What shoes did people race marathons in pre-super shoes?

I think of the "Boost era" as the prelude to the supershoe era. People seem to forget that those shoes were revolutionary at the time. They were considered quite cushioned compared to earlier marathon flats, and they were also shown to increase running economy vs. the Streak (but only by 1%, and people seemed not to really believe it and/or care).

I raced in Adios Boost when they were out. Prior to that the NB1400, then the Brooks T-series, then the Asics Magic Racer. In most races, it seemed like the only racing shoes were the ones that were literally toeing the starting line. Everyone else just ran in trainers.

This was like 4 years ago not eons ago lol they were like trainer but lighter

normally just a fresh pair of whatever my daily trainers were.

For example, if I ran daily in the Asics DS Trainers then I'd aim to have a pair with <10mi for race day.

Honestly this strategy worked great and I'll do it for my next marathon as well (although these days even my daily trainers have plates and superfoams, so I'm starting at a better place)

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I either ran in lightweight trainers (Saucony Kinvara or Adidas Tempo) but also the Brooks T series racer was also popular, but it was very minimal, so your legs were really trashed afterwards.

Kipchoge famously would have shattered Kimetto's then WR were it not for the insoles of his Streak's flying out.

Likely the last incredible marathon effort pre-VF. Road racing was never the same after 2015

Lydiards and tigers were a favorite prior to the introduction of the Nike Moon shoes. They were referred to being labeled as racing flats which was a good description. Then in the late 70s, early 80s Nike came out with the Mariah which were game changers for the marathon.

I ran in Asics Gel GT 2100s for a long time. They fit my foot real good and at the time, the "gel" was popular, after the novelty went out of "air" in the soles (of Nikes). I kept a pair of my old Asics and they are heavy af and I have no idea how I ever ran in them.

I hear the Steve Madden Charlize Platform Pump was great to keep the marathoner on their toes and provided elevated heel support! Looks pretty similar to the supershoes that marathoners are wearing today!

https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/steve-madden-charlize-platform-pump/537525?activeColor=740&cm_mmc=CSE-_-GPS-_-B_Shopping_Pumps-_-New_Pumps&cadevice=c&gclid=88279a4ded371e7b1fb3fe0afdc9bda1&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=88279a4ded371e7b1fb3fe0afdc9bda1

Circa 2012, Adidas sponsored elites often wore the Adizero Rush, which was ahead of the curve by including a very hard plastic “sprint frame” on top of the foam.

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Onitsuka Tiger Marathons were great shoes if your stride was VERY light. A thin sole with no padding and a nylon upper. The most basic shoe ever, not much more than running barefoot.

Loved those, back in the day.

Just prior to the advent of super shoes there were marathon flats like the nike streak, adidas adizero, hagio, and takumi sen, and new balance 1400. These had mid 20s stack heights with a 5-10mm drop. They weighed 6-8 oz, with most high 6s or low 7s. Of course some people chose to race in flats that were developed for shorter distances. I myself ran all my marathons in the nike streak lt 1 and 2 in that era.

I ran every marathon in the Saucony Kinvara until the Zoom Fly came out. As it turns out, I am a super shoe non-responder...my PR is still in a non-carbon plate shoe. But I keep perversely trying for that one magic shoe. Most of them make me feel like my heel is sinking in oatmeal and I have to dig it out.

In my running club, Adidas Bostons were probably the go-to, with some wearing New Balance 1500 or 1400 (I still race half marathons in the 1400, it's a great shoe).

This is your answer. I was a sub-elite at major marathons in the immediate pre-super shoe era. If you bought your own shoes, you probably wore Adios. I got shoes from NB and wore the 1400. My friends who got Brooks stuff (Hansons mostly) wore the T7.

This is so true. People often under appreciate the adidas boast a lot but it really should be considered the true predecessor of super shoes. I know that this is about marathon shoes, but even on the track the adidas avanti spikes were amazing and ahead of their time. The bounce they gave when you raced in them was almost as good as the dragonflies.

Nike Air Mariah's were the go to shoe back in the early 1980's. Tiger Jayhawks were also popular.

pretty much anybody would do just as well in a pair of old waffle racers as any other shoe, if they weren't predisposed to believing the other shoe was better.

If waffle racers were successfully reintroduced as a minimalist miracle, people would set PRs in them.

I wore the T3 then the T5 for a locally sponsored Brooks team.

I was all about training and racing in as minimal a shoe as I could get away with. I even spent a number of 100+ mile weeks running in some old school Nike Waffle Racers. There was nearly nothing under the forefoot.

Alan