The Most Popular Running Shoes at the NYC Marathon (and What I’ll Be Wearing Instead)

The New York City Marathon is basically a moving block party where 55,000+ people agree to jog from Staten Island to Central Park
while strangers yell “YOU LOOK AMAZING!” at them like they’re running for mayor. It’s electric. It’s chaotic. It’s beautiful.
And if you’re the kind of person who notices shoes (hi, it’s me), it’s also a 26.2-mile fashion showexcept everyone’s outfit is “sweat”
and the accessories are “salt crust.”

Every year, runners obsess over the same question: What shoes are people actually wearing out there? Not what’s trending on a product page,
not what your coworker swears is “basically cheating,” but what shows up on the start line when the cannon goes off.
Let’s talk about the most popular shoes logged at the NYC Marathon, what that popularity really means, and the pair I’d pick instead
if I were toeing the line.

What were the most popular shoes at the NYC Marathon?

Based on Strava shoe-logging data reported ahead of race week, the top three shoes worn at the 2024 NYC Marathon were:

1. Nike Free Run Flyknit
2. Nike Vaporfly
3. Saucony Endorphin Pro

If your eyebrow just launched itself into low-earth orbit at “Nike Free Run Flyknit,” you’re not alone. The Free line is famous for a
more flexible, natural-feeling ridegreat for short runs, gym sessions, and living your best “I might run later” life.
And yet… there it is, sitting at the top of a marathon list like it pays rent.

Why would a non-marathon shoe show up as “most popular”?

Marathon fields are big enough to contain every runner type: first-timers, charity runners, veterans chasing a PR, and people who trained perfectly
until three weeks out and then got distracted by a new season of reality TV. Shoe logs also reflect what runners choose to track in an app
(and how they name that shoe entry). In other words: the data captures real behavior, including “I’m wearing what I already own,”
“I don’t want to race in carbon,” and “I forgot to update my gear list, so… sure, it’s the Free Flyknit.”

Meanwhile, the #2 and #3 picks make instant sense: two carbon-plated racers designed for speed, efficiency, and marathon pacing.
That contrast is the whole story of NYC: it’s where everyday trainers and space-age supershoes share the same asphalt.

Popularity vs. performance: the shoes the fastest runners wore

If you want to see what’s trending among runners trying to turn their legs into metronomes, look at the front of the race.
Analyses of top finishers at NYC show a different picture than the mass field:
the “fastest shoes” lists skew heavily toward modern carbon racers from multiple brandsespecially models built for rolling terrain and late-race efficiency.

For example, reports on NYC’s fastest shoes highlight how the podium and top finishers often land in cutting-edge models
including adidas marathon racers and other super shoes across brands. In 2025, the men’s podium featured adidas models,
while the women’s winner ran in a modern On racing shoe with a novel, ultra-light upper construction. The headline isn’t “one shoe wins”;
it’s “the tech arms race is real, and stability matters when the course fights back.”

Meet the top three most popular shoes (and what they’re really like)

1) Nike Free Run Flyknit: flexible, natural, and… surprisingly common

The Nike Free concept is built around flexibilitygrooves in the outsole to help the foam move more naturally with your foot.
Translation: it’s meant to feel less like a platform and more like a partner that lets your foot do foot things.
That’s a fun vibe for easy miles, strides, treadmill jogs, and “I’m running late to brunch” sprints.

Why people wear it at NYC: It’s comfortable, familiar, and many runners already own it. For first-timers,
familiarity can beat theoretical performanceespecially if the alternative is a stiff, aggressive racer they never truly adapted to.

The trade-off: On a course that includes big bridges early and a long, grinding finish, most runners do better with more
cushioning and structure. A flexible shoe can feel great at mile 5 and like a philosophical mistake at mile 22.
If you’re committed to a flexible ride, at least test it in long runs that include downhill and tired-leg turns.

2) Nike Vaporfly: the “super shoe” that made everyone else panic (and innovate)

The Vaporfly is the modern blueprint: high-rebound foam plus a stiff plate to improve running economy and help you hold pace longer.
It famously pushed the sport into a new eraand helped trigger rules around stack height (the thickness under your heel) at the elite level.

Why it’s popular: It’s light, fast, and widely trusted. People PR in it. People qualify for Boston in it.
People also buy it and then stare at it like it’s too beautiful to crease, which is relatable.

Who it fits best: Runners who want a nimble, efficient racer for smooth marathon pacingespecially if they’re not seeking the
bounciest, tallest platform. If you tend to wobble late in races, you’ll want to test stability on turns and uneven pavement.

3) Saucony Endorphin Pro: a marathon racer that aims for speed and control

The Endorphin Pro is Saucony’s carbon-plated racer built to roll you forward (their SPEEDROLL geometry) while balancing snap with protection.
Recent versions lean into a smoother long-distance ridebecause at mile 20, “aggressive” can become “why do my feet hate me?”

Why it’s popular: It’s fast, it’s built for the marathon, and many runners find it stable for a supershoe.
That stability matters at NYC when you’re weaving, cornering, and crossing bridges with tired hips.

Best use case: You want a race-day shoe that still feels like it has your back late, not just your ego early.
It’s also a great option if you like a guided forward roll rather than a super-soft trampoline feel.

NYC is not “flat”it’s “sneaky hard”

The NYC Marathon isn’t a mountain race, but it’s also not a pancake. The elevation profile tells the truth your bravado won’t:
you’ve got big bridge efforts (hello, Verrazzano), more bridge work later (Queensboro is the silent assassin),
and then the late-race rise up Fifth Avenue that arrives right when your brain starts negotiating for couch time.

Add in constant turns, crowded road space, and moments where the pavement feels like it was designed by a committee of ankles,
and you get a course that rewards efficient cushioning and stable turnover.
The fastest shoe for you isn’t always the one with the most bounceit’s the one you can run straight in when your form gets messy.

What I’ll be wearing instead: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

If the three most popular shoes at NYC are the “everyone’s here” table, my pick is the “I’d like to finish strong” table:
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4.

Here’s the logic: NYC is rolling terrain disguised as a city tour. I want a shoe that feels quick when I’m fresh
and doesn’t turn into a wobble-board when I’m cooked. Reports on NYC’s fastest shoes note that the Adios Pro 4
is a touch heavier than the most extreme racers but brings a more stable build and geometry that helps turnover on rolling terrain.
That’s basically the NYC job description.

Why the Adios Pro 4 fits NYC so well

• Stable speed: Enough structure to keep you honest when your form starts freelancing at mile 18.
• Efficient turnover: Designed to help you keep rhythm over small rises and dips.
• Race-ready fit: A secure upper matters when your feet swell and your laces suddenly feel like opinions.

Could I run NYC in a Vaporfly or Endorphin Pro and be thrilled? Absolutelyif those shoes match my stride and I’ve trained in them.
But if you want my “instead” choice for NYC specifically, I’m taking the option that gives me confidence on bridges,
corners, and the late climb without feeling like I’m balancing on dessert.

How to pick your NYC Marathon shoe (without spiraling)

1) Match the shoe to your goal, not someone else’s Instagram

Going for a PR? A carbon racer you’ve practiced in is your friend. Going for a first finish? Comfort and durability rise up the priority list.
Your best shoe is the one you can run relaxed in for three hours (or five). “Fast” is a feeling, not a price tag.

2) Don’t debut shoes at the marathon (yes, even if they’re pretty)

Ideally, you want at least two long runs in your race shoeenough to confirm fit, lacing, hot spots, and how it feels after 90 minutes.
Supershoes can feel magical in short workouts and suspicious in the final hour of a long run. Trust the long run.

3) Practice your exact sock-and-lace setup

A marathon is not the time to learn that your “cute thin socks” behave like cheese graters when wet.
Lock in the full system: socks, lacing tension, any anti-blister product, and even how you’ll manage swelling.

4) If you’re choosing between these popular options…

• You want light and nimble: Vaporfly-style racers tend to feel quick and efficient.
• You want a smooth roll + stability: Endorphin Pro-style geometry can feel guided late in the race.
• You want stable speed for rolling terrain: Adios Pro 4-style builds can be a great NYC-specific match.
• You just want comfort: A well-tested daily trainer can be the smartest “boring” choice you ever make.

Final thoughts

The most popular NYC Marathon shoes tell a funny truth: runners are a mix of science nerds and comfort gremlins.
Some show up in flexible, familiar trainers. Others lace up carbon rockets. Both groups are rightif the shoe matches
their body, training, and goals.

If you’re choosing your shoe for NYC, think about what the course demands (bridges, turns, late grind),
then choose the model you can run confidently in when you’re tired. For me, that’s why I’d pick the Adios Pro 4:
I want fast and stable when the city starts asking hard questions after mile 20.

Extra (500-ish words): My NYC Marathon shoe experience, the unglamorous version

The first time I took marathon shoe shopping seriously, I behaved like a person buying a mattress:
I laid on the floor, stared at the ceiling, and asked myself if happiness was even real. Because running shoes
especially marathon shoesare a commitment. You’re not just picking foam and rubber. You’re picking
what you’ll be thinking about at mile 23 when your quads begin communicating exclusively in threats.

I started where a lot of runners start: with what’s popular. I tried on a flexible shoe and immediately understood the appeal.
It felt like freedom. Like my feet had been paroled. I jogged a few steps in the store and thought,
“Oh wow, this is so natural.” Then I imagined that same “natural” feeling after two bridges, a crowd funnel,
and a long stretch of pounding pavementand my brain gently whispered, “Natural… like a barefoot Lego experience.”

Next came the carbon racers. The first time you step into a true supershoe, your inner toddler shows up.
Everything feels springy. You bounce on the spot like you’re auditioning for a trampoline commercial.
I did a test run and came home with the kind of optimism usually reserved for people who think they’ll
“just do the marathon as a long run.” Then I did a longer workout and learned the second truth of supershoes:
they are not magic. They are magnifiers. If you’re locked in, they feel incredible. If you’re sloppy,
they feel like they’re politely declining to participate.

The real deciding moment for me always happens on a boring, windy long run when I’m tired and not impressed by marketing.
I pay attention to what my feet do on corners. Whether my ankles wobble when the pavement tilts.
Whether the shoe feels secure when I surge a little, then settle back into pace.
That’s when I realized what I wanted for NYC specifically: not the most dramatic bounce, but the most
dependable rhythm. Something that would feel calm on the Queensboro Bridge and still feel like “me”
on Fifth Avenue when the crowd noise fades and it’s just you and your thoughts.

Race week, I get strangely sentimental about shoes. I line them up. I check the laces.
I do the classic runner ritual of “stare at them and overthink everything.” But on race morning,
I want one thing: certainty. The shoe shouldn’t be a question mark. It should be the period at the end of the sentence.
That’s why my contrarian choice isn’t about being differentit’s about being confident.
And if I can finish strong in Central Park without negotiating with my feet like they’re an angry union,
that’s a win worth more than any trend list.

SEO tags (JSON)