I review running shoes for a living: Here’s the pair I’ve chosen to wear for my 7th marathon, and it’s probably not what you’re expecting
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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness Managing Editor, which means she looks after everything fitness-related — from running gear and fitness trackers to yoga mats and sports bras. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so she knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone, running gels, and house keys. Jane has run six marathons — the London Marathon five times, and the Berlin Marathon once -and is still on a quest to tick off all of the marathon majors. Her marathon PR is 3:30, which she ran in the New Balance Supercomp Elite V5's, but she also spends a lot of time talking about her ‘joy plan’, where she runs for happiness, not for PR’s. Previous to Tom’s Guide, Jane worked for Runner’s World, where she co-hosted the Runner’s World podcast. She also presents on a YouTube channel called the Run Testers, alongside other running-mad journalists, where they review the latest shoes, kit, and tech. Her work has also appeared in Coach, Get Sweat Go, and Women’s Health. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her spaniel, Toby.
As a fitness editor, I spend my days writing about running shoes, so choosing a pair to wear on race day often feels (almost) as difficult as the race itself. The good news is, I’m currently a few days away from my seventh marathon, and I’ve settled on my race-day shoe — and it’s probably not what you’re expecting.
After testing most of the best carbon-plate running shoes on the market, I’ve chosen the New Balance Supercomp Rebel v1 as my race-day shoe, even though New Balance markets it as an everyday runner rather than a racer. Read on to find out why this shoe in particular made it into my hand luggage as I fly to Frankfurt, Germany, for my next 26.2-mile race.
SuperComp Rebel v1: $199 The New Balance SC Rebel v1 is a super trainer, designed for fast, everyday miles, with a good amount of versatility. View Deal
Ok, I ever-so-slightly lied — this shoe isn’t completely plateless. New Balance markets this shoe as a fast shoe for everyday runs, or a supertrainer, if you will. A lot of runners use the New Balance Rebel v1 for training and the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 for race day, yet despite running a PR in the New Balance SC Elite v5, every time I run in the Elite v6, I get a hotspot on the bottom of my heel, where the carbon plate sits, often leaving me with a blister.
The Rebel v1 has a carbon-infused Pebax plate, which is a little more flexible than the plate used in the SuperComp Elite v6, making it more comfortable for regular use. In other words, the plate is plastic, not carbon. But don’t let this put you off — it makes the shoe more affordable than a lot of carbon racers, and it’s actually more comfortable underfoot.
After running over 100 miles in this shoe, I think it still has enough speed underfoot to be a contender for race day, while also feeling fantastic on slower, easy miles. It’s not the most stable or supportive if you’re running slowly, but it comes into its own on longer runs at race pace and tempo sessions.
I’ve worn this shoe for a 22-mile long run, with a few miles at race pace, and found it coped with everything I threw at it. I personally find it a lot more stable than a lot of the more aggressive carbon plates, and it’s definitely an exciting shoe to run in.
My running coach used to tell me, "Control what you can control," and one thing no runner can control on the day of the race is the weather. Frankfurt looks pretty wet on race day, which is another reason I’m choosing the SuperComp Rebel v1, which, in my testing, has a good amount of grip even on wet roads.
Overall, I’ve been impressed with the versatility of this trainer, making it one of my favorite running shoes I’ve tested this year. Whether it propels me to a PR remains to be seen, but if you’re looking for a good all-rounder with a great deal of traction and a fun ride underfoot, this is a shoe to consider.