assistant: You've got several solid options at your budget. For a first marathon at your mileage, I'd lead with the **Saucony Endorphin Azura v1** — it's the most versatile pick here, handling easy miles with comfort but also giving you enough pop for the tempo and long-run work that marathon training demands. **Saucony Endorphin Azura v1** ($150) is built on a PWRRUN PB midsole with a pronounced Speedroll rocker. The Run Testers call it "light, poppy, and propulsive" with "better at the slower miles" — exactly what you need for base building. At 41/33mm stack, you get real cushioning without sacrificing responsiveness. Doctors of Running notes it "absorbs load at easier paces, comes alive when leaning in," which means it won't feel sluggish on recovery days but won't hold you back on tempo work either. If you want a softer, more traditional daily trainer feel, **Saucony Ride v19** ($140) is a dependable alternative — higher cushioning, lower energy return, and a bit more accommodating for high-mileage weeks. The tradeoff: it's less lively for faster work, but if your marathon plan is mostly easy miles with occasional tempo runs, it's a solid choice. A third option: **New Balance 880 v15** ($140) if you prefer a firmer, more structured ride with a pronounced rocker. Doctors of Running highlights its "excellent stability" and rocker geometry, making it a good pick if you want a shoe that feels planted and controlled on longer efforts. **Quick question:** Are you planning to do most of your marathon training in the same shoe, or are you thinking about rotating trainers? That'll help me refine whether the Azura's versatility or the Ride's pure comfort is the better fit.

assistant: The **Nike Pegasus 42** is at the edge of your budget at $145, and honestly, it's not the best fit for your marathon training. EDDBUD calls it "very middle of the road" and "not all that exciting to run in" — the ReactX foam feels lifeless, and at 292–311g depending on size, it's heavier than lighter PEBA-based trainers at the same price. For a first marathon where you're building 25 mi/wk into higher volume, you want a shoe that feels responsive on tempo work and doesn't feel sluggish on long runs. The Pegasus 42's full-length Zoom Air is predictable but uninspiring, and reviewers note it rides more like a mild-stability shoe than a true neutral daily trainer, which doesn't match your profile. **Under $130, I don't have additional options in my current data** — the Saucony Endorphin Azura v1 at $150 and Ride v19 at $140 are the strongest picks I can confidently recommend for your marathon plan. Both outpace the Pegasus 42 on energy return and versatility. If you're firm on staying under $130, your best move is to check whether the Azura or Ride drop in price at your local running store or online — they often dip below MSRP. Otherwise, stretching to $140 for the Ride is worth it over the Pegasus 42; you'll get a more cohesive marathon trainer. What's driving the $130 ceiling — is it a hard budget limit, or are you open to $140–$145 if the shoe is clearly the right fit?