Because the spring running season kicks into high gear, Under Armour is introducing a recent sneaker designed for competitive marathoners.

Called the UA Flow Velociti Elite, the shoe offers cushioning and adaptability. It includes a full-length carbon fiber plate and a soft midsole foam that compresses and comes back to return energy to the runner. A Warp 2.0 upper offers breathability and the shoe also includes a TPE sockliner.

The sneaker was designed with feedback from the brand’s North American skilled running team and prototypes were tested at several races across the country. Sharon Lokedi won the Recent York City Marathon this past fall wearing the shoe.

“As we created and iterated, we were capable of test working prototypes ‘within the wild’ during competitive races to be able to validate and get more athlete insights,” said Douglas Smiley, product director for compete run footwear at Under Armour. “The resounding feedback was that we created something special and unique and nailed the intent of delivering a propulsive race-day solution across marathon distance.”

The shoes launched to the general public Thursday and retail for $250. They can be found in each a neutral palette, which the corporate said is a favourite of athletes to make use of for training, in addition to a shiny green colorway.

“UA consistently heard from athletes that they like training in additional neutral or toned-down colours, but on race day — when the adrenaline is high and their energy is thru the roof — they need something loud, expressive, and energized,” Under Armour said. “Creating that separation between training day colours and race day colours is one further mental ‘click’ that lets athletes comprehend it’s time to perform.”