The Fastest Shoes at the 2026 NYC Marathon

The defending champs were in the mix all the way to Central Park, but in the end there were some surprising upsets. Andreas Almgren, in his debut, became the first European man to claim victory at the NYC Marathon in 30 years. And Jess McClain outsprinted Hellen Obiri to take second place overall. There were even bigger surprises—at least in the eyes of the RW gear team—as there was good parity among shoe companies among the fastest runners. Even Xtep got into the mix. Let’s take a look at what the top 10 men and women laced up for their dash from Staten Island to Central Park.Men1. Nike ApexAndreas Almgren (SWE), 2:06:01You can’t get this shoe until January 2027, but Nike’s top pros are already having some good success on the roads with the $360 racer. It has two Air units stacked under the forefoot and a zero drop. Lighter and more aggressive than an Alphafly, the Apex is being positioned as Nike’s elite-level marathon shoe, while the Alphafly 4 is being turned into a marathon racer for the masses. I took an Apex demo pair out for a short run last month and found they feel aggressively propulsive—you’re immediately tipping forward off those Air units as soon as you touch down.2. On LightSpray Cloudboom Strike 2Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA), 2:06:14On had a big day on the streets of the Big Apple. Even though Hellen Obiri didn’t repeat as champ in the women’s division, the brand’s top racing model with the robot-sprayed upper was seen a lot among the pro fields.Personally, I love that the collar of the upper is designed more like a normal shoe—the taller cuff of the first version rubbed my ankle and I had to cut the upper.3. Xtep 160X 8.0 ProKamohelo Mofolo (LES), 2:06:26Jeff DengateXtep might be a new name to you, but it’s one of a handful of exciting brands coming out of China right now. The shoes are tough to get here in the U.S., but we’ve received a few of Xtep’s models for testing recently, including the 160X 8.0 Pro. “This is a rocket ship of a shoe,” said RW shoe tester Josh Davis. “It really shined in intervals where I was pushing it at 5:30+ pace, but it is downright uncomfortable at easy paces.” Mofolo rode this thing in the sweet spot today.4. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3Benson Kipruto (KEN), 2:06:27This shoe has been cleaning house at the World Majors Marathons. Today was one of the rare days when the featherweight, $500 speedster didn’t land on the podium. Bonus: Adidas just refreshed stock so a few pairs are still available. Hurry. If that shoe sells out, the next fastest option is the Adios Pro 5.5. Asics Metaspeed RayHaftu Strintzos (AUS), 2:06:34Jeff DengateThe Ray is Asics’s ultralight racer, using an exceptionally soft A-TPU midsole foam with a see-through upper that really does little more than hold the foam to your sole. It’s a lot of fun if you’re dashing in a straight line, but gets squirrelly if you have to turn.6. Asics Metaspeed RayZouhair Talbi (USA), 2:06:43Jeff Dengate7. Hoka DEV-1187090Ahmed Muhumed (USA), 2:07:08Jeff DengateMuhumed laced up a black-on-black prototype that Hoka got approved by World Athletics within the past week. It’s hard to see much detail here but, given the silhouette of the sole, it looks like it might be the successor to the Rocket X 3 (the Cielo has a more pronounced rocker shape).8) Nike Alphafly 3Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN), 2:07:09Jeff DengateNike recently released the Alphafly 4 and announced the Apex, which you saw finish further ahead in the pack. But Kamworor reached for the Alphafly 3, which has been discontinued. That’s the beauty of this sport: Our preferences are highly individual and you have enough choices to reach for the shoe that works best for you.9) Asics Metaspeed Sky TokyoRyota Kondo (JPN), 2:07:09Jeff DengateThe blue color looks like the Ray we saw earlier, but zooming in on the image it appears there are two layers of foam—the top layer is a little more yellow-tinted—and the upper looks to be the slightly thicker mesh found on the more traditional racing duo. The use of two foams (PEBA and A-TPU) gives the Sky better stability and a firmer feel underfoot.10) On LightSpray Cloudboom Strike 2Ryan Ford (USA), 2:07:17Jeff DengateWomen1. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3Sheila Chepkirui (KEN), 2:24:36Jeff DengateAs we expected, Chepkirui (the 2024 champ) and Hellen Obiri (2025 champ) went toe-to-toe all the way into Central Park. In the end, it was the Pro Evo 3 once again taking the top spot in a WMM race.2. Brooks Hyperion Elite 7 prototypeJessica McClain (USA), 2:24:42The World Athletics site lists two development prototypes, one named “hyperion Green2” and one simply called “RED.” That latter shoe was approved for use at the end of September, ahead of the fall marathon season. We’re not sure which of these is the shoe McClain wore to claim a podium spot, but earlier in the week Brooks told us that she was planning to race in a prototype disguised to look like the currently available Hyperion Elite 6. That’s the same tactic Clayton Young used at the Chicago Marathon last month when he ran the second-fastest marathon ever by an American.3. On LightSpray Cloudboom Strike 2Hellen Obiri (KEN), 2:24:43Jeff Dengate4. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3Edna Kiplagat (KEN), 2:25:42Jeff DengateThe 46-year-old delivered another stunning performance in NYC. On her feet were Puma’s speediest racing shoes with a carbon-fiber plate that extends out past the toes for extra leverage.5. Hoka Cielo X1 3.0Mercy Chelangat (KEN), 2:25:46Jeff DengateThe Cielo is Hoka’s bounciest marathon shoe, with a much more aggressive rocker shape. If you prize a slightly firmer or more stable experience, the Rocket X 3 may be more your speed. The Cielo carried Chelangat to a top-five showing.6. Asics Metaspeed Edge TokyoCarrie Ellwood (USA), 2:26:28Jeff DengateThe second American woman finisher laced up the Edge, a marathon racer that is designed for “cadence” runners—those who speed up by taking faster steps rather than lengthening their stride.7. Nike ApexWeini Kelati (USA), 2:26:518. Hoka Rocket X 3Paige Wood (USA), 2:27:29Jeff DengateThe two layers of PEBA foam in this racer are just a little firmer and more controlled than found in the Cielo. The rocker, too, is more easygoing and doesn’t feel quite so propulsive. But it’s clear that the shoe can still get up and move.9. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3Viola Cheptoo (KEN), 2:28:3410. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3Fabienne Königstein (GER), 2:28:49Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).