Two world records were broken in the Adidas super shoes last weekend, and the public can soon get their hands on a limited release. Our writer took a pair for a spin.
Sabastian Sawe wore them when he became the first person to run an official marathon in less than two hours in London on Sunday, as did Tigst Assefa when she beat the women-only marathon record on the same day. The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is billed as “humanity’s fastest shoe”, lighter and bouncier than anything before.
But could it help a lapsed runner get their mojo back? The writer was sceptical. After a poor parkrun performance, they borrowed a pair from Adidas. The shoe weighs just 99g, lighter than a banana, and is 30% lighter than the previous version. It has a “super foam” base and a “weightless” upper inspired by kitesurfing sails.
At £450, the shoes are expensive and may have limited longevity, with previous super trainers criticised as “one-marathon” shoes. The writer found them comfier than any shoe worn before, with a cushioned base that felt like walking on air. However, no shoe could stop aching muscles or struggling lungs after months of no exercise.
The writer completed a 5km run in 34 minutes, one minute faster than their recent best, but still far from world-record pace. The limited release goes live to the public at 9am on Thursday.
