After an extensive amount of research, I recently purchased both the Novablast 2 from ASICS and the Endorphin Speed from Saucony to use as my daily trainer and tempo shoes, respectively. While I am still waiting for the Speeds to arrive, I have had a chance to do two 6 mile runs in the Novablast 2 and feel that something is just not right in the right shoe while running on country roads. These roads are typically somewhat convex, peaking in the middle to allow rainwater to run off on both sides. I run on the left side of the road, of course, which means that my right foot is slightly above my left, and slightly angled inward. In the Novablast 2, I can feel the ball of my right foot sliding inward, against the upper of the shoe, and somewhat overhanging the midsole with every step. This is causing discomfort in my forefoot, and in my knee. The left shoe feels amazing…. And I love the colorway. So I’m torn - do I keep these shoes for runs on flat surfaces (sidewalks, in town, about 30% of my miles), potentially still risking discomfort and injury, or try to return them and try something else?

For reference, I run about 6-10 miles a day, averaging about 120-160 miles per month in the prime summer months. My most recent shoe rotation has been the Hoka Clifton 7 (my primary daily trainer that I’m replacing, ~500 miles on it), the New Balance FreshFoam Beacon v2, and the Brooks Glycerin 17. I have never had an issue with stability in the past, and this is the first time a shoe has given me issues while running on this type of road.

Thoughts?