About Pace & Pavement

What Pace & Pavement is

Pace & Pavement is a guide to running shoes and gear for road runners, organized by the one thing most “best running shoes” lists ignore: your level. A runner in week two of Couch to 5K, a first-time half marathoner and someone chasing a marathon finish need different shoes, and often different numbers of shoes. So every recommendation on this site answers a simple question: for which runner?

We define four tiers — Couch-to-5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon — by what widely used beginner plans actually ask of you: how many days a week, how long the long run gets, roughly how many miles a week. Then we match shoes to the job they do in that week: the daily trainer that carries most of your miles, the lighter shoe for faster days, the race-day shoe, the cushioned shoe for tired legs. The full method is on How We Pick, and the quickest way in is the Level Finder.

Who runs it

Pace & Pavement is published by Iron Mako Media. Every article, roundup and guide carries the byline of Mike M..

How we work

We build every ranking from documents anyone can check: the maker's own spec pages (stack height, heel-to-toe drop, weight, plate, foam, stability features, widths), measurements published by named independent reviewers (credited and linked where we use them), and published beginner training plans from the NHS and Hal Higdon. Scores follow a weighted rubric that's public. Each spec on a product card links to where it came from.

Claims we refuse to make

• We don't claim to have run in, worn or lab-tested the shoes we rank. No invented mileage logs or test results.
• We don't invent credentials, coaches, a test panel or experts.
• We don't borrow star ratings or review counts and present them as our findings.
• We don't print prices we can't verify live, and we don't invent discounts.
• We don't accept payment, free products or loaned gear in exchange for placement.
• We don't publish testimonials — we're a publisher, not a store.

How the site is funded

As an Amazon Associate, Pace & Pavement earns from qualifying purchases made through links on this site. The commission doesn't change what you pay and doesn't decide what we recommend. The details are on our affiliate disclosure, and our standards for sourcing, independence and corrections are in the editorial policy.

Get in touch

Questions, model suggestions and corrections are all welcome: email mike@blackironathletics.com or use the contact form. If you're just starting, begin with the Couch-to-5K section; if you're building toward a race, the half marathon and marathon sections are organized by the job each shoe does in your training.