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Sabastian Sawe’s record-breaking London Marathon shoe is released today
At the 2026 London Marathon, Sabastian Sawe became the first man to run an official marathon in less than two hours. It is one of the most outrageous feats of athleticism ever witnessed. The Kenyan-born runner’s relentless training, superior fitness and iron mindset can be credited for the vast majority of his incredible performance. However, in elite sport where every millisecond counts, attention has turned to what he had on his feet: the Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3 (£450, Adidas.co.uk). This is the first sub-100g super shoe, weighing just 97g in a UK size 8.5. It was also worn by Tigst Assefa, who smashed her own women’s-only marathon world record on Sunday, and second-placed men’s finisher Yomif Kejelcha, who also broke the two-hour barrier on his competitive marathon debut. Clearly, this shoe is exceptional.
On the eve of this year’s London Marathon, I headed to a mysterious warehouse near Marylebone for a sneak preview. Adidas technicians explained the shoe’s inner workings, then gave me the chance to test it on a treadmill ahead of its launch today. Here are my first impressions.
What you should know about the Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3
It is hard to describe just how light the shoe is. As I tossed it from hand to hand, it felt like throwing a tennis ball. “We had to be careful not to recycle them – people just assumed the boxes were empty because they weighed so little,” one of the team told me.
Rather than a full carbon plate, it has a carbon fibre-infused “energy rim” in the midsole to provide stiffness and speed without unnecessary bulk. The half-millimetre thick rubber outsole only covers a fraction of the shoe’s underside, where athletes actually step. The midsole is far less dense than predecessors, yet offers ample energy return under the forefoot – essential for speedy runners. The rip-proof upper is reinforced with a lattice of fabric embedded within. I watched a woman try her hardest to tear it for several minutes; it withstood the challenge. The shoe is released today (30 April) and can be purchased at the link below.
My first thoughts on the Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3
This is a shoe built for personal bests. It is not one you would slip on for a few casual kilometres along country roads. This became apparent when I wore it for the first time. I had to be careful not to let the wafer-thin tongue bunch up as I pressed my foot in, and once on, I could clearly see my socks through the translucent upper. When I stood up, the forefoot offered plenty of bounce while the rear of the shoe depressed under my heel. The support is exclusively focused on the front, where high-level runners need it most – it is built for forefoot strikers with a fast time in mind.
I did the obligatory jumps, side-to-side shuffles and stamps – as if trying on school shoes with my mum in Shoezone – and was impressed by the springiness. Then I moved to a self-powered curved treadmill and jumped on. Starting slowly, the first few steps felt awkward, like driving a Formula One car through a city centre. But when I opened up, the shoe rejoiced. Despite a long office day, my feet delivered decent energy and my turnover felt snappy. So snappy that I thought I might be thrown off the back of the treadmill initially. The shoe was more comfortable than other super shoes I have tried, including its predecessor and the Saucony endorphin elite 2. During my warm-up, the grip and stability felt slightly more reliable than the adizero adios pro evo 2 – a problem several people have mentioned.
Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3: the verdict
The shoe does not make the runner. The best runners could achieve excellent times in sub-par shoes. But at the top level, where athletes fight for every millisecond, shoes can make a marginal difference. No shoe is universal; different sizes and support systems suit different people depending on size, running style, foot shape, and other factors. However, success leaves clues, and Adidas’s athletes left an unmistakable trail through London on Sunday.
I am not an elite runner, and I spent only 10 minutes in the Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3. But it made a favourable impression. The record-breaking weight is an objective measure of innovation, while the lively ride offers a subjective thumbs up. It fits slightly small, so I would go at least half a size up, and there was slight creasing of the upper when I pulled the laces tight. However, these factors did not impact performance or comfort during my trial. In summary: the Adidas adizero adios pro evo 3 is very light, feels very fast, and now boasts two marathon world records. That is an impressive CV for an unreleased shoe.
