FINISHING A MARATHON in less than two hours was once thought to be impossible. But over the last few years, the human race has gotten closer and closer as technology has improved and sports science has been honed. Now, it’s finally happened.
Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe has run himself into the history books at the London marathon, finishing in a world record time of 1:59:30 – more than a minute faster than the previous world record and faster still than Eliud Kipchoge’s exhibition race from 2019, in which he ran 1:59:40.
Sawe wasn’t the only one to run a decent time in London. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha crossed the line in 1:59:41, and the third-place finisher, Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, also bested the previous world-record time at 2:00:28.
Today’s athletes are consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s humanly possible, but they do benefit from having access to the most advanced equipment ever produced. Because while physical ability can get you a long way, a super-light, propulsive, speed-boosting pair of running shoes can provide the extra one per cent of oomph needed to go from seriously impressive to record breaking.
In Sebastian Sawe’s case, that pair of running shoes was the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 – an update to an already revolutionary model.
The Pro Evo 3 is the fastest and lightest shoe Adidas has ever made. It weighs in at just 97 grams(!!!). That’s the rough equivalent of a medium-sized apple or 10 one-dollar coins. It’s also 30 per cent lighter than previous iterations and it’s the first time Adidas has gone sub-100 grams on a race shoe.
It uses next-generation Lightstrike Pro Evo foam, which is nearly 50 per cent lighter than its predecessors and features a 39mm stack. New ENERGYRIM technology, meanwhile, is one of the biggest reasons the shoe has improved. It’s a carbon-integrated system that supports the maximum volume of Lightstrike Pro Evo foam underfoot while still providing enough stiffness for stability. This improves the overall efficiency of the shoe and balances out it’s responsiveness with cushioning.
The upper is ultra-light and the design itself is stripped-back to reduce weight. Even minor components like laces and stitching have been reworked to deliver marginal gains in weight reduction.
Unlike in a traditional running shoe where the outsole covers the entire base, the outsole of the Pro Evo 3 is only placed in strategic areas that make the most ground contact at high speeds, like the forefoot.This is to provide traction where it’s needed instead of adding weight by placing it where it’s not.
The first edition of the Pro Evo made headlines in 2023 for its lofty price tag and limited supply (just 521 pairs were initially released). Then Tigst Assefa broke the women’s world record in it and everyone started paying attention to what Adidas was cooking up.
The brand fine-tuned the model with the Pro Evo 2 (which we were lucky enough to get our feet in), making it lighter, faster and just as expensive.
Now with the Pro Evo 3, Adidas has successfully broken one of the last barriers in distance running – and we expect more records to fall. Tigst Assefa also wore the Pro Evo 3 in London and set the women’s-only marathon world record. Meanwhile, marathon debutant Yomif Kejelcha also wore the shoe and went sub-two in the men’s race, finishing second to Sawe.
Indeed, what was once considered an impenetrable barrier has now been broken by two athletes in the same race. Surely it’s no coincidence that they were wearing the same shoe.
If you were hoping to get your hands on the Pro Evo 3 to set a new PB, we’re afraid it’s slim pickings. The shoe was released in a limited drop on April 25th but quickly sold out. Presumably, more drops will follow – but given its high price point, the Pro Evo line has never really been mass produced and sold in large quantities.
If you’re really desperate to get your hands on it, the more approachable Adizero Adios Pro 4 is Adidas’ best race day shoe that is widely available and it offers similar benefits to the Pro Evo 3.
