I know Emil Zatopek trained in army boots but, except for track spikes, I cannot find much info on what was being worn in the early 20th century olympic marathons (except bare feet). I know Keds and Converse were making rubber-soled, cloth upper shoes but not specifically for distance running.
Look at Thomas Derderian's Boston Marathon. I know he talks about shoes in the 1930s. I don't remember specifically if he talks about shoes after that, but I assume he does.
Probably most guys back then ran in shoes not specifically made for running. when I started in 1967 I didn't even know there were shoes specifically made for running. People ran in general athletic shoes, e.g., the Keds and Converse sneakers you mention. Some ran in bowling shoes, some in Hush Puppies. But adidas, Puma, and Tiger were making shoes in the 1950s and had begun making shoes for running on the road although they weren't universally available. By the early 60s New Balance was making shoes specifically for running. They'd actually custom make them for you. Tiger made a shoe with a separate slot for the big toe but you weren't going to find them just anywhere. I'm not sure they were available in the US.
In 1954, Britain’s Jim Peters was considered the greatest marathon runner in the world. Holder of the fastest time ever for the grueling 42.2 kilometer test of endurance, Peters lowered the world’s best time by nine minutes i...
Of course, Peters and plimsoles, sometimes called sand shoes, were basically a thin soled canvas shoe that was pretty much identical to a shoe my mum always got at K Mart, not that she ran. And Derek Clayton did a lot of running in Dunlop Volleys.
The biography of Jim Peters is titled "Plimsolls On Eyeballs Out".
Before Salazar (1982), Peters was the last current World Record holder to run the Boston Marathon (1954).
amazon.com
Buy Plimsolls On, Eyeballs Out: The Rise and Horrendous Fall of Marathon Legend Jim Peters (Desert Island Athletics Book 5): Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com
Onitsuka Tiger sold outstanding marathon shoes named Marup, light-weight with excellent cushioning and great fit. Ever since it was released in 1954 it was improved many times and has grown into Onitsuka’s flagship model. And...
Tennis shoes. Ply-something. And before that shoes that looked like ballet shoes. We are living in a golden era of shoes. The show technology had not evolved for maybe 40 years...