adidas Adios Boost vs. Nike Zoom Streak 3: Comparing the Two Most Popular Shoes Worn in the 2013 NYC Marathon

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Yesterday morning the first two women to cross the

Calvy Click is the Editor-in-Chief of Sneaker Report. When she isn’t writing about performance footwear and apparel, you can find her running around Manhattan to Rick Ross anthems. Keep up if you can on Instagram or Twitter

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The Nike Zoom Streak 3

This is one record-breaking shoe, having won the 2010 and 2013 Boston Marathon, 2011 in NYC, and the 2013 London Marathon. The Streak (originally released in 2010) features Nike Zoom, a proprietary technology that the Swoosh developed in 1995. Weighing in at 6.7 oz, the Streak 3 features an all-over mesh upper on a low profile midsole with an easy-to-spot print. Though the fourth edition is now available, we spotted far more 3s than 4s on Sunday which can be attributed to the cult following this shoe has developed over the performance features or technical design. Then again, the Zoom Streak 4 is currently on sale at Nike for $54.

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The adidas Adizero Adios Boost

Released earlier this year, the Adios Boost is the second adidas running shoe to incorporate Boost technology after the flagship Energy Boost running shoe. The NYC Marathon isn't the shoe's first major win either, as Dennis Kimetto won the Toyko Marathon in a course record and Geoffrey Mutai won the Rio de Janeiro becoming the first man to run a sub 1 hour half marathon in Brazil. Mutai stuck with the Adios on Sunday and finished the second major marathon win for the Boost shoe. For fans of the previous Adizero Adios 2, this should come as no surprise as it was one of the most popular shoes of the 2011 NYC Marathon (the last NYC race as 2012 was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy).

The Boost technology was released by way of the adidas Energy this past February, retooling the traditional EVA foam in favor of a thermoplastic polyurethane material. Composed of small plastic particles that are fused together with steam and pressure, the end result is a compact midsole with a "bouncy" return. Super lightweight without feeling too cushioned, the Boost also boasts a longer lifespan as the TPU material breaks down slower than EVA foam.

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The Verdict

While the adidas Boost is on the rise, the Nike Zoom Streak 3 will most likely be phased out by the fourth edition of the shoe (spotted on a few runners this year) but as with all professional athletes, it's a safe move to stick to the equipment you know rather than risk trying something new. It was a smart move by adidas to introduce Boost to the adios so early in the game as so many elite runners formerly relied on the Adizero Adios 2. While athletes stick to what they know, intriguing new technology is tempting with the promise of performance benefits and new car smell, leaving us at Sneaker Report curious about what Nike plans to do next to keep their most trusted elite shoe in the winning position. One of the most telling aspects of NYC Marathon was the sheer volume of runner that adidas and Nike sponsor. Nike favors ladies elites while adidas supplied shoes for most of the men's category.

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