Hot rod flames are ensuring that Nike’s record-breaking marathon sneaker is faster then ever.

The Nike Alphafly 3 “Ekiden” is one of several sneakers that will soon be covered in flame graphics. Four different models will take on the treatment for the collection from the “Ekiden” line, which first birthed the theme with a rendition of the Air Streak Spectrum Plus from 2002.

The turbo-charged Alphafly 3 features flames streaking back from the toe across the white upper, and a yellow, orange and red gradient takes over much of the midsole. An almost identical look comes to the Vaporfly 3, while the Zoom Fly 6 replicates the flames but not the gradient and the Rival Fly 4 moves the flames to the Swoosh graphic.

“The Ekiden Pack supports runners from daily training to race day by letting you select the right shoes to match your needs, whether it’s the Rival Fly for easy runs, the Zoom Fly for faster distance runs, or the Vaporfly or Alphafly for speed training and the race,” Toyo University Ekiden runner Kosuke Ishida said in a press release. “Ekiden is a race where the items you wear also attract attention, so running in distinctive shoes motivates you to push your limits. This year’s flame design really gets me fired up for the race.”

Nike launched the Alphafly 3 at the top of the year, and it’s been a fixture of marathons and other races ever since. Just months prior to the debut release, Kevin Keptum wore a prototype of the shoe while setting the new men’s marathon world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours and 35 seconds.

The Swoosh has enlisted input from runners of the Ekiden Japanese relay race since the ’90s, and a stylish collection bearing the same name is now an annual tradition ahead of the competition. In 2018, Supreme revived the Air Streak Spectrum Plus’s “Ekiden” look for a collaboration with its own branding added.

The Nike Alphafly 3 “Ekiden” and the rest of the 2025 “Ekiden” pack will first release Friday, November 22, in Japan before a global launch December 4. Matching apparel will also be available in the form of a Windrunner jacket and long-sleeve T-shirt, and the Alphafly 3 will come with a cinch backpack with Kanji lettering. Pricing for the Alphafly 3 is set at $285.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Many shoe brands vie for visibility at the finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon each year. But this year, an unexpected brand made headlines for its role in the race.

According to an Instagram post from Citius Run Club, a Denver-based run club, Kevin Leimkuhler broke the world record for running the fastest marathon while wearing a pair of Crocs. He finished the 2024 New York City Marathon on Sunday with a time of 2:51:27.

Crocs Inc. confirmed to FN that Leimkuhler completed the race while wearing the brand’s classic clog in the Starfish colorway. According to an image of Leimkuhler, he wore socks along with the clogs.

According to Citius Run Club, British runner Chris Howett held the prior world record for the fastest marathon in Crocs when he finished the Manchester Marathon in 2:58:24.

Other shoe brands had big moments in the race as well. Sheila Chepkirui won the women’s race on Sunday in the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 super shoe. The Kenyan runner — who competed in her first-ever NYC Marathon — finished in 2:24:35, besting fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri, who won in 2023. And the Nike Alphafly 3 Super Shoe carried Abdi Nageeye to victory at the marathon. He finished the race in 2:07:39, beating Adidas runner Evans Chebet in a close finish.

More than 50,000 runners from around the world participated in the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. Olympic gold medalist and New Balance star Gabby Thomas, who appeared on FN’s November 2023 cover, served as grand marshal for the race.

Crocs Classic Clogs

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Hellah Sidibe lives his life in numbers. The miles he’s run so far this year (2,100), the watches he wears when running (four), the hours he sleeps a night on average (seven and a half), his age (33), his fitness age (27), his average daily step count (22,000) and, perhaps most importantly, the days he’s run consecutively since starting his more than seven-year run streak on May 15, 2017.

Today, a Wednesday in mid-October, is day 2,711. It’s already a busy one for Sidibe, who is training for a 100-mile trail race later in the month. By 1:30 p.m., one of his watches tells him he’s almost hit 15,000 steps. And that’s before today’s “official” run, which is slated for later this evening. And folks, this is a “rest day” for Sidibe, which consists of just a 5K distance.

“My rest day is no days off,” Sidibe tells Footwear News on set for his cover shoot in and around PMC Studios in Manhattan. He chuckles as he says it, knowing how he must sound to those around him. As a verified “run streaker,” he insists he doesn’t need a rest day, at least in the typical sense, yet he encourages other athletes to make that choice for themselves.

The U.S. Running Streak Association, which was founded in 2000, defines a run streaker as someone who runs at least 1 mile every calendar day on a road, treadmill, track or hill for at least a year. Sidibe has his own rules. He runs a minimum distance, which has been as low as 2 miles, and bases his “days” on Eastern Standard Time, no matter his location. Those rules might not work for everyone. And he’s OK with that.

“Who are you to tell somebody that they must run at least a mile to count as a streak for them? What happens if their only capability is to run five minutes at a time and that doesn’t cover a mile? You’re going to tell me that they can’t be a runner or a streaker?” he said. “I want everybody to make their own rules about running.”

This approachability factor is one facet of Sidibe’s natural charm. He’s an elite ultramarathoner, but like the film character Forrest Gump, he’s also just a guy who likes to run. His goal is to eliminate the barrier to entry to be a run streaker. That’s part of the reason he loves Hoka, the Deckers Brands-owned running label he’s partnered with since 2022 that caters to a broad spectrum of athletes and nonathletes.

Erika Gabrielli, Hoka’s vice president of global marketing, explained that the two are closely aligned in their values.

“Our partnership with Hellah Sidibe is a great representation of the intersection of performance and joy found through movement. Hellah embodies Hoka brand values of inclusivity and optimism as he builds community in pursuit of progress,” she said. “He has grown a loyal following of runners motivated by embracing one’s own potential, and from the road to the trail, he continues to break down barriers.”

“We’re born to run, I really believe that,” Sidibe said. “Making that more accessible and more open and welcoming to people is what makes [Hoka] special to me.”

As he walks through Midtown Manhattan for his cover shoot, Sidibe sports several of his favorite Hoka shoes (he especially loves the bright colorways). The Mach line is his go-to for daily runs, while the Rocket X2 and Cielo 1 are reserved for when he needs speed. He gets double takes from passersby — a young boy and a man in a suit — who recognize the affable, energetic athlete from social media.

Since he started posting on YouTube on streak day 163, Sidibe has gained almost 300,000 subscribers on the platform and millions of views on his videos. They all start with the same cheesy, yet lovable refrain: “What’s up my beautiful people?” On Instagram, his 300,000 followers get daily glimpses of life as a super runner, often accompanied by encouraging words about setting and achieving goals. For Sidibe, these goals have included becoming the first Black man to run across the U.S. (3,061 miles) in 2021 and running the equivalent to the New York City subway system (245 miles) in one week in 2020.

It’s chilly outside today but Sidibe radiates positive energy, and his love for his sport is infectious. Watching him in his element, it’s almost hard to believe there was a time he dreaded doing the very thing that has become his career.

Starting line

Sidibe began his athletic career in soccer while growing up in West Africa. He eventually enrolled in the University of Massachusetts Amherst via a soccer scholarship, where he forged a negative relationship with running, associating it with a punishment.

“I created this phobia in my head about running,” Sidibe said, describing the sleepless nights he’d have ahead of a practice where he knew he’d need to run.

Despite broad interest from professional teams, a series of immigration issues prevented Sidibe from moving forward after college, a setback that landed him in a dark place mentally. To pick himself up, he turned to one thing in his life he knew he could control — and a fear he was finally ready to face. It started with a small goal: Run 10 minutes every day for two consecutive weeks. “I didn’t have any coach yelling at me, pointing fingers,” he said. “So I just went out there.” Two weeks turned into a month, which turned into a year, which turned into a goal with no end in sight. “I fell in love with it,” Sidibe said.

Early on, his footwear of choice was Hoka. Sidibe was naturally drawn to the brand’s bright colors and proven technology, well before signing as a partner in 2022. (Both parties recently renewed the deal for two more years.)

Once he realized the joy running brought into his life, Sidibe turned his attention to helping others via charity work and raising awareness for causes close to his heart. “When I was out there running, I was battling for somebody,” he said.

In 2018, Sidibe ran his first race with little training, to raise awareness for suicide prevention. In his second event, a half marathon, he raised money for the family of a girl with cancer. When he ran the New York City Subway Challenge in 2020, he raised money for victims who lost their lives due to racial injustice.

“I know what it feels like when you don’t have anything, and people have been there for me,” Sidibe said. “My way of giving back was to use my legs.”

Cross country

Sidibe took his run streak to the next level when he decided to run from Los Angeles to New York in 2021. He partnered with Soles4Soles and raised close to $30,000 for the nonprofit on his 84-day journey across 14 states.

“Hellah’s energy, focus and dedication are inspiring to so many people,” said Buddy Teaster, president and chief executive officer of Soles4Souls, who ran alongside Sidibe on three different moments in the race across the country. “His support of Soles4Souls then and in the years since has been powerful and meaningful. We’re honored to call him partner and friend.”

In addition to the rigorous pace he had to maintain, crossing the country brought other challenges to the Black athlete, who ran with the support and help of his best friend, Garrett Jones, and his fiancée, Alexa Torres.

“I did get called racial slurs in Missouri,” Sidibe said, adding that police were also called on him multiple times throughout his journey. “One police officer didn’t even believe my story that I started running across America. He touched his gun and he was about to unclip and I started panicking.” He was ultimately saved by a couple who recognized him and donated to the campaign.

His own experiences pushed Sidibe to engage more directly in conversations surrounding running safety for minorities and women. It’s part of the reason he emphasizes group runs and advocates for technologies like sirens or emergency detection systems that can protect people.

“Sometimes when you’re running, you’ve got to make sure you look like a runner, especially if you have the skin color that I have. I make sure I’m dressed like a runner, so it won’t be taken as if I’m running away from something or that I took something or did something,” Sidibe said. “But I also am privileged in a way, because no matter what, women are not safe when they’re running.”

Sidibe is also passionate about other causes like climate change and the rights of women to make personal choices regarding their bodies. He is conscious of having a large platform during a highly contentious election year but isn’t specifically tailoring his content for the event. Instead, Sidibe tries to incorporate his values into his platform and actions year-round.

“It’s not what you say, it’s what you do,” Sidibe said. “I try to live a life and really walk what I say to make sure that people see me doing these things.”

Finish line?

Sidibe’s running streak has given him a career and an audience, a blessing he is grateful for every day. But money and fame are clearly not the fuel in the tank keeping him going. He isn’t afraid to stop, if that should become necessary. Even after seven years, crossing that finish line doesn’t scare him. He’s pivoted before, after all.

“Now I know there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I was able to discover running, which tells me that I can discover something else. It could be cycling, swimming, it could be something that’s not even sportsrelated,” he said.

And it’s never been just him on this journey. Sidibe said he’s grateful for his close circle of friends, his fiancée, brand partners and the other athletes in his network he has leaned on for support throughout his streak.

“There’s an African proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together.’ I think going far has been because I have a bunch of people around my corner.”

FN Cover Shoot: Hellah Sidibe Was Born To Run [PHOTOS]

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Another marathon record has been broken wearing the latest super shoe.

On Sunday, Ruth Chepngetich broke the women’s world record at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:09:56. The Nike-sponsored runner bested the mark of 2:11:53 set at the 2023 Berlin Marathon by Adidas-backed Tigist Assefa.

To set the new mark, the Kenya-born marathoner had the Nike Alphafly 3 super shoe laced up. Specifically, Chepngetich wore the eye-catching volt colorway, which also features Nike’s dusty cactus, total orange and concord hues.

The shoe was first worn by Kelvin Kiptum last October during the 2023 Chicago Marathon, when he broke the men’s marathon world record with a time of 2:00:35. One month later, Nike offered a deeper look into the shoe, and revealed it would be released in January 2024.

In terms of tech, Nike specifically added three innovations to the shoe designed to offer peak performance. There are two forefoot Air Zoom units in the shoe, which Nike explained were added to “launch you into your next step.” These are paired with heel-to-toe ZoomX midsole foam, which Nike stated was added “to store and return the energy back to you.” The third innovation is a full-length carbon fiber plate, added to offer the wearer a propulsive sensation “that helps you smoothly transition through every stride.”

The Alphafly 3 — Nike’s lightest shoe in the Alphafly franchise — also features the brand’s Atomknit upper that it stated was designed for “improved multidirectional containment and breathability,” as well as notched laces to ensure they’re laced up securely and an integrated knit tongue with lofted padding to alleviate lace pressure.

The Nike Alphafly 3 is available in women’s and men’s sizing, and retails for $285.

Nike Alphafly 3 Shoes

$285 Buy Now at nike

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.

Ahead of the Berlin Marathon this weekend, Adidas is presenting the two latest entries to its light and fast Adizero franchise.

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 will launch as the brand’s newest super shoe, borrowing learnings from the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 while introducing fresh technologies in the upper and outsole. Alongside the racer comes the Adizero Evo SL, a brand-new trainer that also adopts elements of the Evo 1 but foregoes any stiffening elements.

On top of the bold Three Stripes branding, the Adios Pro 4 takes on the same forefoot rocker geometry of the Evo 1 to bolster forward momentum and running economy. The placement moves from the 67 percent of the shoe’s length of the Adios Pro 3 to the Evo 1’s 60 percent. This change required a slight shift in the EnergyRods geometry as well, and the Lightstrike Pro foam features a new compound that’s lighter and boasts greater energy return but which Adidas declined to go into detail on further.

At 200 grams for a men’s size 9, the Adios Pro 4 comes in 23 grams lighter than its predecessor. The EVO 1, which is priced at $500 and was worn by Tigst Assefa as she broke the women’s marathon world record last year in Berlin, is still the lightest running shoe Adidas has ever made at just 138 grams.

“Overall, the Pro Evo 1 is a very specific model that we don’t really want to benchmark agains the Adios Pro 4,” Charlotte Heidmann, category director for Adidas Running, told Footwear News in a video call Tuesday. “This is an update from the Adios Pro 3 while bringing some insights from the Evo, but we do keep those models quite separate from each other.”

Replacing engineered mesh on the Adios Pro 4’s upper is LightLock, a first-of-its-kind system pairing a lightweight, one-way stretch woven mesh upper with internal locking bands made visible underneath in neon green. The one-way stretch keeps the foot in place for forward movements while shrinking or expanding to adjust to the size of the foot, which itself could change during the course of a run because of swelling.

“The creation process is quite long, and we constantly test with not only athletes, but also the consumer,” Heidmann said of developing LightLock. “Where we’re at now, we feel very confident that this is a big, big step forward for our racing.”

After receiving feedback on the lacing system that included reports of pressure points created by loops near the toe, the Adidas Running team simplified the Adios Pro 4’s lacing system. Stitching locks down the tongue like a gusset as well but without the wings.

At the bottom of the Adios Pro 4 is a thin LightTraxion outsole with Continental rubber placed at the forefoot and patterns that shift throughout the rest of the surface area for precise grip where it’s needed most.

A 39mm stack heigh with a 6mm drop remains from the Adios Pro 3, as does the SlingLaunch technology securing the heel.

Away from race day, Adidas is carving out a new space in the Adizero line with the Evo SL, which has elements of both a speed trainer and a daily trainer. It makes use of full-length and high-stack LightStrike Pro foam with the same compound found on the Adios Pro 3 and Boston 12 — but without any stiffening elements such as EnergyRods. It also uses the same last as the Boston 12 and SL2, giving it a more accommodating fit for a broader range of people.

The forefoot for the Evo SL sits higher up, allowing for more foam to fit underneath with a stack height of 38.5mm and drop of 6.5mm. Without EnergyRods, the feeling here is more forgiving and tailored to a wider range of workouts than the ultra fast. And at 224 grams, the Evo SL comes in right around the same weight as the Adios Pro 3.

“Around a year ago the team sat down and said, ‘What can we do differently? What can we add to the Adizero lineup to make it an even stronger proposition for all consumers?” Simon Lockett, category director for Adidas Running, said in the same video call. “Ultimately, the team landed on the Evo SL, which takes the name, high stack and branding from the [Pro Evo 1.]”

The Adidas Adizero Pro 4 will release in January 2024 through Adidas’ website, app and stores at a price of $250. Priced at $150, the Adizero Evo SL will first get a limited drop on October 15 through the Adidas app before wider availability comes in March 2025.

Shop Adidas Adizero Sneakers

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 Sneakers

$250 Buy Now at adidas

Adidas Adizero SL2 Sneakers

$130 Buy Now at adidas

Adidas Adizero Boston 12 Sneakers

$160 Buy Now at adidas

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Super shoes remain a priority among leading running brands, and On has just revealed its latest marathon-ready model.

Arriving before month’s end is the On Cloudboom Strike, a shoe the brand teased on social media leading up to Friday’s reveal. On described the new model as a “striking fast racing shoe” and proclaimed it “revolutionizes the fast-running experience.”

To accomplish this, On said it reduced “non-enhancing performance components” and included a new bounceboard and a dropped-in top midsole construction. On stated this innovation maximizes the stack height of a layer of proprietary Helium Hyperfoam, “delivering optimal energy return and efficiency within the regulatory framework.”

Also, On stated it employed a strategically positioned CloudTec design — which is its acclaimed cushioning system — to optimize transitions, reduce impact on the body and increase running efficiency. The brand further stated it engineered a decoupled effect to two platforms because of its channel system, which “allows independent deformation, and increased loading and release.”

The upper was built with a one-piece, semi-transparent mesh for breathability, as well as with a cage system for increased support in critical areas. On also included a molded heel and a “carefully constructed tongue” for comfort and fit in targeted anatomical zones.

The On Cloudboom Strike arrives July 11 and will retail for $280.

On has found success with its recent super shoes. For instance, in 2023, Hellen Obiri became the first woman since 1989 to win both the Boston and the New York City marathons in the same year. She achieved the feat with On laced up. “Once she was seen in one of On’s super shoes, everyone wanted to know when they could buy them,” On footwear development lead Jonas Hasch told FN in March. The brand’s latest super shoe, the On Cloudboom Echo 3, retails for $290.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.

District Vision, cult purveyors of sport glasses and running gear, is taking on New Balance’s most elite race-day shoe for their latest collaboration.

The District Vision x New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Elite v4 comes clad in all-black and all-grey as part of a larger, running-centric capsule. It isn’t just the stealthy colorways that make the shoes slick, though, as the “N” logo has been downsized and given a hand-written look to match District Vision’s text aesthetic. The scrawled look continues the super shoe’s name printed on the insole in white, while District Vision branding appears near the lateral heel just above the midsole.

New Balance launched the fourth iteration of its FuelCell Supercomp Elite series earlier this year, and the marathon runner boasts a new formulation of its PEBA-based FuelCell foam midsole with strategically placed voids for energy storage and return. Its upper has been entirely redone with its lightweight, bonded FantomFit material. Of course, there’s also carbon fiber plate, an essential element of super shoes, in the form of New Balance’s Energy Arc.

An accompanying apparel collection continues the monochrome look, but rather in primary colors or white — but mostly blue. The assortment includes a translucent anorak, shorts, singlets, rugby sweaters, tights and more for both men and women.

The District Vision x New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Elite v4 releases May 23 through the websites of both parties. Pricing for the shoes is set at $265, while the rest of the collection runs from $65 to $100.

Shop The New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Elite v4 Super Shoe

New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Elite V4 Shoes

$450 Buy Now at zappos

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Hoka has added a new member to its global athlete ambassador team: Cal Calamia.

“I am ecstatic to begin this partnership with Hoka. I am overcome with pride, gratitude, excitement and fulfillment,” Calamia said via Hoka’s blog. “More than anything, signing this contract is a sigh of relief. There is a whole team of folks at Hoka who believe in the future I am striving toward and will help me co-create it. My younger self would be so proud.”

On the blog, Hoka said its partnership with Calamia, as well as its sponsorship of their Non-Binary+ Run Club (NBRC), marks its “continued commitment towards creating a space where every athlete feels supported and empowered.” Calamia founded NBRC in 2022, which they said in the blog post was established to provide “an uplifting community for trans and nonbinary runners, walkers and bikers.”

In the blog post, Calamia — who wears many hats, including trans marathoner, inclusivity activist, educator, poet and community builder — said this partnership will center around “visibility, representation and action toward our guiding star: a more inclusive running world.”

“As is true for most trans athletes, there have also been many setbacks in my personal athletic career. A lot of doors have been closed, even locked. Sometimes, the door has been open, but then slammed shut as I stood in the frame, gutted,” Calamia wrote. “There is seemingly infinite ignorance and misinformation about trans athletes that is exclusionary at best and hateful at worst.”

Calamia also acknowledged the growth that has been made, most notably the races that have provided equal awards to top men, women and nonbinary competitors, as well as the addition of the category at major marathons.

Several of these races Calamia won, including becoming the first-ever winner of the nonbinary division in the 2022 San Francisco Marathon, winning the nonbinary division at the 2023 New York City Marathon in 2023 and more.

In the blog post, Calamia stated, “The support of allies and organizations who are committed to setting the record straight and building out opportunities for trans folks to thrive is imperative.” They also applauded Hoka’s enthusiasm for the partnership, which they said represents its “steadfast belief in not only me, but a future that includes and celebrates trans and nonbinary athletes.”

Calamia is joining an athlete ambassador team that includes famed runners Hellah Sidibe, the first individual Black man to run across America, as well as Jim Walmsley, whose course record-setting time in 2023 of 19:37:43 made him the first-ever American male to win the UTMB ultramarathon.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.

Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri won the Boston Marathon women’s race for the second year in a row while wearing an unreleased running sneaker from On.

With an official time of 2:22:37, Obiri first woman to defend her title in Boston since fellow Kenyan Catherine Ndereba in 2004 and 2005. She also won the 2023 New York City Marathon as part of a breakout year for the 34-year-old mother.

Little is known about the On running sneaker Obiri wore, as it’s still in development. Without laces, it appears to be different than the unreleased CloudTri 1 that Obiri wore for her two World Marathon Major wins in 2023. That shoe has also been a source of intrigue among runners, as few details have surfaced about it either.

Obiri has been running for On since 2022, having previously been a Nike athlete for 11 years. She also moved to the United States from Kenya that same year to train with On Athletics Club in Boulder, Colo.

At the time of the switch, she told Kenyan newspaper The Standard: “Running is a business, and in business, decisions have to be made, Nike supported me for 11 years. They gave me the best support but On Brand came on board and gave me an exciting proposal and I had to accept it. Nike supported me on the track and I produced the best results. I’m so grateful for their support, but On will give me another opportunity to excel in my marathon venture.”

Ethiopian runner Sisay Lemma won the Boston Marathon men’s race while wearing the Adidas Adio Pro Evo 1.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Ethiopian runner Sisay Lemma won the Boston Marathon men’s race while wearing the Adidas Adio Pro Evo 1. His official time was 2:06:17, the tenth fastest in the history of the event.

Monday’s victory marks the second World Marathon Major for Lemma, who won the 2021 London Marathon. He also won the Valencia Marathon in December with a time of 2:01:48 making him just the fourth man ever to run under 2:02.

Adidas launched the $500 Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 late last summer as both its most-expensive and lightest performance running shoe ever made. Each shoe weighs just 138 grams, which is 40 percent lighter than any other running shoe Adidas has made. The Adizero Adios Pro 3, which has made a number of podium appearances since its debut in 2022, weighs 218 grams. Nike’s Alphafly 3, which was worn by Kelvin Kiptum when he set a new world record for the men’s marathon last fall, comes in at 185 grams.

Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 Running Sneakers

$500 Buy Now at adidas

Made of Lightstrike Pro foam formed with a new non-compression molding process, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1’s midsole features a first-of-its-kind rocker placed at 60 percent of the shoe’s length to trigger forward momentum and improve running economy. Beneath, an ultra-thin outsole is applied in targeted areas and is made of a proprietary rubber. No sockliner has been used to cut more weight, with only fabric sitting between the foot and the midsole.

We set ourselves the goal to create a racing shoe that is packed with the technology ambitious runners have come to love in the Adizero franchise but at a weight we’ve never seen before at Adidas,
Patrick Nava — VP of Product, Running, and Credibility Sports — said in a press release upon the shoe’s announcement. “To do this, we explored every element of a racing shoe, balancing what we could remove or change to reduce the weight.”

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.