The Nylon Cortez was Nike’s first departure from the Onitsuka line, offering a nylon version of the leather standby – which they had previously added to the lineup of Bowerman conceived footwear. It was my footwear choice for my first marathon attempt, and it was a successful outing of 7:40 miles. They continued to provide effective service through my Senior high school season, though they were joined by an increasing collection of equivalent models from at least eight other brands, plus a number of racing flats and spikes. The shoes were effective and my performances often succeeded, though my racing tactics did not always run as true.