assistant: You're in a sweet spot for marathon training — good weekly volume, neutral mechanics, and a tight budget that still gets you excellent options. At 75 kg and 25 mi/wk, you need a shoe that absorbs impact without feeling sluggish on your faster days. All three of my picks sit right at or under $150 and are built for exactly this: steady daily miles plus the occasional tempo or long run. **Saucony Endorphin Azura v1** — My top pick. The Run Testers call it "more versatile" than comparable shoes at this price, and for marathon training that's gold. It's got a bigger stack (41/33mm) with PWRRUN PB foam that The Run Testers describe as "light, poppy, and propulsive" — meaning it won't feel dead on easy days but still has enough snap for your faster work. The Speedroll rocker handles the transition smoothly without a plate, so it's durable for 300+ miles of training. True-to-size fit with secure lockdown. **New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5** — A close second and arguably the most cushioned of the bunch. The Run Testers rate it as "one of the best New Balance shoes" they've tested in over a year, and it's a capable, versatile daily trainer at $145. It's slightly softer underfoot than the Azura, which some runners prefer for long runs and recovery days. **Saucony Ride v19** — The traditional workhorse. EDDBUD notes it's "more accommodating" than its predecessor with a wider heel and better outsole. At 38/30mm stack with soft PWRRUN+ foam, it's plush and forgiving — ideal if you want a shoe that feels like a cushioned daily trainer first and doesn't demand much from you. It's the heaviest of the three (255g), which matters less on easy miles but you'll notice it on tempo work. **One quick question:** Are you planning to race the marathon in one of these shoes, or will you have a separate race-day shoe? That'll help me know if any of these needs to double as your race-day trainer.

assistant: The **Nike Pegasus 42** is *not* the right pick for you at $145, and the expert data makes that clear. EDDBUD and Fordy Runs both flag the same problem: it's heavy (292–311g depending on size), and the ReactX foam feels "lifeless" and "boring" next to lighter, snappier competitors at the same price. For marathon training where you're doing 25 mi/wk with tempo work mixed in, you want a shoe that doesn't feel anchored — and the Pegasus 42 does. Fordy Runs nails it: "too heavy for a daily trainer." EDDBUD calls it "very middle of the road" and "not all that exciting to run in," and notes the full-length Zoom Air feels dated compared to modern PEBA-based shoes. The wide heel counter almost reads like a stability shoe, which you don't need. Unfortunately, my retrieved data only includes the Pegasus 42 for Nike right now, so I can't offer you a better Nike option. But here's the good news: the **Saucony Endorphin Azura v1** I mentioned earlier sits at $135–$140 depending on retailer, and it crushes the Pegasus 42 on every axis that matters for you — lighter (around 260g), snappier foam, and genuinely versatile for both easy miles and tempo work. The Run Testers describe it as "light, poppy, and propulsive," which is exactly what the Pegasus 42 is not. If you want to stay under $130, that's a tighter constraint. Do you have access to sales or discount codes, or are you strictly looking for shoes at or below $130 MSRP? That'll help me know if the Azura (often discounted below $130) is still in play or if I need to dig for other options.