assistant: For a sub-3 marathon at your weight and mileage, you're in the sweet spot for a carbon-plated racer. Your midfoot strike and 65 kg frame give you good options across the field — you don't need a super-light, bouncy shoe designed for featherweight runners, and you have the durability to handle a race-day shoe's shorter foam life. **Top pick: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite v4.** It's the most versatile pick for your goal. The Run Testers calls it "one of Tom's top carbon-plate race picks," and the NITROFOAM Elite midsole delivers high energy return with a soft, plush feel — rare in a racer. At 170g it's light without being spiky, and the 38/30mm stack (8mm drop) sits in the Goldilocks zone for midfoot strikers: enough cushion to absorb 26.2 miles, enough plate stiffness to drive tempo work. Durability is solid at 100+ miles, which is plenty for training runs plus race day. **Second choice: Saucony Endorphin Pro v4.** If you want a shoe that doubles as a training racer, this is it. Doctors of Running praises it as "a comfortable, stable-neutral super racer best for longer race distances" with a softer Pwrrun PB feel. The wider upper and high-volume fit lock down well once dialed in, and the 40/32mm stack (8mm drop) gives you a bit more cushion than the Puma — useful if you're running 60 mi/wk and want to train in your race shoe occasionally. Trade-off: it's slightly softer and less aggressive at very fast paces than the Deviate, but that matters less for a sub-3 than for a sub-2:50. **Third option: Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen v11.** Lightest of the bunch at 184g, and Doctors of Running notes it's "a massive upgrade over v10" with a much softer, bouncier Lightstrike Pro. The 32/25mm stack (7mm drop) and fiberglass plate make it snappier and more responsive than the Puma — ideal if you want to lean on turnover and feel the ground. Caveat: it's a 5K–10K specialist by design, so the lower stack is a trade-off for marathon distance. Works if you're confident in your aerobic fitness and want to race aggressively; riskier if you're banking on cushion to carry you through miles 20–26. For sub-3 at your pace (around 6:50/mi), the **Deviate Nitro Elite v4** balances cushion, responsiveness, and durability best. The Endorphin Pro v4 is the safer choice if you want to train in it. The Takumi Sen v11 is the racer's racer — go there only if you've logged serious tempo work in a similar stack and feel fast on your feet. One follow-up: have you raced in a carbon-plated shoe before, or will this be your first super-shoe?

assistant: **Alphafly v3** for your sub-3 marathon. It's the safer, smarter pick for 26.2 miles at your weight and strike pattern. Here's the core delta: the **Vaporfly 4** is a 5K–half-marathon specialist — it's 167g, stacked at 36/30mm, and built for short, fast efforts. The narrow forefoot fit and low durability rating (under 100 mi) are red flags for marathon distance. EDDBUD notes it's "hard to recommend over the Adios Pro 4" even at shorter distances, and at marathon pace you'd be asking a shoe designed for 10K racing to carry you through 20 miles of fatigue. The **Alphafly v3** is purpose-built for what you're doing. At 198g with 40/32mm stack, it's heavier and cushier — but that's the point. The ZoomX foam is bouncy without being jarring, and The Run Testers calls it a "superbly bouncy marathon racer that protects the legs well while still being very fast." EDDBUD loves it as a "super-forgiving, fun racer," and the 100+ mile durability means you can train in it and race in it without worrying about foam breakdown mid-effort. One caveat from FORDY RUNS: the soft ZoomX foam can overwork calves late in the race for first-time marathoners — but you're not a first-timer at this pace, and at 60 mi/wk your calves are conditioned. The Alphafly's moderate rocker and smooth transition will actually help you stay efficient through miles 18–26. **Verdict:** Alphafly v3 for the marathon. Vaporfly 4 is the racer's racer for 5K–10K; save it for a track goal down the line if you want it. Are you planning to train in your race shoe, or keep it fresh for race day only?