Rundefeated

Are Your Running Shoes World Athletics Approved? Here’s How to Check

Ever wondered if the shoes you casually wear for your Sunday 10K or painfully slow interval session would pass the strict regulations set for the world’s fastest runners? No? Well, neither did I — until curiosity got the better of me one night after too much iced coffee and a YouTube marathon of marathon finishes. Turns out, World Athletics (formerly IAAF) has an official list of approved shoes for competition, and surprisingly, a lot of us might already be wearing them without realizing it.

The rule itself is pretty straightforward: road racing shoes must have a stack height no greater than 40mm. Carbon plates are allowed (yes, your speedy carbon shoes are fine), but stacking multiple plates like a sneaker lasagna is strictly forbidden. To keep things fair, any shoe intended for elite competition must also be made available to retail customers for at least four months before it’s worn in major international races.

Now, here’s where my curiosity turned into a mini treasure hunt. Thanks to a handy little website — certcheck.worldathletics.org — you can check whether your shoes are approved or not. Just type in the brand and model, and voila — either an official stamp of legitimacy or a polite digital shrug. I started innocently enough with my carbon-plated supershoes and ended up checking my entire shoe rack like a customs officer at a sneaker border crossing.

The result was both amusing and impressive. All my regular rotation shoes — from the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 to the reliable Mizuno Wave Rebellion Flash 2 — turned out to be World Athletics approved. Not bad for a non-elite runner whose biggest competition is dodging potholes and rogue cats on early morning runs. It made me feel oddly connected to the pros, knowing I’m essentially wearing the same kind of weaponry, just at a much more relaxed, hobby-jogger pace.

But the real surprise was when I stumbled upon two Indonesian brands, Ortuseight and 910 Nineten, on the approved list. Yes, Indonesia — known for good food, unpredictable traffic, and now internationally recognized running shoes. Both brands have shoes that meet World Athletics’ standards, a pretty big deal considering how the supershoe conversation is usually dominated by Nike, Adidas, Asics, and the like.

This isn’t just a nice badge of honor for local brands — it opens up opportunities for athletes from Indonesia to compete in major international races wearing homegrown gear. It also gives regular runners more choices if they want race-legal shoes without having to mortgage their house for a pair of Alphaflys. Plus, there’s something undeniably cool about smashing your personal best in a shoe made right in your own backyard.

So, even if you’re not chasing an Olympic dream or a sub-3 marathon, it’s fun to know your shoes would technically be legal on a world stage. It’s like owning a car that can hit 300 km/h, even if you’re just using it to pick up groceries. And for gear nerds like us, that’s a strangely satisfying piece of trivia to tuck in your pocket for the next post-run coffee chat.

Curious whether your shoes make the cut? Head to certcheck.worldathletics.org and give it a try. Who knows — you might be better equipped than you thought. Now if only World Athletics could approve my legs too.