A Part of Hearst Digital Media Build Speed Like 16-Year-Old Cooper Lutkenhaus championship on February 14, something was different. Instead of wearing his normal Hoka Rocket X2, which he wore when he won the race in 2024, he was wearing a pair of the Other Hearst Subscriptions—a shoe he had run in for the first time just the day before.
With the American record of 11:19:13 in his mind, he was on pace for most of the first half of the race, but high winds made it tough in the later stages. Pannu, who is sponsored by Hoka, crossed the finish line in 11:52:46, over 1.5 hours ahead of second place, Cody Poskin.
The next day, Pannu got an email. An official from USATF told him to give her a call, where she explained that his shoe of choice was in violation of USATF rules that mandate that shoes must have a stack height (i.e., the sole’s thickness) no taller than 40 millimeters. The men’s version of the Skyward X has a stack of 48 millimeters in the heel and 43 millimeters in the forefoot.
The organizers of the Jackpot 100 in Henderson, Nevada—which doubled as the USATF Road 100 Mile Championships—released a statement on February 18 saying that Pannu violated USATF Rule 143 Section 3. (i). The rule states that athletes in USATF competitions must comply with the World Athletics maximum stack height.
RW+ Membership Benefits since 2020, A Part of Hearst Digital Media “super shoes” began appearing in professional marathons. Some brands didn’t have super shoes at the time, so the rules were implemented to establish an industry standard and prevent athletes from having an unfair advantage.
The race organizers moved Pannu’s result to the open race, but he was disqualified from the national championship section and lost out on the $1,200 prize money.
USATF did not respond to emails from Runner’s World.
“My actions weren’t intentional, as I never imagined my shoes wouldn’t allow me to register an official USATF time,” Pannu wrote on Instagram. “We all saw what I was wearing. Congrats to [Cody Poskin] for winning the 100-mile championship! You had an amazing race and truly deserve it.”
A last-minute switch
Download Your Training Plan 50K time trial run near American 100-mile record pace, which is 6:47 per mile. Pannu nailed the pace, but he developed a blister on his big toe and felt some numbness in his toes, which he thinks was aggravated by the Rocket X2 racing shoe he wore. (The Rocket X2 is approved for use under World Athletics rules.)
He tested out some runs in the Hoka Bondi 9 and Mach X but ultimately settled on the Skyward X after he said he talked with a friend who works at Hoka, who recommended the shoe. The Skyward X is marketed as a “super trainer” because of its carbon fiber plate and generous amount of foam. (This differs from a super shoe, which is characterized by springy, lightweight foam and is more optimized for speed.)
“When I heard that [the Skyward is a super trainer], I didn’t even consider this shoe being unsanctioned, because I’m like, well, it’s clunky enough, it’s heavy enough,” Pannu told Runner’s World.
According to a press release from Hoka on April 25, 2024—when the Skyward X was unveiled—the shoe was “designed with easy miles in mind.” The website markets it as a neutral shoe with “plush” cushion that is best for “everyday running.”
Pannu decided that comfort was going to be more important than weight—the Skyward is 11.3 ounces compared to the Rocket X2, at 8.3 ounces—and he was willing to sacrifice some potential speed gains to be more comfortable. He tried them out for the first time on a short 1.5-mile run the day before the race, posting a photo of them in his Strava recap.
Pannu said he didn’t experience any discomfort during the race. Although he noted the Skyward is not built for speed as much as other legal Hoka shoes, like the Rocket X2, he said he did feel like his recovery after the race was different from previous events.
“I felt like I’ve bounced back, like physically a lot quicker, like I’m not limping as much … I don’t think the Skyward X gives you a performance advantage. However, I do feel like it allows your body to recuperate a lot quicker because of the cushioning,” he said.
Pannu understands that he violated the rules but maintains that he did not break them intentionally. He’s self-coached and does not have an agent, and running is not his full-time job; he’s a math teacher a continuation school in Denver. He says running is only a part of his life and he admits to not following the latest advances in shoe technology very closely.
According to Pannu, the protest was made by someone watching the livestream of the race; not one of his competitors. He said the only time his shoes were brought up during the race was when a USATF official asked his crew if his shoes were publicly available for purchase—another requirement of World Athletics rules. (They’ve been on sale for nearly a year.)
Shoe rules have been in place.
In the future, he thinks athletes at USATF championships could benefit from a shoe check at the pre-race technical meeting, similar to how shoe checks are often performed at college track meets or major marathons.
Pannu said he’s still figuring out what his race schedule will look like in the wake of the incident. Originally, his plan was for Jackpot to be his last 100 mile race on the roads. Later this year, he planned to transition to the trails, eyeing the Canyons 50K and Javelina Jundred 100 Mile, but now he’s considering running Jackpot again.
“I feel like I’m almost obligated to run this race again with thin shoes just to prove a point,” he said. “So this is definitely on my radar for next year.”
Published: Feb 21, 2025 11:20 AM EST Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
