The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a specialized marathon running shoe for runners who want some elite super shoe features but a more amateur-friendly design. The carbon-plated midsole gives the shoe some decent snap while still keeping your legs impressively cushioned over the marathon distance. The shoe is more geared toward the middle of the pack, so it lacks the lightweight, streamlined feel of more aggressive super shoes, and runners trying to break 3 hours in the marathon might find the YOGIRI SPEED too inefficient.
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Our Verdict
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a very good option for running a marathon. Its cushioning stays great throughout the full marathon distance, keeping your legs protected all the way to the finish. The forefoot's strong energy return and bending stiffness also help keep push-offs efficient throughout the race. The platform isn't particularly stable, though, so if your form breaks down, you might start to feel some wobbling
Cushioning holds up well for the full marathon distance.
Strong forefoot energy return keeps push-offs efficient for racing.
Platform could become unstable as your form breaks down.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a decent choice for short-distance racing. Its firm forefoot combines with a stiff rocker to give an efficient, propulsive push through toe-off. Still, you won't have as much leverage as in a dedicated racing flat, so it's not the punchiest option for an all-out effort.
Strong forefoot energy return keeps push-offs efficient for racing.
Forefoot isn't as rigid as a dedicated racing flat and lacks punch for all-out efforts.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a good long-run companion. Its cushioning barely fades over the course of a long run, so your legs stay well protected, and the forefoot rocker adds a bit of extra assistance rolling through your stride as fatigue sets in. The main drawback is the shoe's stability; the platform doesn't inspire quite as much confidence when your legs are tired.
Cushioning stays protective over the course of a long run.
Forefoot rocker adds extra assistance rolling through your stride as fatigue sets in.
Platform could become unstable as your form breaks down.
Relatively narrow platform doesn't inspire much confidence once your legs are tired.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a mediocre pick for everyday training. Its excellent shock absorption will keep your legs cushioned, but the carbon plate underfoot feels a bit too stiff for more relaxed running. The shoe also doesn't have the stable platform of a reliable daily trainer.
Excellent shock absorption keeps your legs cushioned.
Carbon plate feels too stiff for relaxed, easy running.
Lacks the stable platform of a reliable daily trainer.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 28, 2026: Review published.
- Updated Sep 22, 2026: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 14, 2026: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Sep 11, 2026: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Sep 01, 2026: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
We've bought and tested more than 250 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Energy Return
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED has decent, but uneven energy return. The forefoot is the much livelier half of the shoe, giving back a good share of the energy you put in as you toe off. The heel, meanwhile, is comparatively dull and doesn't provide much rebound on landing. Heel strikers will likely find landings to be quite flat.
Forefoot gives back a good share of energy at toe-off.
Heel provides little rebound, leaving landings feeling flat for heel strikers.
The forefoot of the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED does a very good job returning the energy you put into it. Thanks to the higher concentration of the livelier FF LEAP foam under the forefoot, push-offs feel lively and efficient, and race pace is easier to maintain.
Heel energy return is sub-par on the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. The higher proportion of the denser FF BLAST PLUS foam in the back of the shoe mutes any rebound. The ANTA C202 7 and New Balance SuperComp Rebel both do a much better job bouncing you forward onto your toes.
Stability
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is only okay in terms of stability. Its heel is reasonably firm, which helps keep the platform from feeling mushy underfoot. However, the outsole is fairly narrow relative to the shoe's tall stack, which can make the platform feel precarious, particularly if you land on the heel.
Reasonably firm heel keeps the platform from feeling mushy underfoot.
Relatively narrow outsole makes the platform feel unsteady, especially for heel strikers.
The heel is on the firmer side for a marathon shoe in its category, noticeably firmer than the ANTA C202 7. This helps keep heel landings reasonably stable for heel strikers.
The forefoot isn't especially firm, especially compared to more aggressive racing shoes like the ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO or even the ANTA C202 7. That keeps the forefoot landings from feeling harsh, but it also makes for a less stable foundation to push off against.
Cushioning
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED offers great cushioning. Regardless of whether you land on your forefoot or heel, you'll be well protected from the impact, and the cushioning does an impressive job absorbing even the heaviest heel strikes. That shock absorption holds up even over long distances, continuing to provide great protection even in our simulated 50k long run test.
Good protection from impact for both heel or forefoot strikers.
Cushioning holds well up over long distances.
The heel cushioning is very good on the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. It absorbs a substantial amount of impact, even at higher forces, so heavy heel strikers will be well protected.
Forefoot cushioning is excellent on the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. It provides plenty of protection at light and moderate forces, and still holds up well across a broad range of runner weights and paces, so most runners will get good protection under the ball of the foot.
The front of the shoe loses some of its shock absorption after the first 20K of a run, but mostly holds onto its protective feel as the miles add up. It stays more comfortable underfoot in the latter stages of the marathon than the ANTA C202 7.
Bounciness
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is reasonably bouncy, but the sensation you'll experience depends on where you land. The heel is more muted, with shallow compression and sub-par energy return, leaving heel landings feeling fairly flat. The forefoot is much livelier, both when compressing and decompressing, giving push-offs a more noticeable bounce.
Forefoot is lively, giving push-offs a noticeable bounce.
Heel compression is shallow with sub-par energy return, leaving heel landings feeling flat.
Snappiness
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is decently snappy. The forefoot gives back a good amount of energy loaded into it as it bends and unbends, and this combines with a reasonably stiff construction that provides decent leverage at toe-off. The rocker angle adds a bit of extra push through the stride, but the shoe lacks the truly snappy feel of a more aggressive racing shoe.
Forefoot unbends quickly, giving a springy sensation.
Midsole isn't firm enough to give solid foundation for pushing off.
The forefoot bending energy return is good on the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. A solid share of the energy stored as the forefoot bends comes back when it unbends, contributing to an efficient push-off.
The forefoot resists bending to a moderate degree, giving you some leverage to work with at toe-off. The shoe isn't designed to be as rigid as more aggressive super shoes like the ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO, so while the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED isn't as efficient, the extra give lets your foot flex a bit more naturally.
Roll
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED rolls well through the stride, especially if you land on your midfoot or forefoot. The rocker does a great job of holding its shape under pressure, so its pronounced curve consistently guides you onto your toes. The transition from heel to midfoot isn't quite as smooth, however, as the rocker is less pronounced in the rear of the shoe.
Rocker holds its shape well under pressure, consistently guiding you onto your toes.
Rolls especially well for midfoot and forefoot strikers.
Heel-to-midfoot transition isn't as smooth.
The rocker resists flattening well under load, so the guided roll it provides holds up consistently, even as you land and push off with more force.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED has a taller platform than its predecessor, the ASICS S4+ YOGIRI, but maintains the same moderate drop, which can accommodate both forefoot and heel strikers.
The heel rocker offers some guidance rolling from landing into midstance for heel strikers, but the angle is fairly shallow, so the transition isn't as smooth or assertive as in the ANTA C202 7.
True To Size
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is remarkably true to size. The length is spot on, so most runners can safely buy their normal size. The fit is snug, as we would expect for a racing shoe, so you might feel a bit of a squeeze through the arch or some scraping on the tops of your toes.
Length is true to size.
Forefoot has ample width for a racing shoe.
Snug fit may get uncomfortable around your arch or over your toes as your foot swells.
Wet & Warm Weather
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED performs great in wet and warm weather. The upper has good breathability, so your feet shouldn't get too overheated during a race. The shoe dries out quickly if it gets wet, and it doesn't take on much water in the first place, so it stays light even in wet conditions rather than turning soggy and heavy.
Breathability is good on the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. The upper allows enough airflow to keep warm-weather runs comfortable without your foot overheating.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is decently lightweight, although it's much heavier than more ambitious racing shoes like the ASICS METASPEED RAY or the ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO.
The top layer of the midsole is made of the same bouncy foam found in the more elite ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO racing shoe, while the bottom layer is made of a denser, more stable compound that's also used as a carrier foam in the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 33, which is a stability trainer.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED is a marathon running shoe that's designed with average runners in mind. It features some of the same elements found in more competitive racing shoes, like a carbon-plated midsole and highly responsive foam, but without the kind of aggressive ultra-streamlined design that can be too unstable for runners who don't have perfect form. Yet despite its middle-of-the-pack positioning, the YOGIRI SPEED is still not that stable and is biased in favor of forefoot strikers. For a shoe that follows a similar marathon racing formula, but that works better for heel strikers, check out the ANTA C202 7. If you want a shoe that can perform similarly on race day, but that's also more comfortable for training runs, try the New Balance SuperComp Rebel. The YOGIRI SPEED will work best for runners aiming for a marathon time in the four hour range, so if you're aiming for a much faster time, you might want to upgrade to a more competitive racing shoe like the ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO. If you're going to be on your feet for closer to five hours or more, consider a more cushioned shoe like the ASICS SUPERBLAST 3.
For more guidance on marathon racing shoes, see our recommendations for the best shoes for running a marathon. To see more options from ASICS, check out our picks for the best ASICS running shoes.
The ASICS YOGIRI SPEED has several meaningful improvements over the ASICS S4+ YOGIRI. The YOGIRI SPEED is a bit lighter, despite being higher-stacked and having better cushioning. It's a worthwhile upgrade, although the ASICS S4+ YOGIRI is still a good shoe if you can find it at a discount.
The ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO is a much more aggressive racing shoe than the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED. Get the EDGE TOKYO if you're aiming for a marathon time around three hours; consider the YOGIRI SPEED if you anticipate a finish time closer to four hours or longer.
The ANTA C202 7 is a better shoe for heel strikers than the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED, which is more biased toward forefoot strikers. The ANTA is also lighter and cheaper, so it's a good option for any runners willing to trade some cushioning for efficiency or a lower price. But both of these carbon-plated shoes will suit a wider swath of the marathon running pack than more elite super shoes.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the ASICS YOGIRI SPEED in men's US size 9, as noted on the label for our pair. The pair we purchased is the Aquarium/White colorway. As of September 2026, the only other available colorway is Energy Orange/White and no wide versions are available. The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other sizes to perform similarly.
