoes, our tester also liked the Altra Mont Blanc Speed, which lacks a carbon plate but offers many of the same features as this shoe for $75 less.
Finally, it’s important to note that zero-drop shoes aren’t for everyone, especially those who’ve never run in them before. We always recommend doing research, figuring out what works best for you, and easing into zero-drop shoes if you haven’t run in them before.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.0 oz (254 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 33/28 mm | Drop: 5 mm
Pros:
Versatile
Performs well on technical trails
Improved durability and stability
Approachable price
Cons:
Not as specialized as other options
Deeper lugs are less ideal for road running
The Hoka Torrent 4 is a durable shoe for everyday road-to-trail miles. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Hoka Torrent 4 is an approachable, everyday running shoe with moderate cushion that can handle a mix of surfaces from technical trails to gravel roads. Our primary tester characterized it as “just a nice everything shoe.”
The upper provides a locked-in fit and a wider, roomier feel than previous versions. Underfoot, Hoka added two millimeters of stack height for some extra cushioning, striking a good balance between cushion and responsiveness and making it a worthy choice for everything from workouts to 100 milers. While it doesn’t have a rockplate, it’s much more stable and durable than previous versions of the shoe, which could feel packed out and mushy after just 100 miles. After 140-plus miles, our primary tester experienced no issues with excessive wear and no ankle turns, an issue that had plagued her in previous versions.
With 5-millimeter lugs, this shoe handles technical trails better than most other shoes in this guide, but it is not as adept on pavement. Aside from that, this shoe does basically everything well — and at $130, that value is hard to beat, which is why we also featured it in our Best Trail Running Shoes guide.
Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.9 oz (281 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 37/27 mm | Drop: 10 mm
Pros:
Tremendous surface and functional versatility
Excellent outsole
Great value
Cons:
Requires a break-in period
The Nike Pegasus 41 is a highly versatile road shoe. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Nike Pegasus 41 is one of our testing team’s most beloved shoes. It has appeared in multiple guides, from Best Running Shoes to Best Half Marathon Running Shoes, and its versatility on a variety of surfaces also lands it in this guide.One of the primary reasons we love this shoe so much is that it does so much so well. While this shoe is technically characterized as a daily trainer, you could use it for workouts and races, too. Nike uses its classic waffle-inspired rubber outsole on this shoe, making it a go-to option for those runs that hit multiple surfaces. Our primary tester ran in these shoes on pavement, gravel, and dirt roads, and trails — sometimes in a single run — and they were the only pair that iRunFar Founding Editor Bryon Powell wore for his course-record win at last year’s Ultra Gobi 400k, a run through the desert that traversed multiple surfaces. This outsole is one of the best we’ve ever tested.
In the midsole, Nike upgraded the cushioning to its ReactX foam, one of its premium foams that offers a smooth, comfortable ride underfoot. The upper is made of a breathable engineered mesh and has a wider fit, making it more inclusive than previous versions. Overall, this shoe is a workhorse that can do basically everything well.
Actual Weight (U.S. women’s 10.5/men’s 9): 9.3 oz (263 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/21 mm | Drop: 8 mm
Pros:
Lightweight and stylish
Runs well on pavement, dirt roads, and gravel
Women-specific fit
Cons:
Unstable on technical terrain
Not suited for longer efforts
The Merrell Antora 4 is a solid option for roads and light trails at an affordable price point. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Merrell Antora 4 is a women-specific shoe that can run well on a variety of surfaces, including pavement, gravel, smooth dirt roads, and non-technical trails. It’s another shoe that can serve multiple purposes at a lower price than more specialized options, at the expense of not excelling at anything specific.
The upper, made of engineered mesh with TPU overlays, is breathable and provides adequate protection on smooth surfaces, and after more than 100 miles of desert running, it has shown little sign of wear. On mellow terrain, the shoe feels solid, but once you hit more technical trails, you can feel its lack of lateral stability. In the midsole, Merrell uses an EVA foam, which provides decent cushioning on shorter efforts but is probably too firm for longer ones.
While Merrell classifies it as a trail running shoe, we’d put it in a less robust category due to its lack of rockplate and robust cushioning. The outsole features durable 3-millimeter lugs that transition well between surfaces but do not provide enough grip for technical, loose, or muddy trails.
Style is, of course, subjective, but this is one of those shoes that stands out because of the way it looks. Our tester said that it looked “petite” and comes in several appealing colorways, including some floral prints, making it a shoe that wouldn’t look out of place in non-running contexts. You could wear them to the grocery store or coffee shop without, in the words of our primary tester, “your look screaming Trail Runner.”
Overall, this is a solid option for those seeking a women-specific shoe that looks good and performs well on roads, gravel, and light trails. The men’s version of this shoe is the Merrell Nova 4.
The best road-to-trail shoes can handle pavement as well as trail. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Glossary
Road-to-Trail Shoe: A shoe that is designed for running on both roads and trails. Depending on their construction, road-to-trail shoes can serve you well on several surfaces, from pavement to trails to packed dirt and gravel roads. Road-to-trail shoes typically feature a blend of features typically associated with road shoes and trail shoes, like ample midsole cushioning, lugs, and rock plates. None of the shoes in this guide are designated as road-to-trail shoes, but all tick the various boxes that make them good on a variety of surfaces.
Stack Height: The amount of cushion between your foot and the ground, measured in millimeters at the heel and forefoot. Though stack heights can range from 10 millimeters to 40-plus millimeters, they typically fall between 25 and 35 millimeters for most shoes.
Drop: The difference in stack height between the heel and toe, measured in millimeters. Higher drops indicate more cushion at the heel than at the forefoot, and often mean the shoe is better suited for heel strikers. A lower drop indicates the cushion is more evenly dispersed throughout the shoe and helps create a more responsive ride. Low-drop shoes are typically better for midfoot or forefoot strikers. Drop is also often called “heel-to-toe drop” or “offset.”
Upper: The top of the shoe, which includes everything above its midsole
Midsole: The layer(s) of foam between a shoe’s outsole and upper. The midsole is often considered the most important part of a shoe because it provides the cushion.
Outsole: The bottom of the shoe, usually made of a rubber-like compound, that makes contact with the ground.
Lugs: The small rubber cleats on the shoe’s outsole that provide traction on trails and other unpaved surfaces. Road-to-trail shoes typically have lugs 2 to 4 millimeters deep.
Toebox: The front part of the shoe, which surrounds the ball of the foot and toes. Runners with wider feet will want to search for shoes with a wider toebox.
The right road-to-trail shoe can transition between surfaces with ease. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
How to Choose Road-to-Trail Shoes
Surface
This is a guide for road-to-trail shoes, so all of our picks perform well on both surfaces, but the relative proportion of your time on each surface and the type of trail you plan to run could influence your choice. Will most of your miles be on pavement with just a little non-technical trail sprinkled in? A true road shoe that can handle light trails, like the Nike Pegasus 41, would be a good pick. Do you plan to run on mostly gravel or dirt roads? The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra or Altra Mont Blanc Carbonboth excel in that arena, as does the Merrell Antora 4 for those seeking a women-specific fit. Will you find yourself on technical trails at some point during your road-to-trail run? The Inov8 Trailfly offers excellent grip in these conditions, and the Brooks Cascadia 19 and Hoka Torrent 4 also perform well when the trails get steeper and more technical.
Or maybe you just want one shoe for every surface outside of the most technical trails. In that case, we’d recommend going with our top overall pick, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5.
Our testers loved the outsole of the Nike Pegasus 41. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Use
In addition to maximizing fun, using shoes for their intended purpose is both a good way to extend their lifespan and boost your training. While versatility is one of the top things we look for in most of the shoes we review, the reality is that some shoes are better suited for different purposes.
If you’re looking for a shoe to race on relatively smooth terrain, we’d point you toward the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultraor the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon— both are carbon-plated super shoes that will give you some extra juice when you’re hunting a PR. They’re lightweight, bouncy, and, of course, expensive, both costing upward of $200. Most of the other shoes on our list could be used for racing, too, but none of them would offer the same performance as these two.
For an everyday trainer that could double as a workout shoe, we loved the Nike Pegasus 41 and the Hoka Torrent 4. Both are light enough to move relatively quickly while still holding up over hundreds of miles.
The Nike Pegasus 41 is versatile enough to be an everyday trainer and workout shoe on both roads and trails. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Cushion
A shoe’s cushion, typically characterized by its midsole foam and quantified by its stack height, is often considered its most important feature. Accordingly, companies spend a lot of time and money researching and developing the best foams for running shoes. In the era of highly cushioned shoes, we have entire guides devoted to the Best Cushioned Running Shoes and the Best Cushioned Trail Running Shoes, and several shoes with high stack heights and premium foams made it in this guide.
How much cushioning you need is likely dependent on what you’ll primarily be using the shoes for. If you plan on putting in lots of long efforts, a more cushioned shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, which has a stack height of 42 millimeters, could be a good option. The Hoka Challenger 8 is another option with lots of cushion that our testers loved for everyday road-to-trail runs. If you’re seeking a more responsive, low-to-the-ground feel, meanwhile, a shoe like the Inov8 Trailflyor Merrell Antora 4, which each have a stack height of 29 millimeters, might suit your needs better. The Hoka Torrent 4, with 33 millimeters of stack height, strikes a nice balance between cushion and responsiveness.
The type of foam also matters. Our testers love the ReactX foam in the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 and Nike Pegasus 41. It’s one of the company’s premium foams, second only to the foam it uses in its racing super shoes. Our primary tester of the Altra Mont Blanc Carbonenjoyed the foam combo of the brand’s Ego Max and Ego Pro.
Some runners prefer lots of cushion, while others prefer a more responsive feel. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Drop
Drop refers to the difference in stack height between the heel and toe, and it can range from more than 10 millimeters to zero. Shoes with higher drop, like the 10 millimeters of the Nike Pegasus 41 or the 8 millimeters of the Hoka Challenger 8, offer more cushioning at the heel and are therefore typically better suited for heel strikers. A more moderate drop, like the 6 millimeters of the Brooks Cascadia 19or the 5 millimeters of the Hoka Torrent 4, signifies the cushioning is spread more evenly throughout the shoe and can encourage a foot strike that lands near the middle or front of your foot. And then there are zero-drop shoes, like the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon, which has the same amount of cushioning at the heel and forefoot. Running in these shoes typically requires ample build-up before your leg muscles and tendons are ready to handle the majority of your miles in them.
Cost
Cost might be the first thing you consider when buying shoes. While it’s hard to find a quality shoe under $100 these days, the upper end of shoe price points can push $300, so there’s a lot of variation. To that end, we tried to include a range of shoes at a variety of price points in this guide, and we believe that even the lower-priced options are great shoes.
Our least expensive pick, the Hoka Torrent 4 at $130, is also among the most versatile, adept at handling pavement and more technical trails. While there’s nothing super fancy about this shoe, it’s a good, everyday pair that can rack up the miles for half the cost of the most expensive shoe in this guide. The Merrell Antora 4 ($140) is another shoe in this category. In the middle price range, you’ll find shoes like the Inov8 Trailfly ($150) and Brooks Cascadia 19 ($150), which have the traction to handle more technical trails, and the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 ($155), which boasts a stellar foam and outsole. And at the high end, the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra ($220) and Altra Mont Blanc Carbon ($260) are the most specialized, with premium foams and carbon plates that make them race-ready. We’d recommend them for anyone hunting fast times.
At $130, the Hoka Torrent 4 is a cost-effective option that can handle everyday miles on multiple surfaces. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Why You Should Trust Us
To make our picks for this guide, we asked our highly experienced team of testers across the country which shoes they turned to for road-to-trail runs. Our testers run in several shoes each year, noting their fit, comfort, cushion, responsiveness, traction, and more. They run in every pair they recommend for at least 100 miles — and usually more — on every surface and in every condition imaginable. The shoes that made it into this guide are their standout choices for mixed-terrain runs. We’ll continue to update this guide based on our continued testing of new shoes that come on the market.
Our experienced team of testers ran at least 100 miles in all the shoes that made it in this guide. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need road-to-trail shoes?
The running industry often makes you think you need the next big thing, and right now, one of them is a pair of road-to-trail shoes. While they certainly have benefits, you don’t need to buy a pair of shoes specifically for road-to-trail runs, or a pair that the brand specifically markets as “road-to-trail.” A pair you have right now — or a versatile, affordable shoe like the Hoka Torrent 4 — might do the trick.
The best road-to-trail shoes thread the needle between the two surfaces. They offer protection and stability on the trails, they’re not too clunky or luggy for the roads, and they strike a balance between cushion and responsiveness for both surfaces. In the view of our testers, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 and Hoka Challenger 8were the shoes that checked all of these boxes the best.
Can I just wear road or trail shoes for road-to-trail runs?
Yes! In fact, none of the shoes we selected for this guide are marketed specifically as road-to-trail shoes. Eight of them, including our top pick, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5, are trail shoes, and one of them — the Nike Pegasus 41 — is classified as a road shoe.
What all of these shoes have in common, of course, is good performance on both surfaces. That means they have some type of traction for the trails — and some of the luggier ones like the Inov8 Trailflycan handle more technical terrain — without being overbearingly sticky on pavement. Lots of road shoes and trail shoes are versatile enough to handle both surfaces. The Brooks Cascadia 19 is another shoe that can transition between the roads and more technical terrain with ease.
All that said, we also want you to get the most out of your shoe for the long haul, which means using it for its intended purpose. Our picks for road-to-trail shoes are purposefully versatile, but several aren’t meant for technical trails, and others aren’t meant for long efforts on the road.
A pair of trail shoes is often all you need for road-to-trail runs. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
How should I choose a road-to-trail shoe?
You should first ask yourself what you plan to use the shoe for: mostly road running, mostly trail running, mostly gravel or dirt running, everyday miles, workouts and races, or some combination of all of these. A shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultraor the Altra Mont Blanc Carbonwould be an excellent choice for fast efforts on smooth terrain, whereas the Brooks Cascadia 19 would be better suited for runs that feature both roads and trails with rocks and roots.
Once you’ve determined your primary purpose for them, consider how the shoe fits and feels when you try it on for the first time. As a basic rule of thumb, you want a shoe to be comfortable out of the box and to get more comfortable as you break it in. You want a pair that’s secure enough to offer a comfortable ride on multiple surfaces without being constricting. Next, you want to determine your preference for cushioning. Are you seeking something with a more traditional low-to-the-ground trail feel, like the Inov8 Trailfly, or a more cushioned option like the Hoka Challenger 8? Overall, you want a shoe that’s comfortable and performs well on the surfaces you run.
What’s the best road-to-trail shoe?
The best road-to-trail shoe is the one that meets your needs and budget. For some people, that means going for a super shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, while others just need the everyday simplicity of a shoe like the Merrell Antora 4.
Because of its versatility and comfort, our top pick for road-to-trail shoes was the Nike Pegasus Trail 5. It checks almost all the boxes we were looking for in a true road-to-trail shoe.
What’s a “gravel shoe”? Should I also be buying a pair of those?
No! “Gravel shoe” is just the latest branding trend that companies like to use to make their products seem new and different. Over the years, shoes that can handle pavement, dirt and gravel road, and mildly technical trails have been labeled hybrid shoes, road-to-trail shoes, door-to-trail shoes, all-terrain shoes, crossover running shoes, and, most recently, gravel shoes. There’ll be a new name for the same type of shoe in a few years, unless companies recycle an old one! Regardless of the label, all of the road-to-trail shoes we chose for this guide will serve you very well on gravel.
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Runners from all 50 states and 43 countries took part in the second annual event
LAS VEGAS, Nev. –The Las Vegas Marathon returned on Oct. 26 with over 5,000 runners taking part. The race featured three distances, a marathon (26.2 miles), a half marathon (13.1 miles) and a 7.02-mile race spotlighting the local 702 Las Vegas area code. Participants and spectators had the unique opportunity to wrap up their race day with the Official Post-Race Party presented by Meow Wolf Omega Mart. Full race results are now available online here.
Trevor Giampa, the men’s marathon champion and overall first-place finisher, completed the 26.2 miles in 2:23:30. He was followed by the men’s marathon second-place finisher Graham Peck and third-place finisher Devon Williams. The women’s marathon course was led by Jennifer Smith who finished in 2:42:50. The second and third-place finishers for the women’s marathon were Carina Heilner and Lydia Cromwell. Jose Luis Solis Sanchez claimed first in the marathon’s gender-expansive division with a time of 4:13:39, followed by second and third-place finishers Angelo Sanabria and Shannon Gould.
The men’s half marathon division was led by JJ Santana, who finished with a time of 1:01:45, while Ellie Stevens led the women’s division with a time of 1:08:56.
Rodolfo Fernandez took first place in the men’s 7.02 mile race with a time of 40:54. The women’s division was led by Poppy Tank who finished in 38:04, while the gender expansion division was led by Maxwell Thao with a time of 1:06:12.
“We were thrilled to welcome runners back for another incredible race weekend. Although we had to make adaptations to this year’s event, we are grateful to all the runners and community members who navigated these changes with us and contributed to another memorable year of racing,” said Phil Dumontet, CEO of Brooksee, producer of the Las Vegas Marathon. “We look forward to continuing to work towards bringing back a race course that showcases even more of the incredible City of Las Vegas!”
Following a year of conversations with the City of Las Vegas, Clark County and local stakeholders, organizers adapted the race course exclusively for 2025 to provide a safe race experience that limited road impacts. The one-time adaptation featured a fast, downhill course that began near the original Mt. Charleston Lodge, taking runners through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest with panoramic views of the surrounding desert and mountains before descending toward Las Vegas. The half marathon started midway down Kyle Canyon Road, offering equally scenic views, while the 7.02-mile course provided a shorter tour through the palm-lined streets of Centennial Hills. All races finished at Arbor View High School, where participants and spectators enjoyed a lively Finish Festival featuring live entertainment, food and beverages, recovery stations and local vendors.
Runners had the opportunity to celebrate post-race with entertainment and festivities presented by Meow Wolf Omega Mart. Each participant also received a high-quality, race-specific medal and shirt, with opportunities to upgrade and collect additional swag from local and national vendors at the pre-race Expo. The Las Vegas Marathon event was proudly supported by sponsors including Meow Wolf Omega Mart, Superpower and Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers.
The Las Vegas Marathon launched in 2024, and offers three distance options: a marathon, a half marathon and a 7.02-mile race that spotlights the local 702 Las Vegas area code. The Las Vegas Marathon is produced by Brooksee, an endurance event production and services company committed to elevating the event experience for endurance athletes. Brooksee was founded in 2012 and was created in the vision of an all-in-one event production powerhouse where technological innovation and endurance events collide. Brooksee produces a portfolio of other premier road races, including the Portland Marathon, the Mesa Marathon, the Phoenix Marathon and the REVEL Race Series. For more information, visit www.brooksee.com.
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Grammy-winning DJ runs 5k personal best; A$AP Ferg, DJ A-Trak and Mark Ronson among celebrity finishers; 12,000 participants turn out for inaugural race-meets-music festival event in Queens
QUEENS, N.Y. – October – 27, 2025 – More than 12,000 participants took part in the inaugural Diplo’s Run Club New York 5K on Saturday morning at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, blending a world-class road race with a post-run music festival where the Grammy-winning producer and DJ was joined by Mark Ronson and a lineup of celebrity friends and guests.
The event, which sold out before race day, ranks among the largest debut running events in New York City in more than a decade. Participants ran a 3.1-mile loop past landmarks including the Unisphere, the New York State Pavilion, and tree-lined paths before finishing near the Fountain of Planets.
The energy of the crowd was palpable throughout the morning, with many participants wearing costumes, dancing at water stations, and staying for the full concert. Diplo, dressed as Forrest Gump, completed the race in 19 minutes, 56 seconds – a new personal best for the 5K distance.
“My goal was just to finish under 23 minutes,” Diplo said after finishing. “So I ran fast. I had a good pacer, and he motivated me. When you’re running with people, anything’s possible.”
Notably, the race became the first-ever 5K featured on Polymarket, the decentralized prediction market, with over $203,000 in betting volume wagered on Diplo’s finish time. It marked Polymarket’s first collaboration with a music artist, the first bet on a running event and the first live-streamed race wagered on globally.
Diplo was joined at the event by America Foster, the newest member of his multi-Platinum, genre-defying project Major Lazer, who was in attendance as the group celebrated the release of their new single “BRUK DOWN,” which dropped on Friday. The event was broadcast live on Major Lazer’s Twitch channel, drawing more than 200,000 unique viewers. A$AP Ferg also made a surprise appearance after completing the race.
“Diplo’s 5K run and festival was lit,” he shared on Instagram. “I was under the weather but still put in dat work. Thank you to my running family who gave me the strength to keep pushing.”
Joining Diplo at the start line were Peloton instructor Jess King and longtime friend DJ A-Trak, while Ronson served as opening act and completed the 5K in 24 minutes.
“I’ve only been running about a year,” said Ronson, the award-winning DJ, producer, and songwriter. “But the idea is to DJ for 12,000 people outdoors at 10 am, which is much more my hours, and then to run 24 minutes, which was actually kind of my best time. It was perfect. All of it. It was perfect.”
The overall race winner was Jaime Del Alamo, 37, of Madrid, Spain, with a time of 16:02.
“This race has such a cool festival vibe,” said Del Alamo. “I like running, and running and partying is a good combination. I thought I had a chance to be near the front. I didn’t know I’d win – but wow – winning feels good.”
Brenda McRae, 40, was the women’s winner in 18:37.
In partnership with PLUS1, a nonprofit that helps artists and brands maximize social impact, a portion of event proceeds will benefit youth across all five boroughs. Support includes new sports equipment, apparel, and footwear for underserved kids through national nonprofit Good Sports.
Diplo’s Run Club continues its national tour with the next stop in San Diego on November 8, 2025. For complete results, photos, and more, visit www.diplosrunclub.com.
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The AI registration platform partners with global organizer, Vacation Races, to elevate the runner experience
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Let’s Do This, the AI registration platform specialized for endurance events, has announced its new partnership with Vacation Races, a leading organizer of global destination races. Vacation Races is now utilizing the Let’s Do This registration software, with 15 races currently live on the platform and additional races to be added in the upcoming months. Through Let’s Do This, runners interested in Vacation Races’ events will be able to streamline the registration process and seamlessly discover, access and register for their preferred race.
Vacation Races is recognized as a Top 20 endurance event organizer by annual recurring revenue and hosts approximately 26,000 participants per year, placing it among the Top 50 U.S. organizers by event size. Vacation Races has built its reputation on delivering exceptional domestic and international events. Their portfolio includes the acclaimed National Park Half Marathon series across iconic U.S. landscapes, global all-inclusive running adventures, and a commitment to sustainability initiatives like cup-free racing and zero-waste stations.
Vacation Races aims to promote fitness-centered travel through domestic and global adventures, offering a diverse range of running events catered to various experience levels and travel interests. Its mission is to create unique experiences that push human potential while showcasing the world’s most inspiring destinations. To enhance participants’ journeys, the company supports trip planning and offers opportunities to explore each location beyond race preparation. Vacation Races provides free half marathon training programs and all-inclusive global adventure packages with accommodations, meals, and local transportation. Participants can join half marathons, ultra marathons, or Trailfest runs offered across six continents.
“At Vacation Races, we’re always looking for ways to grow and enhance the experience we deliver to our runners,” said Crystian Kumnick, managing director at Vacation Races. “Partnering with Let’s Do This gives us a technology partner that’s not only at the forefront of innovation, but one that truly cares about our mission and community. Their continued investment in registration technology, AI and data-driven growth tools positions us to expand our events and reach more runners across the globe. We’re excited to work with a team that shares our values and is committed to helping us build for the future.”
“We are excited to partner with one of the most desirable and reputable organizations in our industry, Vacation Races, to support their growth ambitions as they continue to scale across the US and internationally,” said Sam Browne, CEO at Let’s Do This. “With our strong suite of growth tools, alongside our continued investment in AI to transform registration technology, we hope to supercharge their team’s ambitions to give more people life-changing events in some of the world’s most inspiring locations!”
Let’s Do This was founded with the mission of building an online platform that gets people together offline. Through its AI registration platform, the company inspires people to attend events with friends and introduces innovative features that reshape endurance event management. Let’s Do This prides itself on developing collaborative partnerships that drive growth for some of the biggest and most innovative organizers in the industry. Let’s Do This and Vacation Races share a commitment to delivering unique experiences in inspiring destinations worldwide.
Let’s Do This is the AI Registration Platform for endurance events, driving growth and supercharging an event organizer’s capabilities. The Let’s Do This team is a true partner every step of the way – from launch strategy to event day and beyond. Let’s Do This scales word-of-mouth growth through its social tools including teams, invites, and referrals. Its AI-Native approach unlocks new capabilities for its customers, with powerful event management, marketing, customer service, and data tools. Let’s Do This is the exclusive partner to the world’s most popular marathon (TCS London Marathon – London Marathon Events), the world’s largest half marathon (AJ Bell Great North Run – Great Run Company) and the world’s largest 10k (AJC Peachtree Road Race – Atlanta Track Club), as well as innovative brands like Ragnar Events and Diplo’s Run Club. Backed by over $80 million from top-tier investors including Y Combinator, Craft Ventures and Headline, as well as athletes like Serena Williams and Usain Bolt, LDT is building the future of participation. For more information about Let’s Do This, visit letsdothis.com.
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The race is one of the biggest 100 milers in the country. The five-lap course, held at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, is flat and fast, with just 6,296 feet of climbing. It is a Golden Ticket race, too, with the first two women and men earning automatic entry to next year’s Western States 100.
Women
Tara Dower was second at the Black Canyon 100k at the start of the year, but illness kept her from getting to the Western States 100 finish in June.
She got that 100-mile finish here, and then some.
Dower ran 13:31 on trails for 100 miles. She won by almost a full hour, and it was way up on Camille Herron’s old 14:03 course record from 2021. The time makes Dower the second-fastest North American woman over 100 miles ever, and the win also offers an automatic entry back into Western States in 2026 for a redemption run.
Running 100 miles for the first time, Beth McKenzie was second in 14:31, and Addie Bracy ran a giant 100-mile personal best for third in 14:45. McKenzie’s time ranks fifth best ever at Javelina, and Bracy’s time is the race’s eighth best ever.
Pre-race contenders Valérie Arsenault (Canada) and Careth Arnold did not finish.
Social media is reporting that Dower and Bracy received and accepted the Western States 100 Golden Tickets.
[From 2016 to 2018, Beth McKenzie (née Gerdes) served a two-year doping sanction after testing positive at the 2016 Ironman Australia for ostarine, a prohibited selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).]
He’s not totally a 2025 ultra rookie, but what a breakout year it’s been for Will Murray. The 30-year-old was a shock runner-up at February’s Black Canyon 100k when finishing under the old course record. Then he was eighth at the Chuckanut 50k, a late scratch at the Western States 100, and set a new course record at Colorado’s Grand Traverse 40 Mile in August.
And now this.
Murray smashed the old Javelina 100 Mile course record and upset defending champion David Roche. Murray won in 12:10. That’s 33 minutes better than Jon Rea’s old course best from 2023. Murray did it by breaking the race open in the third lap, and now he’s the fifth-fastest North American man over 100 miles, ever.
Second-place Roche, and third-place Canyon Woodward, blew up the old course record, too. The two ran 12:18 and 12:19, respectively. Woodward was almost five minutes back of Roche at mile 90, but closed really well to make up time on both Roche and Murray.
Social media is showing that Murray and Woodward received and accepted the Western States 100 Golden Tickets.
Will Murray, the 2025 Javelina 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo: Howie Stern
The men’s top five were:
Will Murray – 12:10:12
David Roche – 12:18:06
Canyon Woodward – 12:19:58
Chris Andrews – 12:48:39
Caleb Bowen – 13:09:59
Early frontrunner Gavin Prior didn’t finish, and neither did Rajpaul Pannu, who has run 100 miles in 11:52 before as the second-fastest North American man over the distance.
The race started at 7 a.m. on Saturday, October 18 with 72 runners from 40 different countries and ended after 114 hours, nearly five days later.
Current backyard ultra record holder Phil Gore (Australia) won with 114 “yards” or laps, each 4.16 miles in distance, that totaled 475.0 miles over 114 hours. Gore typically ran his laps the fastest of the lead group, banking minutes of sleep that added up to hours when compared to the others.
That’s incredible, but it didn’t get to Gore’s 119-lap, or 495.8-mile backyard ultra record from June 2025.
Ivo Steyaert (Belgium) and Harvey Lewis (U.S.), both former world record-holders, were second and third with 113 and 111 yards, respectively, or 470.8 and 462.5 miles.
Jon Noll (U.S.) matched Lewis with 111 yards but a greater cumulative time running.
The top five men were:
Phil Gore (Australia) – 114 yards, 475.00 miles
Ivo Steyaert (Belgium) – 113 yards, 470.83 miles
Harvey Lewis (U.S.) – 111 yards, 462.50 miles
Jon Noll (U.S.) – 111 yards, 462.50 miles
Kazuhiro Kawahata (Japan) – 106 yards, 441.66 miles
The race doesn’t have men’s and women’s divisions, but Sarah Perry (U.K.) set a new women’s backyard ultra record with 95 yards, or 395.8 miles, in 95 hours. That bested Megan Eckert’s former 87-yard, 362.5-mile record.
Eckert herself topped that old mark too with 92 yards and 383.3 miles here.
Sarah Perry on her way to a new women’s backyard ultra record. Photo: Jacob Zocherman
Additional Races and Runs
2 Peaks Skyrace – Yeongnam Alps, South Korea
Women’s winner Anastasia Rubtsova (Neutral) blasted the women’s field on the 22k course with a 3:12 winning time that placed her sixth overall. That was 20 minutes faster than everyone else, and it was Rubtsova’s fifth series win of the year. Natalie Beadle (U.K.) and Svetlana Tkachenko (Neutral) were second and third in 3:32 and 3:42. Italians Gianluca Ghiano and William Boffelli had each won two Skyrunner World Series races this year, but Nicolás Molina (Spain) took both down here. Molina ran 2:45 to be a minute better than Ghiano and Boffelli. Both Ghiano and Boffelli finished in 2:46, with Ghiano three seconds in front. Full results.
Anastasia Rubtsova, the 2025 2 Peaks Skyrace women’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World SeriesNico Molina, the 2025 2 Peaks Skyrace men’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Sobrescobio Skyrace – Asturias, Spain
Naiara Irigoyen led a Spanish sweep of the women’s podium in 3:23. Patricia Pineda and Greta García came next in 3:30 and 3:32. Irigoyen’s time was a new course record. For the men, Frédéric Tranchand (France) made it two in a row. A month after winning the Trail Running World Championships Short Trail race, Tranchand won his first Skyrunner World Series race of the year. As in Spain a month ago, Tranchand won out over Alain Santamaría (Spain) and Manuel Merilllas (Spain). Merillas had jumped to the lead after a late downhill surge, but he couldn’t hold it and got run down. Tranchand ran 2:40 on the 32k course with 2,100 meters of elevation gain for a new course record. Santamaria and Merillas ran 2:46 and 2:49, respectively, for second and third. Full results.
Naiara Irigoyen, the 2025 Sobrescoio Skyrace women’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World SeriesFrederic Tranchand, the 2025 Sobrescoio Skyrace men’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Javelina 100k and 31k – Fountain Hills, Arizona
Women’s winner Katie Asmuth got to second overall in 8:32, and Jordan Maddocks won for the men in 8:29. Asmuth’s time was the race’s third-fastest women’s time ever. In the 31k, Rachel Hurley and John Raneri won in 2:47 and 1:59, and Raneri’s finish was a new course record. Full results.
Autumn Leaves 50/50 – St. Paul, Oregon
In the 50-mile race, Bethany Pflug was first for the women in 9:23, and Casey Kemp won the men’s race in 6:37. In the 50k, Christine Haas and Riley Bier won in 5:11 and 4:39, respectively. Full results.
According to social media, Zach Bitter ran 11:48 for 100 miles and 11:55 for 101.5 miles on a 1.9-mile loop hosting 6-, 12-, and 24-hour races. Bitter, who was in the 12-hour race, holds the 100-mile North American record at 11:19 from 2019. Official results haven’t yet been posted, and it’s not clear who won all the other races, including for the women. Leave a comment to share more information on this event! Full results (when available).
Door County Fall 50 Mile – Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Erika Miller and Adam Sanchez won the point-to-point road run in 6:41 and 6:02. Full results.
Bridge Burner 50k – Canon City, Colorado
Natalie Nicholson won the women’s race in 4:47, and Isaac Overmyer brought it home in 4:16. Full results.
Natalie Nicholson, the 2025 Bridge Burner 50k women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.Isaac Overmyer, the 2025 Bridge Burner 50k men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
No Business 100 Mile – Jamestown, Tennessee
The ninth annual race ran as a giant loop through the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Michelle Magagna and Anthony Groft won in 20:27 and 19:31. Both times were new course records for the clockwise direction. Full results.
Mammoth Cave 50k – Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Race winners Crystal Wheatley and Ben Camuel did it in 5:01 and 4:11. Full results.
Cactus Rose 100 Mile – Rocksprings, Texas
Madeline Green led the women’s field in 34:05, and Philip Arneson won it for the men in 25:08. Full results.
Madeline Green, the 2025 Cactus Rose 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.Philip Arneson, the 2025 Cactus Rose 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Stone Steps 50k – Cincinnati, Ohio
Molly Kash and Jonathan Pahren won in 5:21 and 4:56. Full results.
Coldwater Trail 50k – Anniston, Alabama
The inaugural event had Raven Johnson and Justin Grunewald as its first-year winners in 5:17 and 4:01. Both earned automatic entry to next year’s Leadville 100 Mile. Full results.
Womp Womp 50k – Hingham, Massachusetts
Race leaders Holly Proulx and Jason Baker finished in 5:00 and 3:54. Full results.
Holly Proulx, the 2025 Womp Womp 50k women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.Jason Baker, the 2025 Womp Womp 50k men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.Pria Parker, the 2025 Womp Womp 50k non-binary winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Mendon Trail Run 50k – Mendon, New York
Women’s winner Jessie George won the overall in 4:22, and Bryan Ruggeri led the men in 4:27. Full results.
Ozark Trail 100 Mile – Steelville, Missouri
Heidi Williams won it for the women in 28:16, and Chris Roberts led the field home in 19:23. Full results.
Heidi Williams, the 2025 Ozark Trail 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.Chris Roberts, the 2025 Ozark Trail 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Call for Comments
Course records fell this week! Which one did you think was the most impressive?
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Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel is heading off-road. The 30-year-old marathoner announced this week that she’ll make her ultramarathon debut next February at the Black Canyon 100K, a point-to-point trail race in Arizona known for its fast, rugged course and deep elite field. The move comes as Seidel begins a new chapter in her career, … Read more
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The sign over the inflatable start/finish line of the 2025 Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championship reads “there is no finish,” but that’s not true. There was a finish, for one runner anyway. It just took 114 hours and 475 miles of running to get there.
For the uninitiated, the backyard ultra is a concept so simple it’s flat-out maniacal. Run a 4.167-mile loop on the hour, every hour, until you can’t go a step more. This format, invented in 2011 by who else other than Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell, mastermind of the Barkley Marathons, has gained enormous popularity over the past decade-plus. So much so, his original race, Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, or simply “Big’s” now serves as the world championship for a season of backyard ultras around the world.
The world championship alternates as an individual competition on odd years and national team competition on even years. That means many of the 75 runners who toed on the line at 7 a.m. on October 18, 2025, in Cantrell’s literal backyard in Belt Buckle, Tennessee, have spent two years training for this one objective.
After 114 hours of racing—that’s 4 days and 18 hours, and also a jaw-dropping 475 miles—Australian firefighter Phil Gore, 39, finished Big’s Backyard Ultra as the last runner standing. Belgium’s Ivo Steyaert is credited with the assist after lasting 113 laps.
“You stink!” Gore’s wife Gemma cried into his shoulder at the finish before asking, “You done?”
“Forever,” Gore replied.
Gore, who set the backyard ultra world record this June with 119 laps (496 miles) at the Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra in Queensland, Australia, used his experience and speed to his advantage. He averaged just 46 minutes per lap (just over 11 minute-per-mile pace), giving him time to eat, power nap, and take care of himself before having to go back out and do it all again at the top of the hour. (In comparison, Steyaert averaged 53:52-minute laps.)
Gore emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle with Steyaert and America’s Jon Noll and Harvey Lewis (a two-time world champ). The Americans dropped after 111 laps (or “yards”), and Steyaert made it two more before becoming physically incapable of carrying on. After one more lap, that made Gore the 2025 Backyard Ultra World Champion.
Sarah Perry Sets Women’s Backyard Ultra World Record
Sarah Perry rings the bell after tapping out of the 2025 Big’s Backyard Ultra in a new backyard ultra world record of 95 laps. (Photo: Jacob Zocherman)
Just four women toed the start line of the 2025 Big’s Backyard Ultra. But they made the most of it. Sarah Perry, 34, from the U.K. set a women’s backyard ultra world record of 95 laps (395.8 miles), surpassing the 84-lap mark set Megan Eckert last year. She finished as the second woman this year with 92 laps.
“It took me two whole days to warm up,” Perry told Outside Run. “My legs felt awful and I seriously questioned what I had done wrong and considered that maybe I had overtrained.”
But Perry, an accomplished fell runner who runs for Inov8, powered through. She trusted the process and just continued to put one foot in front of the next as temperatures yo-yoed from above 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day to under 40 degrees at night, with sun and rain pelting down intermittently.
“Thankfully I came out of the other side and finally found what can only be described as a flow state,” she said. “There were many lows including IT band pain, torrential rain and sickness. The highlights are endless, I was literally living my dreams and couldn’t believe that I was competing at Big’s, in Laz’s backyard with people that I usually watch from afar.”
On the Ground (Literally) at Big’s Backyard Ultra
Covering a backyard ultra is hell. Covering the world championship, where runners are inclined to runner longer than ever, is lunacy. That means there was just one person for the job: Jacob Zocherman, a Swedish veteran combat photojournalist who has covered armed conflicts and natural disasters across the world ranging from the South Sudan to Yemen, the Central African Republic to Haiti.
For nearly a week, Zocherman subsisted in a tent at the start/finish on Cantrell’s property, hardly sleeping as he captured the harrowing beauty and insanity of this event for the rest of us living pretty back at home.
We asked Zocherman to document the life cycle of this event, and he delivered. Enjoy.
As ultra runners, we’re always looking for tools and resources to support our training and racing goals. Check out this resource that fellow runners have found valuable.
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The running scene in New York City matches the vibrant and diverse pulse of the area, offering myriad route opportunities, from riverfront runs to city park loops. Tack on the literal hundreds of running clubs and a number of iconic races, and you’ve got a community that matches the hustle of the city.
One such running club is Mile Style Run Club, a Bronx-based club that started with humble roots in 2016 and has grown into a group that hosts upward of 90 runners. The club’s founder Miguel Hernandez saw the health challenges the Bronx faced — ranking as the most unhealthy county in New York state — and felt the pull to do something about it.
The Bronx, New York.
Running started out as a personal love affair for Miguel and turned into a deeper mission to grow a community of runners in his home borough. Watch Miguel’s story in the video below, sponsored by HOKA. Then read on for trail recommendations, run clubs to check out, the best running events in the city, and where to find a fresh pair of HOKA running shoes in the city.
[Editor’s Note:Click here to watch the full film on YouTube.]
Where to Run in New York City
The best thing about running in the city? You can lace up, step out your door, and take off. But if you’re looking for something more specific, check out our AllTrails picks below or head over to AllTrails to see more recommendations.
Central Park Trail
This route on the Central Park Trail starts at the southern end of Central Park and goes through iconic highlights of the area, including the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, East Meadow, and Harlem Meer, before ending at the northern boundary of the park. This trail is a respite from the city where you can run in the trees and through sprawling lawns.
Trail Details
AllTrails Rating:4.6 stars
Level: Easy
Length: 3.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 190 feet
Hudson River Greenway: Battery Park to Riverside Park
The Hudson River Greenway follows the Hudson River and goes by Little Island, the iconic floating park. Enjoy riverside views the entire length of the trail or head over to Little Island and check out the scene from there.
Trail Details
AllTrails Rating: 4.7 stars
Level: Easy
Length: 5.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 75 feet
Prospect Park Loop
If you’re looking for a run that feels social-adjacent, head out on the Prospect Park Loop. This route goes around Prospect Park, which hosts concerts and dance performances in the summer. During the summer months, the park is usually filled with people enjoying the sunshine, and the trail goes through a ravine of the city’s last remaining forest.
Trail Details
AllTrails Rating: 4.7 stars
Level: Easy
Length: 3.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 154 feet
Miguel Recommends: Van Cortlandt Park Trail
This trail gives you a good route through most of this secluded park in the city. Located in The Bronx, the pathway is mostly paved though some sections aren’t. You can trim and adjust this trail based on your mileage needs or pick up different offshoots as you run.
Trail Details
AllTrails Rating: 4.4 stars
Level: Easy
Length: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 429 feet
New York City Run Clubs to Check Out
The city hosts around 200 running clubs, so there’s no shortage of groups to join up with and get immersed in the community. If you’re looking for a bank of running clubs to check out, head over to the New York Road Runners site for club info. Below are a couple of run club suggestions.
Mile Style Run Club
Every Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m., join Miguel Hernandez at 940 Garrison Ave in the Bronx for an open community run and walk. There’s no membership fee, and Mile Style Run Club is a community-based group with a mission to improve the overall health and well-being of Bronx residents. Find them on Instagram for up-to-date info.
World’s Fair Run Crew
The World’s Fair Run Crew is a HOKA-sponsored club based in Queens. Every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m., they meet at Pong Arena Sports Bar for a 3- to 4-mile, all-pace community run. There’s no membership fee to join.
Running Events in New York City
When you think of races in New York City, the first thing you might think of is the TCSNew York City Marathon, which is among the largest marathons in the world. In 2024, it had 55,646 finishers.
Below are a few lesser known events to sign up for if you want to get a taste of New York City races.
BKLYN MILE
This annual road race runs along Kent Avenue under the Williamsburg Bridge and then through the heart of North Brooklyn. So we ask: How fast can you run a mile? The mile-long race brings in the most competitive runners while also appealing to those of all abilities and experience levels. According to the race’s website, “Running the BKLYN MILE is like getting shot out of a cannon and falling into a mosh pit. But in an exhilarating way.”
Front Runners Pride Run
Since 1982, the FRNY LGBT Pride Run has grown to become the largest LGBTQIA+ sporting event in New York City and one of the largest in the world. The race is four miles long and the course goes through Central Park, starting on East Drive. A portion of the proceeds from the event goes toward donations to New York-based LGBTQIA+ organizations.
Where to Find Your Next Pair of HOKA Shoes
If you’re ready to lace up in a fresh pair of HOKA running shoes to lay down some miles in New York City, head over to the HOKA brand store on 579 5th Ave or the Flat Iron store at 172 5th Ave.
[Editor’s Note: This article is sponsored by HOKA. Thank you to HOKA for its sponsorship of iRunFar, which helps to make iRunFar happen and free for all to enjoy. Learn more about our sponsored articles.]
As ultra runners, we’re always looking for tools and resources to support our training and racing goals. Check out this resource that fellow runners have found valuable.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
Participants and families raced through the festive course with costumes and high-energy fun
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – SeaWorld San Diego welcomed runners and walkers for the second annual Howl-O-Sprint 5K Run presented by Road Runner Sports on Oct. 19, 2025. Participants experienced a spirited 3.1-mile course winding through the park’s marine life exhibits, complete with Halloween-themed decor, costumed characters, and festive photo opportunities. Families also joined in the fun with the Kids 1K Run, adding to the celebratory atmosphere that blended fitness, community and seasonal excitement.
The men’s 5K division was led by Tim Vail, who finished with a time of 16:23, followed by second and third-place finishers, Shelby Hernandez Jr. and Sergio Estrada. Brigitte Doctor led the women’s division with a time of 19:08. Hollie Sick and Brandi Crown came in shortly after to claim second and third place in the women’s 5K. Manuelita Badachi placed first in the non-binary division, finishing the 3.1 miles in 23:12, with Nolan Michelle and Reina Remigio claiming second and third-place in the non-binary 5K.
“The Howl-O-Sprint is such a highlight for us,” said Sean Daughtery, Vice President of Operations for SeaWorld San Diego. “It combines family, fun, fitness, and a festive Halloween atmosphere, providing participants a unique chance to enjoy the park in an unforgettable way.”
The event featured a lively morning filled with costumes, high-energy music and support from SeaWorld team members and spectators along the route. Participants were awarded a race shirt and one-of-a-kind finisher medal, with top finishers receiving Road Runner Sports gift cards. Many guests extended their day by enjoying SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular and Howl-O-Scream activities, rounding out the experience with trick-or-treating, themed entertainment and nighttime scares.
For more information about the SeaWorld Howl-O-Sprint 5K and all SeaWorld events, visit SeaWorld San Diego’s website.
ABOUT SEAWORLD
SeaWorld is a leading marine life theme park and accredited zoo and aquarium that provides experiences that matter while educating and inspiring guests of all ages to care about marine life. Welcoming millions of guests every year, the parks offer fun and enriching experiences from up-close animal encounters and year-round educational programs to award-winning marine-life themed rides and attractions, special events and exciting entertainment. For more than 60 years SeaWorld has advanced the conservation of marine life in and outside its parks through science, education, and exceptional animal care that is Humane Certified by American Humane and accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. SeaWorld is one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world, helping more than 41,000 animals to date. The SeaWorld Conservation Fund, a non-profit foundation established in 2003, has provided more than $20 million to nearly 1,400 organizations to advance critical research on every continent. A portion of park proceeds goes toward supporting these longstanding conservation commitments. SeaWorld parks are in Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). SeaWorld is part of the United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS) portfolio of theme park brands. For more information, visit us at SeaWorld.com.
As ultra runners, we’re always looking for tools and resources to support our training and racing goals. Check out this resource that fellow runners have found valuable.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
