Runners around the world were left gobsmacked after watching Tigist Assefa smash the women’s marathon world record in Berlin this weekend.
The Ethiopian athlete raced around the 26.2-mile course in just 2hr 11min 53 seconds – 131 seconds faster than the previous record.
So, what was the key to Assefa’s success? Her trainers.
During the race, Assefa wore Adidas’ new ‘super shoe’ – the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1, which is one of the lightest racing shoes ever created.
‘This is the lightest racing shoe I have ever worn and the feeling of running in them is an incredible experience – like nothing I’ve felt before,’ Assefa said.
During the race, Assefa wore Adidas’ new ‘super shoe’ – the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1, which is one of the lightest racing shoes ever created
Runners around the world were left gobsmacked after watching Tigist Assefa smash the women’s marathon world record in Berlin this weekend
Adidas’ new racing shoe weighs in at just 138g.
For comparison, the average high-top Converse shoe weighs 340g – more than twice as heavy as the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1.
It’s also 40 per cent lighter than any other Adidas racing super shoe.
This minimal weight not only improves running economy, but also provides runners with greater energy return, according to the brand.
Patrick Nava, VP Product, Running & Credibility Sports at adidas, said: ‘We explored every element of a racing shoe, balancing what we could remove or change to reduce the weight.
‘Created with and for the fastest road racing athletes, this shoe is designed to help ambitious runners go even faster on race day.’
The ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1 features a unique rocker, placed at 60 per cent of the length of the shoe.
‘The first-of-its-kind forefoot rocker triggers forward momentum, resulting in record-breaking speed that improves the wearer’s running economy,’ Adidas explained.
Sheila Chepkirui from Kenya and Tigist Assefa from Ethiopia holding the Adidas Running Shoes Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1
Adidas’ new racing shoe weighs in at just 138g. For comparison, the average high-top Converse shoe weighs 340g – more than twice as heavy as the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1
To cut down on weight, Adidas ditched the conventional sockliner, and used a new version of its Lightstrike Pro foam to form the midsole.
‘The newest version of the record-breaking Lightstrike Pro foam is crafted in a non-compression molding process,’ it explained.
‘Created with a cutting-edge manufacturing process, this not only reduces weight significantly, but also provides greater energy return for runners.’
However, the biggest weight saving (70g) came from a new cutting-edge outsole.
Speaking to Runner’s World, Charlotte Heidmann, senior global product manager at Adidas, said: ‘It’s the thinnest and lightest outsole we’ve ever created.
‘It’s still [made of] rubber, but it’s completely flat – there are no grooves anymore.
‘But the grip is still the same – we’ve tested it in the rain with our athletes and wear testers.’
Finally, the top of the shoe is made from a lightweight mesh, which is translucent – acting as a metaphor for the shoe’s lightness.
‘They enable me to put my full focus on the race, which is exactly what you want as an athlete,’ Assefa said.
Unsurprisingly, the shoes aren’t cheap, costing £400 in the UK and $500 in the US.
Despite this eye-watering price tag, runners won’t get much use out of the trainers.
According to Ms Heidmann, there’s a disclaimer in the box stating that the shoe is designed for ‘one race – so one marathon – plus familiarisation time.’
Assefa isn’t the only athlete using the new shoe.
Unsurprisingly, the shoes aren’t cheap, costing £400 in the UK and $500 in the US. Despite this eye-watering price tag, runners won’t get much use out of the trainers, which are single-use
Other top runners who have taken the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1 for a spin include the reigning Olympic champion and two-time Major Marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir, two-time Major Marathon winner Benson Kipruto, and German national champion Amanal Petros.
Despite coming in at 39mm in thickness (1mm below the 40mm limit set by World Athletics for road races), the success of the new shoe is likely to reignite the debate among the running community of ‘technological doping.’
This debate first reared its head in 2016 with the launch of Nike’s £240 Vaporfly shoes.
During the 2016 Olympic marathon in Rio, all three male medallists wore a prototype of the trainer, with the same technology extended to track races from 2018.
Experts predict the shoe improved the running economy of highly trained runners by four per cent compared to a normal shoe, and improved performance by three per cent.
‘The same shoe gives you a massive variability among different athletes — even greater than 10 per cent in some cases,’ says Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, of the International Olympic Committee.
‘How you respond to the shoe can determine if you’re going to be an Olympian or watch it on TV.
‘You know who is going to win and who can qualify [for the Games].
‘Athletes have qualified because they had access to a super shoe. And many who were not running in these shoes didn’t qualify.’
