April is right around the corner and Boston Marathon fever is heating up. Brands like Brooks and Beantown-based New Balance have released Boston-themed editions of their shoes in previous years.
Today, Topo Athletic launched its first Boston Marathon limited-edition trainer, emblazoned with the city skyline, Paul Revere’s statue, and The Eleanor (the Boston Tea Party ship). The brand collaborated with local shoe retailer Marathon Sports on the upper’s graphics.
“The Limited-Edition Specter reflects the spirit of our city’s historic marathon and the triumph, joy, unity and perseverance it brings to our community,” said product manager Russ Stevens.
The brand’s HQ is located at mile seven on the marathon course in Framingham. The Topo team cheers for runners every year and many have run the race themselves, including founder Tony Post.
Conception of the shoe began in October 2021, when the race returned after it was canceled due to COVID-19.
“The return of the Boston Marathon symbolized the long-held hope that we would all be able to race together again and demonstrated the resilience of the running community,” said Stevens.
The Specter was chosen as the LE model-of-choice due to its popularity as a long-distance trainer and potential marathon racer. Our gear editor Morgan Petruny described the Specter as “a mash-up of modern, fast shoe tech and barefoot inspiration.” The shoe has a Pebax layer in its midsole for high energy return and maximum cushioning.
The Boston Marathon Specter is available at topoathletic.com now.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
