Mikal Peveto, Director of running, adidas North America: the RBR Interview, on adizero Rush, adidas focus on light/faster, by Larry Eder

Mikal Peveto: Yes, adizero is a decades worth of experience, from building premium-racing shoes and track spikes.

Mikal Peveto: Two years ago, the company took our experiences from Japan, across all sports categories. Light is better and “light makes faster”. This is something that translates to every sport, from a first down in football, to the first to the ball is soccer, to the first to the finish in running. Being faster resonates with every athlete.

RBR, #4: So, why is adidas so excited about this product?

Mikal Peveto: This is the culmination, a broad based product covering the needs of any athlete. At adidas, we are focused on the high school-college athlete, in that 14-25 age group. We call them the Next Gen athlete. This has been the fastest growing segment in our business. The  industry driven by lightweight, and it is resonating in basketball, where the market shifted to lightweight. adidas has a 9.8 oz basketball shoe, called adizero Crazy Light, that leads this trend. Our 7.5 ounce adizero Rush is made for going fast. This is a perfect shoe for the cross country runner, cornerback or safety where speed is everything.

RBR, # 5: adidas seems to be on a comeback, tell us about that.

Mikal Peveto: Yes, our business is up at unprecedented level over last two years. And, adizero is the tip of the spear. Even more than light, these are the technologies that help propel you forward. We have a 7.5 oz, “go fast” shoe, within a full sprint frame, and a  full length thermoplastic plate. We understand that energy return, minimizing the loss of energy, in the forefoot, at toe off, any amount of energy that you don’t loose, you maintain.

Mikal Peveto: If you are the JV runner, sixth, seventh, man on the team, and you have not fully committed to the sport, then this is the perfect shoe: perfect for track, you are in spike zone with that range. We talk about sub 4 minute mile, like Lukas Verzbicas did at the adidas Grand Prix NYC or the sub 4 hour marathon. The name of the game is going faster, they would love to have 3:59.59 in that finish line picture.

RBR, #7: How was the golden mile and 100 meter received?

Mikal Peveto: Lukas Verzbicas broke four minutes in our race. The  conditions were cold, windy and rainy. I think, knock on wood, if the weather is a good, that there is a chance that a sprinter like Bracy could run under ten seconds. Leonard Scott was big & strong and Bracy is a wide-receiver too.The 100 is a strength event and Bracy just broke the High School 55m record, off of football! The Dream Mile & Dream 100 have established us at the pinnacle of high school athlete.

RBR, #8: Why should the high school athlete consider adidas?

Mikal Peveto: We have the largest lightweight collection and the longest tenured lightweight collection. In 2011, we won the 100 meters (Yohan Blake) at the World Champs. We have the second fastest 200 meters (Yohan Blake, 19.26). adidas is valid: Derek Rose, to Justin Upton, to Eric Berry, to Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake. These are part of the adidas arsenal of athletes used to validate product.