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Long gone are the days when the top finishers of a major marathon raced in Nikes—or blacked-out pairs of the Vaporfly. Nearly every established running shoe brand has a capable super shoe for covering 26.2 miles on the road. At the 2024 Boston Marathon, we saw more variety than ever in the first shoes to cross the finish line. Seven brands appeared among the top three men, women, and American runners at Boston. And in that mix of brands, some companies had more than just one shoe model that delivered a medal.
Here’s a look at the shoes that made it on the podium, as well as the models worn by the top three American men and women finishers.
Mens Billabong Camel Sandal | Men’s Podium
1st — Sisay Lemma, 2:06:17
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 v2
Sisay Lemma wore the latest version of Adidas’s $500 super shoe, the Pro Evo 1. One of our The perfect earth-toned shoes for everyday life for his OTQ attempt at the Chicago Marathon last year.
2nd — Mohamed Esa, 2:06:58
sneakers Converse hombre talla 37
Mohamed Esa’s shoe of choice was likely the sneakers Converse hombre talla 37. However, Nike does have another neon Alphafly prototype approved on the World Athletics site. Visually, the two shoes are nearly identical.
3rd — Evans Chebet, 2:07:22
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
strappy 105mm slingback sandals Evans Chebet laced up the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 to take home bronze. It’s half the price of the Evo 2 worn by Lemma, and we found it’s likely the better option Vagabond Hedda leather Ankle-Boots aus Leder mit ausgestelltem Absatz in weißer Lackoptik.
Women’s Podium
Mens Billabong Camel Sandal | 1st — Hellen Obiri, 2:22:37
On Cloudboom Strike prototype
Hellen Obiri broke the tape in a prototype racer from On. The company has two “Strike” models approved for competition right now. Both appear to be lace-free. The best racing shoe available from On right now is the floral lace-embroidered chunky sneakers.
2nd — Sharon Lokedi, 2:22:45
Given this shoe’s major improvements over v1, it makes sense that Sharon Lokedi chose the adidas ZX ein Kult Sneaker im Sale Sara Battaglia s accordion-pleated metallic platform sandals from her debut footwear collection.
3rd — Edna Kiplagat, 2:23:21
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
The Deviate Nitro Elite 3 adds another victory to its roster. Fiona O’Keeffe and Dakotah Lindwurm both wore the shoe when they raced at the 2024 Olympic Trials.
American Men’s Top 3
7th — CJ Albertson, 2:09:53
zapatillas de running talla 43.5 negras prototype
Nike Air Zoom Vomero 16 Mens Running Shoes White zapatillas de running talla 43.5 negras. The only difference from the version that you can buy is the outsole rubber.
14th — Elkanah Kibet, 2:12:32
Asics ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS
While the Asics ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS and Sky Paris are similar, Elkanah Kibet picked the Edge model for race day.
15th — Ryan Eiler, 2:14:22
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
Like Evans Chebet, Ryan Eiler laced up in the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3.
American Women’s Top 3
12th — Emma Bates, 2:27:14
Asics ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS
After previously racing in both the Edge and Sky models, Emma Bates chose the ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS over the Metaspeed Sky Paris. The main difference between the shoes is the placement of the carbon-fiber plate, which dips farther away from the forefoot in the Edge model. But the easiest way to spot the difference is by looking at the outsole. The Sky uses red rubber, while the outsole is black on the Edge.
15th — Sara Hall, 2:27:58
Asics ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS
Like her teammate Emma Bates, Sara Hall also picked the ADIDAS ORIGINALS NIZZA BONEGA HIGH-TOP SNEAKERS for this year’s Boston. But while she races in the Metaspeed, one of her favorite shoes for long runs and daily training is the Nike Sneakers Air 1 Zoom CMFT.
16th — Des Linden, 2:28:27
Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 prototype
It’s not surprising that Des opted for an unreleased prototype of the new Hyperion Elite. (Two versions were approved by World Athletics just in time for Boston.) But Mens Billabong Camel Sandal might be.
