I ran a one-month shoe rotation because I wanted to stop buying based on hype. I used three pairs across easy runs, progression runs, and one weekly long run:
- Nike Pegasus 41
- Adidas Supernova Rise
- ASICS Novablast 4
I am a neutral runner, 35-45 km per week, mostly road surface.
Week-by-week feel
Week 1: everything felt fresh. Week 2: small differences in calf fatigue started to show. Week 3-4: true personality of each pair became obvious.
Pegasus stayed stable and predictable. Supernova became my comfort pick on days when legs were heavy. Novablast gave the most pop but required better pacing discipline early in the run.
Easy day and long day differences
On easy days, Pegasus helped me keep effort calm. Supernova was the least stressful pair after work when I was mentally tired. Novablast could feel too energetic for recovery pace if I was not careful.
On long runs over 20 km, Supernova surprised me the most. Not the fastest feel, but excellent late-run comfort.
Tempo day performance
For threshold efforts, Novablast was the most enjoyable. Pegasus handled moderate tempo but felt less snappy in final reps. Supernova was reliable but not exciting.
Who should choose which
- Pegasus 41: first serious trainer, low risk, balanced use
- Supernova Rise: one-pair setup for comfort + consistency
- Novablast 4: runners who want a lively daily trainer and can manage pace discipline
What I got wrong before
I used to judge shoes in the first 5 km. Now I wait until the fourth week. Durability of feel matters more than first-run excitement.
If I had to keep only one pair for this block, I would keep Supernova Rise. Not because it is the most fun, but because it helped me train regularly without nagging discomfort.
What I would do differently next rotation
I would introduce only two shoes at once for the first two weeks. Three pairs were useful for comparison, but harder for adaptation. I would also log ground temperature and weather, because road heat changed how midsoles felt.
One simple habit helped: I wrote one line after each run, not a full review. That kept notes honest and practical.