‘Super-shoes’, tumbling world records and the race for a sub two-hour official marathon

‘Super-shoes,’ Tumbling World Records, and the Race for a Sub Two-Hour Official Marathon

In the world of marathons, where records are meant to be broken, recent weeks have seen a surge of excitement. The men’s and women’s marathon world records have been shattered, but there’s a twist in the plot, and it goes by the name of ‘super-shoes.’

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa stole the show by obliterating the women’s marathon world record in Berlin on September 24. She crossed the finish line in a blistering time of two hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds, carving a whopping two minutes and 11 seconds off the previous record held by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei in 2019.

Assefa, who was formerly an 800m specialist, made her marathon debut just this year in March 2022. What was on her feet, you might wonder? The Adidas’ £400 Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 shoes. Talk about a spectacular entrance into the marathon world!

But wait, there’s more. Kenyan long-distance runner Kelvin Kiptum took his turn at breaking records at the Chicago Marathon, wearing a pair of sneakers that could be straight out of a sci-fi novel. These were what World Athletics calls Nike Dev 163 trainers, which Nike has officially confirmed as the Alphafly 3 shoes.

Kiptum rewrote the record books with an astonishing time of 2 hours, 35 seconds, beating his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge’s record by a stunning 34 seconds. This is no ordinary feat for someone who has only run three marathons, and to add to the flair, he now boasts three of the six fastest times in marathon history.

His journey started with a personal best of 2:01:53 in Valencia in December 2022, marking the sixth-fastest time in history. Kiptum then outdid himself, improving by 28 seconds when he triumphed at this year’s London Marathon, marking the third-fastest time ever recorded.

And just in case you thought this revolution was confined to the men’s race, Sifan Hassan won the women’s Chicago Marathon, smashing the course record, all while donning the same Alphafly 3s.

So, what’s the deal with these ‘super-shoes,’ and how much of an advantage do athletes like Kiptum and Assefa gain by wearing them?

The ‘super-shoes’ are causing quite a stir in the running world. Governing bodies are trying to keep up with the ever-advancing shoe technology. World Athletics updated its regulations in January 2022. They released an 18-page document with rules like shoes must be available to all athletes and specifications regarding sole thickness.

World Athletics gave the green light to Nike’s Alphafly 3, placing them on their “approved shoe list,” meaning they meet the technical requirements. These shoes are an upgrade from the Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%2 trainers and are ratified for development use until December 3. However, consumers have to wait until 2024 to get their hands on them.

The exact weight of the Alphafly 3s is yet to be confirmed, but they are engineered with stiff plates or rods embedded in the midsole, often made of carbon, to help maintain the shoe’s shape. The curved midsole geometry is designed to propel runners forward.

On the other hand, Adidas offers the Adizero Pro Evo 1s, weighing a mere 138g, a striking 40% lighter than any other racing super-shoe Adidas has ever created. They feature a unique forefoot rocker, designed to trigger forward momentum and enhance running economy.

Now, let’s take a brief detour into the man who changed the game, Eliud Kipchoge. He is no stranger to the long-distance running world, having claimed marathon Olympic gold in 2016 and 2020. Kipchoge set a world record in 2018, smashing it by one minute and 18 seconds. However, his most iconic moment came in 2019 when he became the first person to complete a marathon in under two hours, clocking in at 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria.

But there’s a twist – his time wasn’t recognized as the official marathon world record because it wasn’t in open competition. Kipchoge had a team of 41 pacemakers and even a bike delivering hydration throughout the race. While his record-breaking days might be behind him at the age of 38, he was the pioneer when it comes to high-tech trainers. Kipchoge was sporting the original Nike Alphafly prototype shoes when he clocked under two hours in Austria.

World Athletics, however, swiftly banned athletes from wearing these shoes in January 2020, stating they were “distorting the record books.”

Now, the question arises: Is it the brands or the athletes running the race?

In the past fortnight, it’s evident that marathons are becoming just as much about the brands as they are about the runners. The titans of sportswear, Adidas and Nike, are in a fierce battle to be associated with the first athlete who breaks the elusive two-hour mark in a marathon.

Dr. Thomas Allen, a senior lecturer in sports engineering, weighs in, saying, “It’s important not to take it away from the athletes. They are improving with training techniques, nutrition, and support from sponsors. All of this contributes. The shoes are helping, but it’s just a small improvement. Athletes have to be very good, but there is evidence to say the shoes are helping. Many athletes are wearing these advanced shoes.”

Adidas was quick to boast about Assefa’s historic run in Germany, and Nike wasted no time in celebrating Kiptum’s success in Chicago.

Former Great Britain long-distance runner Richard Nerurkar emphasizes that shoe technology has indeed made a significant difference in the last five years in terms of speed. However, marathon running remains a grueling sport, and achieving record-breaking times still requires an enormous amount of hard work, dedication, and training. It’s a combination of athlete prowess and shoe technology.

So, where do we go from here?

The quest to officially complete a marathon in under two hours will undoubtedly continue to intensify, especially with the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon. “We’re at a point where it might come soon,” says Dr. Allen. The tantalizing proximity of this achievement has everyone talking and striving to be the one to break that magical barrier.

Kipchoge was 34 when he first shattered the marathon world record, winning the 2018 Berlin race, which suggests that 23-year-old Kiptum has plenty of time on his side to keep pushing the limits of human endurance.

World Athletics concludes, “It is also important to note that beyond shoe technology, world records are simply evolving with the times. Throughout the history of our sport, world records were always set with the best technology available at the time; it is no different today.”

So, it’s not just the shoes; it’s a combination of evolving technology, advanced training techniques, nutrition, and the indomitable spirit of athletes determined to push the boundaries of human potential.

As marathons continue to evolve, one thing is clear: it’s an exciting time to be a running enthusiast. And who knows, the

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Marathon Technology

More about Marathon Technology

• World Athletics Regulations on Shoes
• Nike Alphafly 3 Shoes
• Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1
• Eliud Kipchoge’s Ineos 1:59 Challenge
• Recent Marathon Records