A look into the Ksh 37,000 shoe that propelled Ruth Chepng'etich to Chicago Marathon win & world record

Outdoor Gear Lab

A look into the Ksh 37,000 shoe that propelled Ruth Chepng'etich to Chicago Marathon win & world record

Abigael Wafula 05:32 - 16.10.2024

The shoes were also won by the late Kelvin Kiptum as he shattered the marathon world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Ruth Chepng’etich was in a class of her own as she destroyed a strong field at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, setting a new marathon world record.

The former world champion clocked an impressive 2:09:56 to cross the finish line, becoming the first woman ever to clock under two hours and 10 minutes in a marathon. The race saw Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede come in second, clocking 2:17:32 as another Kenyan, Irine Cheptai rounded up the podium in 2:17:52.

Her performance has surprised many marathon enthusiasts, with questions abound what propelled her to such a masterclass performance. Definitely, it was hard work in training and a lot of sacrifice but the shoes also played a huge role in her success.

With the recent technology, many athletes tend to rely on shoes to make an impact in global running and Ruth Chepng’etich is not the only athlete who has benefited from Nike’s innovation. Others include former world marathon record holder and five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and reigning London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir.

While racing at the Chicago Marathon, Ruth Chepng’etich wore the Nike Alphafly 3 super shoe, the shoe that the late Kelvin Kiptum wore to break the men’s world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Nike seem to have found a way around how they customize their shoes to help athletes clock faster times.

Ruth Chepng’etich dazzled in the volt colourway that also features the Nike dusty cactus, total orange and concord hues. The shoe has forefoot Air Zoom units which help an athlete make every step worth the count. They are also paired with heel-to-toe ZoomX midsole foam to store and return the energy to the athlete.

The shoe also has a full-length carbon fibre plate to offer the wearer a propulsive sensation to help in a smooth transition through every stride. The Alphafly 3 is currently Nike’s lightest shoe and features the Atomknit upper designed for improved multidirectional containment and breathability.

From the description, this means that Ruth Chepng’etich had support from the shoe as she strode to victory in a world record time. She has now won three titles in Chicago, in 2021, 2022 and now 2024. She finished second behind Sifan Hassan at the 2023 edition of the marathon. The shoe is available for retail and goes for $ 285 (about Ksh 37,000).

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