Adidas to rival Nike for sub-two hour marathon
28/02/2017
The Adizero Sub2 made its debut at the Tokyo Marathon (February 26), where it was worn by former world record holder and Adidas athlete, Wilson Kipsang. He won the race in a time of 2:03:58, the fastest race ever in Japan. The time was still over a minute from the world record of 2:02:57 by Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto in 2014. For the two-hour barrier to be broken, a further 7 seconds would need to be shaved off each mile.
The company said the shoe “showcases cutting-edge Adidas innovation”. To develop it, Adidas explored the performance of a range of materials in different temperatures and environments and on different surfaces. The best prototypes were subjected to rigorous testing by elite athletes, including Mr Kipsang.
The resulting product is engineered specifically for elite athletes on race days. It feature Boost Light, Adidas’s lightest-ever sole foam which retains Boost’s energy return properties. The upper is made of a single layer of ultralight fabric and features a weight-reduced mesh, internal reinforcements and a system, Microfit, which has been developed to create the best support, comfort and fit for high-speed road racing. Adidas also developed its Stretchweb outsole to provide extra grip, regardless of the race conditions. This ensures that no energy is wasted due to slipping.
sportstextiles.com reported in January that Nike, a major rival of Adidas, was developing a range of new products as part of a project to achieve the first sub two-hour marathon. The Breaking2 project also saw Nike recruit three elite athletes to lead the project.
Share this story:
