by Justin LagatThe new half marathon records in Valencia opened up many eyes. It also let the world know that adidas and Nike now have screaming quick shoes. Justin Lagat put it in perspective. Check out his column and let me know your deep thoughts.
Peres Jepchirchir in 2020:
HOW IT STARTED HOW IT’S GOING pic.twitter.com/HIJDfAhX1W
— adidas Running (@adidasrunning) December 6, 2020
There were so many lessons and observations to take from Adidas’s Adios Pro and Nike’s Vaporfly next % podium finishes at the Valencia Marathon race last weekend, the 6th of December, in Spain.
It is becoming quite apparent that giving your all in a race is no longer just about the physical fitness and strength, but adding that to the right racing shoes and a fueling plan to provide you an edge against your competitors. Although, it is not just about the advancement in the racing shoes and sports drinks; more information on different training programs and methods that worked in the past are being studied, vetted and the best being implemented by coaches as well.
Expectedly, the topic of our discussion as we waited for a few more runners to arrive for our usual speed workout on Tuesday this week featured the four runners who just ran under the former world half-marathon record and their new racing shoes. This was after Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie led them in setting the new world record of 57:32 as the three runners behind him ran under 58 minutes.
Futuristic progression inspired by iconic legacy. adizero adios Pro, wrapped in the Solar Yellow of past fast.
📅 On https://t.co/7xrjW88WLF Dec 1 #adizeroadiosPro pic.twitter.com/l6NMfbMasO
— adidas Running (@adidasrunning) November 24, 2020
“We may never know which shoe is more superior between the Adida’s Adios Pro and the Nike’s Vaporfly next%, but I think when runners who have been training less performance-enhancing shoes and always trying to catch up with those using more advanced shoes, the time they also get a good shoe they can easily beat the ones who have gotten used to them,” Joel Kimurer, a 59 half marathon and 2:06 marathon runner sponsored by Nike, said.
“Nike runners have been using their racing shoes in their speed workouts and long runs while the Adidas runners just got theirs before their races. This will definitely send a message to the Nike runners that the Adidas runners have finally caught up with them in the shoe technology and more exciting battles between the two brands should be expected in some big races from next year,” he added.
2020 has been a year scanty of racing opportunities, but none the less, the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m world records that had seemed permanent were broken by Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei on two different occasions.
Make a little more room in the 2020 history books. Kibiwott Kandie is now the half marathon World Record holder.
â± 57:32
👟: adizero adios Pro pic.twitter.com/Fxr0fciDJH— adidas Running (@adidasrunning) December 6, 2020
But, it was after a 57:32 half marathon time by Kandie, that Eliud Kipchoge’s time of 2:01:39 for the marathon began to look more achievable. One can only imagine what will happen when some of these fast half marathon runners make their marathon debuts next year.
