Novablast 5

I have run more than 100 km in the Novablast 5, including a half marathon, a 10K race and a 30 km long run, so I have covered every kind of session a marathon block needs. FF Blast Max is a soft midsole with a lot of bounce, and I could feel that bounce in every run. I went from 4:00/km down to 6:30/km pace and had no problems at any pace. The upper is the big fix. The Novablast 4 had a thick upper that sat close to my toes, and after a half marathon I had breathability issues. This version uses a very light engineered mesh with more height over the toes, so air circulates well and the shoe feels lighter. Grip was fine in normal conditions; in the wet I would call it above average, the same issue every brand has when it gets very wet. ASICS gives the Novablast a wide base, which adds some extra stability, and you also get the heel padding and heel counter you want for long runs. At 6:30/km I was worried about stability, but I had none. If you run slower than that, though, you will feel it: your ground contact time is longer, and with a foam this bouncy you can't feel the ground, so your joints and muscles have to work harder over a long run. People online say the midsole goes flat after 300 km. After 100+ km the bounce feels the same as on day one for me, and I believe it will last 500–700 km. If you are a heavier runner, use this as your only shoe and run every day, you may lose that bounce before 500 km. This foam won't match the durability of the firmer Novablast 4. It sells for around ₹15,000 in India, and I doubt it will be discounted given how popular it is. For a runner at 5:00–7:00/km pace with no ankle stability issues who wants one fun, light, versatile shoe for a first half or full marathon, it is a great choice. Experienced runners can also use it for recovery days, long runs and relaxed running.