Kenyan distance runner Sebastian Savay is the talk of the town after his record-breaking feat on Sunday. The 31-year-old became the first person to cross the two-hour mark at the 2026 London Marathon, clocking 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. Additionally, Tigaste Assefa of Ethiopia broke the women’s marathon record with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. In the men’s race, Sawe was not the only man to break the two-hour mark, as Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also did so, finishing in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 41 seconds. What do these three have in common? Well, when it comes to his shoes.
What happened on Sunday?
The 2026 London Marathon will be remembered as the day when ‘impossible’ became the norm. Conditions on the London streets were almost perfect for distance running – overcast skies, 11°C (52°F) temperatures, and minimal wind resistance along the Thames. This climate provided the ideal backdrop for Saave’s continued movement. Spectators standing on the embankment witnessed a level of human performance that many believed was still decades away from official, non-speed competitive racing.
All three wore the recently launched Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. First things first, the running gear was unveiled just a week before the London Marathon. At launch, the shoe was described as the brand’s lightest and fastest adizero silhouette to date. Well, having light shoes for marathon is the first task of an athlete. Running gear directly affects how the body uses energy over a distance of 42.2 km.
If someone goes out wearing heavy shoes during a marathon, he is doomed. There is no easy way to say this. Long distance running requires the athlete to lift and bend their feet forward with every step, and heavier shoes require more effort, causing fatigue. Therefore, this is the main reason why different brands try to develop gear that reduces weight as much as possible.
Why is the London Marathon so difficult?
The London Marathon is an experience unlike any other. The conditions are very difficult, and runners face huge crowds, which in turn can lead to obstacles. The weather is also hotter and more humid, and the mental burden of running the 42.2 km course is much greater.
How did Adidas sign Sebastian Sava?
Savay was not a born marathon runner. He initially made his name in short track events. If one looks at his early career, he focused more on speed rather than stamina. Then Adidas stepped in. Since the era of ‘super shoes’, the German company has tried to bring in athletes who can push the limits. Sava’s running style made him an ideal candidate for new footwear innovation.
It’s also worth noting that Adidas funded an independent doping-testing regime for Sava in 2025 and 2026 to ensure he remains clean. According to multiple reports, the company invested approximately US$50,000 for the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which handles doping controls for World Athletics, to conduct 25 out-of-competition tests over two months.
The Adidas adiZero Adios Pro Evo 3 was launched the same week as the London Marathon, and it’s no coincidence that the world record was broken just days later. The important common point here is that Kjelcha was running his first marathon. He had never run a marathon before, but managed to complete the two-hour race in his first attempt.
What is running economy?
In the world of elite athletics this is called running economy (RE). Studies have shown that for every 100 grams added to a shoe, the energetic cost of running increases by approximately 1%. For an athlete like Savay, who is operating at the absolute limit of human aerobic capacity, there is a 1 percent difference between a world record and a podium finish. By removing every non-essential gram, Adidas has given these runners the gift of “free” speed, allowing them to maintain sub-4:34 minute per mile pace without late-stage muscle failure.
This is where the Adidas adiZero Adios Pro Evo 3 proves to be a game-changer, if early results are anything to go by. The latest shoe is an updated version of the previous shoe, named the Adios Pro Evo 2. What is the main difference? You might be wondering. Well, it’s all in the small and fine details. The big change is the Lightstrike Pro Evo midsole cushioning. In the Adidas adiZero Adios Pro Evo 3, it is paired with a new EnergyRim carbon frame instead of the EnergyRods 2.0 carbon rods used in the previous version.
pivot from old times
The shift from rod to Energirim carbon frames is a significant pivot in footwear engineering. Whereas previous rods mimicked the metatarsal bones of the foot to provide flexibility, the new frame offers a more harmonious structure that maximizes energy return at foot strike. This “spring-like” effect doesn’t just reduce weight; This actively propels the runner forward, reducing eccentric load on the calves and hamstrings.
The Adidas adiZero Adios Pro Evo 3 was launched the same week as the London Marathon, and it’s no coincidence that the world record was broken just days later. The important common point here is that Kjelcha was running his first marathon. He had never run a marathon before, but managed to complete the two-hour race in his first attempt.
Kjelcha’s performance is perhaps most shocking to purists. A specialist in the 5,000 m and 10,000 m, Kjelcha’s transition to the 42.2 km distance was expected to take several years of metabolic conditioning. However, the synergy between his high-cadence track style and the Evo 3’s responsive technology allowed him to bypass the traditional “marathon wall”.
Role of shoes in maintaining metatarsal bones
According to many doctors, shoes are essential for the maintenance and protection of the metatarsal bones. If you’re wondering what the metatarsal bones are, we’ve got you covered. These are the long bones in the midfoot/forefoot area. Good shoes will always provide cushioning in this area to absorb shock, and redistribute weight to help reduce pressure on the ball of the foot.
These bones always play an important role in marathons, acting as the primary supporting and load-bearing structure during the running phase. It is due to the presence of these bones that a person can face intense pressure on the front foot. According to several studies, the second and third metatarsals experience the most bending stress.
Big difference in weight?
The adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is Adidas’s first sub-100-gram marathon shoe, making it lighter than a banana, bar of soap, and medium-sized apple. The weight is about the same as a deck of cards, and it’s about half the size of an average running shoe. UK men’s shoes weigh 97 grams. If you can’t imagine the enormity of what was accomplished, remember that a size 9 Air Force 1 weighs approximately 470 grams.
To put this in perspective, during a marathon, a runner takes approximately 25,000 to 30,000 steps. If your shoe is 300 grams lighter than a standard trainer, you’re effectively carrying 9,000 kilograms less weight during a race. This is a staggering mechanical advantage.
What happened behind the scenes to create the shoe?
The plan to develop the adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 had been in the works for 3 years. Adidas employees worked tirelessly behind the scenes, as well as visiting with elite athletes to gather their feedback and work on their assessments. All data was recorded in coordination with the athletes’ inputs during the training camp.
When Hindustan Times Digital investigated a little deeper, it came to light that some employees had even gone to Africa to take feedback from the athletes. The adidas Innovation team teamed up with Sabastian, Tigist and Yomif to introduce an unmatched range of innovative running products to support this moment in history. Adizero Adios Pro Evo has already helped athletes associated with the brand break three world records and win more than 30 major road races, including six World Marathon Majors wins, seven national records, five course records and one Olympic record time.
african connection
Testing took place primarily at high-altitude training camps in Iten, Kenya and Sululta, Ethiopia. Here, the “Innovation Management” team from Adidas’ headquarters in Herzogenaurach lived with the runners. They weren’t just looking for speed; They were looking at how the shoes handled red clay roads and how the foam reacted to thin air and the specific biomechanics of East African stride patterns. This local research ensured that the shoe was customized for the people who would wear it on the world stage.
Not made for everyone
This shoe is designed for one-time use and is made for running by elite athletes. One-time use is costly, and hence, if a runner uses it for a marathon, the same shoe cannot be used in the next race. Due to the costs involved, a common runner is unlikely to choose these shoes, as they are high maintenance and not everyone can afford them.
The “single-use” nature stems from the Lightstrike Pro Evo foam. To make it so light, the foam is non-compressible and highly porous. While this provides incredible cushioning for up to 42.2 kilometers, soon after this the cell structure begins to collapse, losing its “pop” and structural integrity. It’s the Formula 1 car of footwear: built for single high-stakes races, not the daily commute.
Do you want to take possession of these?
The price of the shoe is US $ 500, which when converted into Indian currency becomes Rs 48,000. A limited number of pairs were released last week; However, the full rollout is expected some time later. A wider launch is scheduled for later this year, when the actual marathon season begins.
Why is this a problem for Nike?
The immediate success of the Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 threatened the dominance of Nike, who previously claimed to be the fastest recorded marathon runner. The late Kelvin Kiptom wore Nike’s Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 3 shoes at the 2023 Chicago Marathon and finished in 2 hours and 35 seconds.
At the record-breaking 2022 Berlin Marathon, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge sports Nike’s Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2. For reference, the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 3 weighs 201 grams while the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2 weighs 243 grams.
“Super Shoe” arms race
The weight disparity is now impossible for Nike to ignore. With Adidas falling below the 100g mark, Nike’s flagship racer is now more than double the weight of the Adios Pro Evo 3. This has started a new arms race in the game laboratory. Industry insiders suggest Nike is already working rapidly on “minimal” prototypes, but for now, the momentum has shifted firmly toward the Three Stripes.
As the 2026 season moves forward, the question is no longer whether the record will be broken, but by how much. Now that the sub-two hour barrier has officially fallen into the competitive arena, the marathon has entered a new era where human endurance is impeccably enhanced by high-performance chemistry.
