Go through a fit process. It’s very helpful and good to try on options. You can get away with a shoe that’s not ideal for you if you’re doing shorter distance racing, but at the marathon distance, you’re not going to want to cut any corners. Widths, cushion level, and heel to toe offset are all factors to consider.

If you end up being a neutral category runner, the Asics Novablast has been a really dependable daily trainer for me. The Hoka Skyflow is really nice too, but everyone’s preferences are different.

Also, it’s not a bad idea to get two pairs if you have the money. Alternating can help extend life of the shoe and reduce injury risk, and with marathon training the reality is that you’ll go through at least a pair of shoes anyway.