97-Gram Shoe Helps Marathoners Break Two-Hour Barrier

The impossible just became possible, and it happened on the feet of two extraordinary athletes wearing shoes that weigh less than a smartphone.

Sabastian Sawe ran the London Marathon in under two hours on April 26, 2026, becoming one of the first humans ever to break this legendary barrier in an official race. Just hours earlier, Tigist Assefa set a new women's world record with a time of 2:15:41.

Both runners wore the same secret weapon: the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a 97-gram engineering marvel that launched just days before the race.

The shoe represents three years of intense research across labs in Germany and high-altitude training camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Adidas worked through more than a dozen versions, collaborating closely with elite athletes to perfect every detail.

The result is a shoe that's 30 percent lighter than its predecessor while delivering 1.6 percent more running economy. Every gram mattered in the design process, with engineers aiming for what they called "two digits on the scale."

The secret lies in revolutionary carbon technology called ENERGYGRIM, integrated directly into the shoe's structure. New Lightstrile Pro Evo foam is nearly 50 percent lighter than previous versions, while the upper design drew inspiration from kitesurfing sails to create weightless support.

When prototype tester Benson Kipruto first tried an early version in Kenya, he couldn't believe what he was holding. He ran 25 kilometers the next day, then hid the shoe in his room and refused to give it back until promised a final pair.

Kipruto went on to win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics wearing the Pro Evo 1. The technology has evolved rapidly since then, with each generation pushing the boundaries of what runners thought possible.

Why This Inspires

Sunday's achievements represent more than athletic records. They show what happens when human determination meets thoughtful innovation designed to amplify our natural abilities rather than replace them.

The shoes went on sale April 25 for $500, with limited quantities available through Adidas and specialty retailers. Amateur runners worldwide can now train in the same technology that just helped rewrite marathon history.

Three runners finished the London Marathon under two hours wearing the same shoe model, proving the breakthrough wasn't a fluke but a genuine leap forward in human performance.