In a thrilling U.S. Marathon Trials race in Atlanta on Feb. 29, six top finishers earned the right to represent the United States this summer at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. As the kickoff to the Olympic year, it’s also a big moment for the running community. Here’s what we saw.

1) The Shoe Wars Are On

The arms race to answer Nike’s game-changing Alphafly shoe is on. While Nike’s controversial-but-IAAF-approved franchise was secure on the podium (men’s winner Galen Rupp and second-place finisher Jacob Riley wore the style, while third-place runner Abdi Abdirahman wore the preceding Vaporfly Next%) it was a common sight in the field, too: Nike gave every qualifier a pair of the Alphaflys before the race. But it wasn’t the only show in town. Women’s winner Aliphine Tuliamuk raced in Hoka One One’s new $200 Rocket X shoe. Second-place finisher Molly Seidel took to the course in Saucony’s $200 Endorphin Pro, which will release on April 15. And Desi Linden, the 2018 Boston marathon winner, wore Brooks’ Hyperion Elite, which the brand launched, alongside the training-focused $150 Hyperion Tempo, in Atlanta. Carbon fiber plates — the common thread in all podium shoes — are here to stay.

2) Women Take Center Stage

With a dramatically larger field — 390 competitors versus 175 on the men’s side —  the women’s race highlighted gutsy performances and saw new faces enter the fray. First place finisher Tuliamuk and first-time marathon runner (yes, unbelievably, her first-ever marathon distance race) Seidel (who was seeded 139) finished the race just 7 seconds apart, at 2:27:23 and 2:27:31. Third-place finisher Sally Kipyego captured the final spot on the team with a 2:28:52, beating out Linden, who had represented the U.S. in both the 2012 and 2016 Games. (Kipyego is a returning Olympian herself: She was the silver medalist in the 10,000m race at the 2012 London Games, representing Kenya. A longtime U.S. resident, she became an American citizen in 2017.)

3) Amateur Power

The deep field at the starting line in Atlanta highlighted an often-overlooked fact: That for as much attention as the field elites get, the majority of the runners lacing up for the race are amateurs (in the true sense of the word meaning unsponsored, decidedly not meaning new to the game) dreaming of their shot, however long, at the podium. This year, boutique running apparel firm Tracksmith gave those runners some love. Under their OTQ (for Olympic Trials Qualifier) ambassador program, the Boston-based firm offered any runner with a marathon qualifying time a quarterly $250 stipend for Tracksmith apparel, as well as membership to Tracksmith’s Hare A.C. training program and quarterly shipments of Linden x Two coffee. (In other marathon connections, Linden x Two is owned by Desi Linden and her husband, Ryan.) In Atlanta, that made Tracksmith one of the most visible brands on the line: 138 runners, 110 of whom were women, competed in the throwback red-and-navy kit with the brand’s signature sash in white.