I saw a post recently claiming that brands have run out of ideas when it comes to running shoes. I didn’t agree or disagree, but it raised a more interesting question about where running innovation sits right now.
There’s no denying that the sport has undergone one of its biggest evolutions in the last five to eight years. The number of records broken during that time reflects it:
- Men’s Marathon World Record – Kelvin Kiptum – 2:00:35 – Chicago 2023 (Nike Dev 163)
- Women’s Marathon World Record – Tigst Assefa – 2:11:53 – Berlin 2023 (Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1)
- Women’s 10,000 m (Track) – Beatrice Chebet – 28:54.14 – Prefontaine Classic 2024
Carbon plates, lightweight foams, and increasingly aggressive shoe designs have fundamentally shifted what’s possible at the elite end of the sport. But has a ceiling been reached in footwear innovation?
A surge, then a pause
Brands haven’t, and probably will never, run out of ideas. Instead, this phase is more likely the natural aftermath of a rapid technological surge. Innovation accelerated quickly, and now the rest of the performance ecosystem is catching up.
After a period of explosive change, innovation often becomes quieter. The focus shifts from asking “what’s next?” to “how can this be better?” Marginal gains, refinement, and consistency will begin to matter more than disruption. Rather than saturation of the market, the next phase may be defined by precision in the product.
What fuelled the running boom?
In plain terms, the recent surge in running participation has been shaped by Gen Z, post-pandemic health trends and by the powerful social layer built around the sport.
Platforms like Strava and TikTok have helped make running feel more accessible, more visible, and more culturally relevant. What was once a solitary sport is now shared, documented, and celebrated. Running has become as much about connection as it is about performance. The result?
- Major events post repeat record entry numbers
- Growing female participation and a shrinking gender gap
- Brands lean into stylish athleisure as fitness becomes embedded in daily life
Alongside this, new formats have emerged. Community run clubs, virtual racing, hybrid events, all offering people more ways to belong through running.
If shoe innovation has plateaued, where does progress come from next?
If the last five years were defined by breakthroughs in footwear, the next phase of running performance may be less about singular technologies and more about everything else catching up to them.
The human side
Advances are already happening here, but this may be the moment they truly break through. Nutrition, recovery, training habits, and long-term athlete health are areas where gains come from internal physiology rather than external tools. For most runners, these factors will have far more impact than another millimetre of foam or a tweaked plate geometry.
The system around the runner
This is an area that feels underserved, particularly between grassroots and elite levels. Talent pathways and club structures are often slow to adapt, while the culture around running is evolving rapidly.
Initiatives like Athlos show what’s possible when the sport is reframed – adding visibility, energy, and a sense of occasion to an activity long associated with tradition. Coaching access, modernised club models, and digital tools for the “middle” of the market could go a long way in keeping runners engaged while maintaining authenticity. Traditional athletics clubs in particular need support to evolve without losing what makes them meaningful.
So, have brands really run out of ideas?
Maybe not. The question isn’t whether ideas are running out, but whether the centre of innovation is moving.
If the last decade was about pushing the limits of what shoes could do, the next may be about making running itself more sustainable – physically, socially, and culturally – that may emerge by a change in how brands position themselves.
That describes a next phase rather than an end to innovation.
PROTOTYPE 
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