assistant: You're in a strong position — 25 mi/wk is solid base mileage for a first marathon, and a cushioned neutral daily trainer is exactly what you need for the bulk of your training. At your weight and mileage, durability and comfort over long efforts matter more than race-day pop. I'd lead with the **Saucony Endorphin Azura v1**. Doctors of Running calls it their #1 shoe of 2026 so far — a versatile, stable-neutral trainer with a late-stage rocker that handles both easy miles and faster efforts. At $150 (right at your ceiling), it's built for exactly this phase: cushioned enough for 18–20 milers, responsive enough that you won't feel sluggish on tempo work, and the rocker geometry will help your legs feel fresher on back-to-back long runs. If you want to stay comfortably under budget, the **New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5** ($145) is a strong second. The Run Testers notes it's a lightweight, soft, versatile daily trainer that excels at easy and long runs — less snappy than the Azura for speed work, but excellent for the high-volume easy days that make up most of marathon training. Fair warning: it runs slightly snug in the forefoot, so you may need a half size up. A third option is the **New Balance 880 v15** ($140). Doctors of Running praises its excellent stability and pronounced rocker geometry, making it the firmest and most structured of the group. If you prefer a shoe that feels more "planted" and protective on long efforts, this delivers that — though it's slightly less versatile for faster paces than the Azura. All three are true-to-size in length and wide in the forefoot, so fit should be straightforward. The Azura edges ahead for a first marathoner because its rocker + responsiveness will keep your legs engaged across the full training cycle without feeling either mushy or jarring. One quick follow-up: are you planning to race the marathon in the same shoe you train in, or are you thinking about a dedicated race-day shoe down the line?

assistant: The **Nike Pegasus 42** is a solid daily trainer and sits right at your weight and neutral pronation, but it's not my top pick for marathon training specifically. At $145, it's just over your new $130 budget—and more importantly, the mixed expert reception flags some hesitation in the running community. The ReactX foam is responsive but on the firmer side, which works fine for easy miles and tempo work, but reviewers note it lacks the plush, forgiving ride you'd want for the long 18–20 milers that define marathon training. It's a good shoe; it's just not the *best* shoe for this phase. Under $130, your options narrow significantly in my current data. The shoes I recommended earlier (Azura, FuelCell Rebel, 880 v15) all sit at $140–$150. Here's what I'd suggest: **If you can stretch to $140–$145, the Saucony Endorphin Azura v1 is worth the extra $10–15** — the rocker and cushioning are genuinely better matched to marathon training volume than the Pegasus. But if $130 is a hard ceiling, the **Pegasus 42 becomes more defensible** as a budget compromise. It'll handle your training fine; just know you're trading some long-run comfort for the price savings. Do you have flexibility on the $130 limit, or is that a firm constraint? That'll help me either find a better sub-$130 option if one exists in my data, or confirm the Azura as the smarter spend.