Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 vs Endorphin Pro 5: Which One for Your Half Marathon?

The difference between the Saucony Endorphin Speed and the Endorphin Pro comes down to the plate and the job. The Speed 5 is a tempo trainer with a flexible nylon plate that can also race. The Pro 5 is a race shoe with a stiff, forked carbon plate that can also handle some hard sessions. We haven't run in either shoe. This comparison is built from Saucony's and reviewers' published specs, RunRepeat's lab measurements and the reviews linked throughout, matched against what a half marathon plan actually asks you to do.

Endorphin Speed 5 vs Pro 5: specs side by side

Here are the published specs. The Speed 5 figures come from Believe in the Run's review, with widths from RunRepeat; the Pro 5 figures are Saucony's claims as listed by RunRepeat, plus RunRepeat's own heel measurement.

Because the two sets of claimed figures come from different sources, the fairest like-for-like view is RunRepeat's lab, which measured both shoes the same way:

Sources: RunRepeat's Endorphin Speed 5 review and RunRepeat's Endorphin Pro 5 review. Two things stand out. The heels measured within a millimeter of each other and returned almost the same energy, so this isn't a "big shoe vs small shoe" choice. The gaps are weight, where the Pro 5 is lighter by 0.9 oz on RunRepeat's scale (our arithmetic), and stiffness, where the Pro 5 measured about twice as stiff.

The real difference: nylon vs carbon

The Speed 5's plate is nylon, and for this version Saucony redesigned it with a single medial wing instead of two, which Believe in the Run says increases torsional flexibility. RunRepeat describes the result as a plate that adds stability and some snap while keeping a high level of flexibility, "unlike what carbon plates typically offer."

The Pro 5's plate is carbon, shaped like a fork with four curved prongs instead of one solid piece. RunRepeat says that design allows a little independent flex in the forefoot while preserving propulsion, and pairs it with PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN HG foams. It also notes the aggressive rocker won't work for everyone.

In practice, the Speed 5 bends and rolls more like a lively trainer, which is why it can cover a wide range of paces. The Pro 5 is built around the stiff plate and rocker, which is what you want at race effort and less of what you want on an easy day. If you're weighing whether carbon is worth it for you at all, read are carbon-plated shoes worth it before choosing.

Which suits your level

At the HALF tier, both shoes make sense, just not in the same order. Most runners get more use from the Speed 5 first, because it works across more days of the plan. The Pro 5 becomes the obvious add when race day is close and you want a dedicated racer. For other race-day options, see our best half marathon race shoes, and for your whole tier the Level Finder.

Where each fits in a half marathon plan

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 asks for every run at a comfortable, conversational pace, with a 5K tune-up race in week 6 and a 10K in week 9. There are no scheduled tempo runs. For a Novice 1 runner, a fast shoe is mainly a race-day and tune-up-race shoe, and the Speed 5 does that job while staying comfortable enough to wear on an ordinary midweek run.

Novice 2 adds race-pace running on some Wednesdays, and Intermediate 1 puts race-pace runs on Saturdays alongside five run days a week. Higdon's example: training for a 2:00 half means running 9:09 per mile on those pace days. That's the classic Speed 5 workload: faster than easy, repeated weekly, and too frequent to spend on a race-only shoe.

The Pro 5 fits the other end of the week. Wear it for a tune-up race or a pace run or two in the final weeks so you know how it feels, then keep it for the half itself. RunRepeat says it can also handle interval sessions and fast-paced long runs, so a Pro 5 owner doesn't have to treat it as untouchable. Our running shoe rotation guide shows how a daily trainer, a fast trainer and a race shoe split the load.

Fit, drop and durability

Width. The Speed 5 is listed in normal and wide. RunRepeat lists the Pro 5 in normal width only, so runners with a broad forefoot should try the Pro on before race week rather than after.

Drop. Both shoes are listed at 8 mm, but RunRepeat's lab measured the Speed 5 at 10.6 mm and the Pro 5 at 8.7 mm. If you're sensitive to heel-to-toe drop, or you're coming from a low-drop trainer, the Speed 5 will likely feel more heel-forward than its spec sheet suggests.

Feel. RunRepeat notes the Speed 5 now feels slightly bulkier than before, and Believe in the Run's reviewer summed it up as a solid tempo shoe that does a lot of things well but lacks a specialty. That's the trade for versatility. The Pro 5's trade is the other way: RunRepeat found it more control-focused than explosive, so runners chasing the most aggressive super shoe are pointed elsewhere.

Durability. RunRepeat measured 0.6 mm of outsole wear on the Pro 5 against its 1.1 mm average, which is unusually good for a carbon racer. If you want one race shoe to last a season of tune-up races and a goal half, that counts in the Pro's favor.

Who should buy which

Buy the Endorphin Speed 5 if

• You want one faster shoe for tempo days, track sessions and race day. Believe in the Run lists tempo days and track workouts as its best uses, and RunRepeat says it can be used for racing too.
• You need a wide width. The Speed 5 lists normal and wide; RunRepeat lists the Pro 5 in normal width only.
• You don't like stiff shoes. RunRepeat measured the Speed 5 as flexible and the Pro 5 as ultra-stiff.
• You want one pair to be both your 10K and half marathon fast shoe.

Buy the Endorphin Pro 5 if

• You already have a trainer for your faster runs and want a dedicated race shoe.
• You land on your heels and want a carbon racer that stays steady. RunRepeat rates it ideal for heel strikers and the best super shoe for runners uncomfortable with unstable designs.
• You plan to race a marathon after your half and want one race shoe for both.
• Durability matters: RunRepeat measured 0.6 mm of outsole wear on the Pro 5 against a 1.1 mm average.

Skip both if

You're in your first weeks of running or following Couch to 5K. Neither shoe is designed for run/walk intervals; a cushioned daily trainer is the right first pair, and our best half marathon shoes for beginners covers the options once you step up to 13.1.

What about the Endorphin Azura and Elite 3?

Saucony's Endorphin line has two more shoes worth knowing. The Endorphin Azura uses the same PWRRUN PB foam as the Speed with no plate and a taller 40 mm / 32 mm stack. Believe in the Run lists it as best for peppy, plateless road workouts, so it's the one to choose if you want the Speed's foam without any plate at all.

The Endorphin Elite 3 is Saucony's marathon-first flagship, with dual layers of IncrediRUN foam over a slotted carbon plate. RunRepeat calls its ride very unstable and recommends the Endorphin Pro 5 for runners who need even a small amount of stability. For most half marathoners, the Pro 5 is the better carbon Saucony.

Our call for a first half: buy the Speed 5 first, use it for your tune-up races and any pace runs, and race in it if it feels good at 10 miles. Add the Pro 5 later if you want a dedicated racer for your next half or a marathon.