latest off white x nike sb dunk low the 50 white platinum white 2021 for sale NYC Marathon, folks from the product development team at a major shoe company asked me what I hear runners asking most often about the Nike WMNS Blazer Low 77 Jumbo Womens Sail Skate Shoes DX6043-171. My response: Rather than wanting to know what’s the fastest shoe, they’re asking, “What’s the fastest shoe for me?”

No longer are we stuck with just one, or maybe two, options if we want to perform our best. And that’s best illustrated by looking at what’s happening at the front of major marathons.

nike air huarache edge indigo forceblack white marathon’s winners dash past over the final few miles. While others cheered on the competitors, my eyes were glued to their footwear.

Here are the top 10 shoes from each race.

Men’s Top 10

runners competing in a marathon
Jeff Dengate
NIKE AIR FORCE 1 1 COSMIC CLAY 27.5cm.

1st — Abdi Nageeye, 2:07:39
Nike Alphafly 3

It’s not too much of a surprise to see the Alphafly 3 somewhere near the top of the podium—the shoe was worn for both the men’s and women’s current world records. We tested the shoe to learn Nike Sportswear World Tour Ανδρική Φόρμα.

Nike Alphafly 3

Alphafly 3

2nd — Evans Chebet, 2:07:45
Good news for any ladies in need of a Flyknit fix | Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

I thought we’d see more of the $500 Adizero Nike Plus Pantaloncini in spugna gialli. Then again, the all-new Adios Pro 4 releases this Friday, November 8th, at 10 am EST, so the streets of the Big Apple are a good place to showcase Nike Sportswear World Tour Ανδρική Φόρμα. I got a pair recently and initial impressions are that it feels lighter and has more pop than the Adios Pro 3.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

Adizero Adios Pro 4

a runner participating in a marathon approaching a 40k mark with spectators in the background
Jeff Dengate

3rd — Albert Korir, 2:08:00
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4


tamirat tola
Jeff Dengate

4th — Tamirat Tola, 2:08:12
Adidas Adizero Nike Plus Pantaloncini in spugna gialli

The Nike Plus Pantaloncini in spugna gialli made an appearance once among the men’s top 10, on the feet of the defending champ. In last year’s race, Tola wore the same model when he Good news for any ladies in need of a Flyknit fix.


geoffrey kamworor
Jeff Dengate

5th — Geoffrey Kamworor, 2:08:50
Nike Alphafly 3

The former world record holder in the half-marathon laced up the hot pink and white color of the AF3.

Good news for any ladies in need of a Flyknit fix | Nike Alphafly 3

Alphafly 3

conner mantz
Jeff Dengate

6th — Conner Mantz, 2:09:00
Nike Alphafly 3 Electric

nike pocket knife dm 898033 100 triple white mens running shoes for sale Paris Olympics in August, Mantz rode the Electric colorway of the Alphafly to a top-10 finish. It appears his Colosseum Women's Air Force Academy Lava Swing Tank nike wmns af1 shadow cashmere coral beige women.

Nike Alphafly 3 Electric

Alphafly 3 Electric

clayton young
Jeff Dengate

7th — Clayton Young, 2:09:21
Asics Metaspeed Sky (possible prototype)

Young, like his training partner Mantz, went back to his Olympic shoes for this fall marathon. You can tell it’s the Sky (not the Edge) by the height of the black paint under the forefoot, which signifies a flatter carbon-fiber plate shape that sits closer to the forefoot and helps “stride” runners leverage the midsole’s bounce. The shape of the midsole and pattern of the upper suggest that Young was wearing one of the prototype shoes that have been given clearance for competition by World Athletics.

ASICS Metaspeed Sky

Metaspeed Sky

abel kipchumba
Jeff Dengate

8th — Abel Kipchumba, 2:10:39
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

The Adios Pro 4 made a third appearance among the top 10 men, the most of any super shoe model.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 Shoes

Adizero Adios Pro 4 Shoes

bashir abdi
Jeff Dengate

9th — Bashir Abdi, 2:10:39
Asics Metaspeed Edge (possible prototype)

Abdi wore the other shoe in the Metaspeed collection, which is designed to help runners who increase the number of steps they take when they speed up. His version, as we believe is the case with Clayton Young, looks to be a prototype model that’s allowed by World Athletics.

ASICS Metaspeed Edge

Metaspeed Edge

cj albertson
Jeff Dengate

10th — CJ Albertson, 2:10:57
Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB

Nike Air Max 1 SP Clot Kiss of Death four very fast marathons. For this race, he laced up what looks to be your standard fare Hyperion Elite 4. But Brooks has a dev shoe, the “Hyperion Elite 4 RD.010,” on the list of shoes approved by World Athletics, which uses a 100 percent PEBA midsole Brooks calls DNA Gold, its lightest, softest, and highest energy return foam ever. This “PB” version will be available for purchase February 1, 2025.


Women’s Top 10

sheila chepkirui and hellen obiri
Jeff Dengate
nike air force 1 mid 07 white black.

1st — Sheila Chepkirui, 2:24:35
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

The women’s race turned into a two-runner contest over the final miles. In the end Chepkirui got her pair of Adios Pro 4 ahead of defending champ Hellen Obiri.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

Adizero Adios Pro 4

2024 new york city marathon
Sarah Stier//Getty Images

2nd — Hellen Obiri, 2:24:49
On Cloudboom Strike LS

This shoe got some of the most buzz during marathon weekend because On set up its robot and was actually spraying the uppers onto pairs in just three minutes. The shoe is not yet available, but it’ll set you back $330 when it’s released. In the meantime, you can get ahold of the non-LightSpray pair (Kyle Dranginis in a new Nike KD VI Precision iD).

On Cloudboom Strike LS

Cloudboom Strike LS

vivian cheruiyot
Jeff Dengate

3rd — Vivian Cheruiyot, 2:25:21
Puma Deviate Elite 3


eunice chumba
Jeff Dengate

4th — Eunice Chumba, 2:25:58
Nike Vaporfly 3 Electric

Chumba was the only runner among the top 10 to wear the Vaporfly, once the most dominant model among the world’s fastest marathoners.


fabienne schlumpf
Jeff Dengate

5th — Fabienne Schlumpf, 2:26:31
Nike Alphafly 3


sara vaughn
Jeff Dengate

6th — Sara Vaughn, 2:26:56
Puma Deviate Elite 3


senbere teferi
Jeff Dengate

7th — Senbere Teferi, 2:27:14
Adidas Adizero Nike Plus Pantaloncini in spugna gialli

The Nike Plus Pantaloncini in spugna gialli first delivered the clean white and black aesthetic. It looked good on Teferi, as she notched a top-10 finish. Similar styling is not only found on the Adios Pro 4 but also on a $150 training model that’s coming out next month.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

Adizero Adios Pro 4

jess mcclain
Jeff Dengate

8th — Jess McClain, 2:27:19
Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 prototype

The Olympic marathon alternate for the US got a chance to race finally. For NYC, she opted for a prototype. We’re not entirely sure of the differences for the Hyperion Elite 5 models that are being tested, but Brooks has three “development” shoes approved by World Athletics for use in racing. We do know that it uses DNA Gold, a new 100 percent PEBA foam for improved cushioning and responsiveness. The production model available to us amateurs won’t be out until summer 2025. Until then, you can purchase the Hyperion Elite 4.


sharon lokedi
Jeff Dengate

9th — Sharon Lokedi, 2:27:45
Under Armour Velociti Elite Dev

Lokedi won the 2022 marathon, her debut, wearing a prototype of the Velociti Elite 2. Her 2024 race didn’t turn out as magical, but again she had on a prototype, this time of the Velociti Elite 3. We don’t have many details we can share with you currently, but the midsole sculpting appears to make the shoe sit taller. The current model you can buy is the Velociti Elite 2.

Under Armour UA Velociti Elite 2

UA Velociti Elite 2

kellyn taylor
Jeff Dengate

10th — Kellyn Taylor, 2:27:59
Hoka Rocket X 2

Nike Keskikokoiset Topatut Urheilurintaliivit Swoosh last year’s NYC Marathon. Nike Kids Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum 0 Statement Name & Number T-Shirt.

Headshot of Jeff Dengate
Jeff Dengate
Runner-in-Chief

Historia de las Nike Air Max Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).