Nike and Adidas, beaten by some hot girls: the invention of a Swiss company fascinates the world PHOTO

If the world of tennis offers us, annually, four Grand Slams, the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, in the world of athletics there are six major marathons that represent “Everest” to any endurance runner.

Three of the races are held in the first part of the year, Tokyo (March 3, 2024), Boston (April 17) and London (April 21), while the last ones are for the autumn season, hosted by Berlin (September 29), Chicago ( October 13) and New York (November 3). If in our country these races go unnoticed, on the other hand, in the West and the USA, they are turned on all sides! Because the marathon (42.195 kilometers) is the ultimate test of athletics, and the number of those who annually aim to conquer this horrifying distance is on an increasing trend globally. For example, this year, in Paris, a record was reached: 54,175 runners crossed the finish line! 46 percent of them were on their first run at this distance. And 31 percent of them traveled to Paris from outside France to run this marathon.

With these numbers in mind, it’s easy to see why major brands have devoted huge resources to manufacturing running shoes in recent years. We are talking about building sports laboratories where specialists in the field work side by side with elite runners and amateurs, before launching a model on the market. Typically, the testing phase lasts at least a year, during which the model being worked on is used by volunteers with different running styles. Based on their evaluations, the necessary adjustments are made in the laboratory.

The big stake: speed

Amidst this technological boom, there is now a wide variety of running shoes that has probably never existed in the history of the sport. Divided by category, we have dedicated models:

*long runs during the training period.

*easy / recovery runs.

*speed runs in which short “pieces” are done at maximum intensity.

*races at different distances, with carbon plate in the sole.

In this last category, there has been a fierce battle between the big brands of the sports industry for several years, since 2015. The goal is to market models that improve speed. Which he succeeded. Proof is also the fact that they “laugh” good minutes, if we look at the world record of the marathon event, both for men and for women. The adjacent table reflects this.

The “strangeness” of Boston: shoes without laces!

Returning to the most recent major marathons, the one in Boston has just created a veritable media frenzy in the specialized press. Because a bomb premiere was recorded here! After many years, the first three ranked in the women’s event did not have Nike or Adidas on their feet. We’re talking about brands that give “the exact time“, traditionally in this segment of running shoes. In Boston, the three girls who reached the podium were equipped by other brands:

1. Hellen Obiri (Kenya, 34 years old) – 2 hours, 22 minutes and 37 seconds – On Cloudboom Strike

2. Sharon Lokedi (Kenya, 30 years old) – 2 hours, 22 minutes and 45 seconds – Under Armor Velociti Elite 2

3. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya, 44 years old) – 2 hours, 23 minutes and 21 seconds – Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3

Only on the next positions were girls wearing Adidas and Nike shoes, and athletes with Asics, Brooks and Xtep shoes entered the Top 20. The most fascinating shoes, however, were worn by the winner of the race, Hellen Obiri. “weirdness” from the Swiss company On stood out, first of all, by the fact that it has no laces. In addition, it comes with a variety of stockings around the ankle. This model is, for now, a prototype, unavailable on the market for “ordinary mortals“. Surely, however, at the time of release, there will be a high demand for it, as always happens with shoes that come with something new.

Hellen Obiri during the Boston Marathon. PHOTO: Instagram

Speed ​​comes at a cost and comes with the risk of injury

The great advantage of running shoes lies in the propulsion provided to the runner. It is said that this way, when the shoes simply throw you in the face, an elite athlete can reduce their energy consumption by up to 4 percent during a marathon.

However, we must remember two crucial aspects! First of all, this benefit appears in the case of those who are able to run hard! Only then is the effect of the carbon plate propelling you felt. What does it mean to “run fast“? Specialists say that “the speedsters” are those who are able to maintain at least a pace of 4 minutes and 17 seconds per kilometer. For example, now in Boston, Romanian Alexandru Corneschi (32 years old), an elite athlete, covered each kilometer with an average speed of 3 minutes and 13 seconds. So, such a runner can make the most of the potential of running shoes.

Conversely, for amateurs approaching 6 or 7 minutes per kilometer, running shoes become downright dangerous! Because they are quite unstable and can cause sprains while running. Then these models, to be as light as possible – they usually weigh between 190 and 240 grams! – have a smaller amount of foam in the sole. This foam is basically the shock absorber that reduces the impact of the asphalt on the joints during running. In running shoes, muscles and joints are therefore more exposed during exertion. Therefore, it is not recommended that such models be used during training.

Last but not least, running shoes have less durability. And it costs a lot. Increasingly more! Since last year, almost all models launched have a starting price of $250. And some even reach 300. In this chapter, Adidas shocked, putting on sale a model for… 500 dollars!

What shows the commercial potential of this segment, of running shoes, is that, every time, the new models are sold as “warm bread“, despite exorbitant prices.