Shoes lighter than a bar of soap that helped break the marathon world record

 

Shoes lighter than a bar of soap that helped break the marathon world record

 

When Sebastian Savage said last week that it was “only a matter of time” for him to break the late Calvin Kaptum’s world marathon record, few thought that time would come in London on Sunday.

But it was more than just setting a new world record. In one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, the 31-year-old Kenyan athlete redefined the boundaries of what was possible.

Although Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in 2019, that feat was achieved under “controlled” conditions and therefore not recognised as a record.

In a surprise move, Savage was joined in the record books by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejilcha, who came in second with a time of 1:59:40 to become the second male athlete to complete a marathon in under two hours.

In the women's race, Ethiopia's Tigist Asifa improved her own world record by nine seconds, finishing in 2:15:41.

In this game of "slight improvements" in time, the focus was on how the three athletes managed to achieve this record-breaking Sunday in the British capital.

For many, the answer lies in their shoes.

hat shWoes were the athletes wearing?

All three athletes wore the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro

The shoe was launched just two days before the world's best athletes took to the streets of London on April 25, and is the third version of the wildly popular shoe.

Adidas has worked with Savay, Kijelcha and Asifa over the past three years to develop the shoe.

In Savay's case, it was the shoe that helped him break Captham's London Marathon record by almost two minutes. After his victory, Savay thanked the team, saying that they were the best shoes he had ever worn. He particularly praised their light weight and stable construction.

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What's different about the Pro Evo 3?

Weighing in at 99 grams, it's the first 'super shoe' to weigh less than 100 grams.

That's lighter than a medium-sized apple, banana or bar of soap.

Significant improvements in marathon times in recent years have come thanks to the introduction of carbon-plated midsoles.

However, the Pro Evo 3 uses carbon technology instead of a plate wrapped around the midsole. "At this level, every detail really matters. We were measuring things down to the nanogram level," said Patrick Nava, Adidas' vice president of running, about the design process.

"It was a long process, but as a result we have something that we believe is changing the way we think a shoe should feel on race day."

However, it's not easy for ordinary athletes to benefit from this technology. Although a limited number of the shoes were available to the public this week, their mass sale is expected later this year, when they will cost four hundred and fifty British pounds.

What are the rules on ‘super shoes’?

The governing bodies of the sport have been trying to keep up with the advances in shoe technology over the years, and World Athletics updated its regulations in January 2022.

The 18-page document states that the shoes can be used if they are ‘available to any athlete participating in the relevant competition.’

The rules also state that the maximum ‘stack height’ cannot exceed 40mm and that the shoe cannot have more than one carbon plate.

 

While athletes can run in shoes with a stack height of more than 40mm, their times will not be included in the record books because such trainers are considered ‘illegal’.

 

The governing bodies of the sport will have to keep up with brands that are constantly looking for new advantages, while Nava says he does not know if there is a limit to the development of technology.

“There are a few things we’re already working on,” he added. “Sabaschian has also indicated that he thinks he can go even faster. So it’s exciting to push the boundaries, because you don’t know what you might find.”

So is it all just because of the shoes?

The rapid advances in sports science over the past 20 years have been accompanied by improvements in technology in racing shows.

Simply put, we now know more than ever before about how to maintain glycogen levels during a 26.2-mile run.

In Savay’s case, a research team from sports nutrition brand Morton spent a total of 32 days with him over six trips over the past 12 months.

The team, who specialise in hydrogels, worked with Savay to ensure he could digest gels containing 90 to 120 grams of carbohydrates in an hour without any discomfort.

By maintaining glycogen levels, the body can rely on carbohydrates for energy rather than fat stores.

It is inevitable that some people will express skepticism when such milestones are achieved.

The winner of the 2024 Chicago Marathon, Ruth Chepnjitich, who set a world record with a time of 2:09:56, faced a three-year ban for doping in 2025.

Following her compatriot’s suspension, Savage and Adidas requested that their anti-doping testing be increased, and in 2025 Adidas paid $50,000 to increase Savage’s drug testing in the run-up to the Berlin Marathon.