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Adidas Helps 2 Runners Clinch An Under 2-Hour Marathon
Adizero Pro Evo 3 // Courtesy of Adidas
Adidas has reclaimed the running throne after three long-distance runners broke marathon records — two of them reaching the finish line in what was once considered an unthinkable sub-two hours, all while wearing the same pair of shoes.
Why It Hits: Adidas’ stock has slumped this year, partly due to the footwear brand losing ground in the performance category to competitors like Hoka and On, while market leader Nike stages a resurgence. With the US running shoe market growing 13% over the past year to $8.1 billion, there’s a lot of money on the road for those that come out ahead.
Behind The Footwear: Adidas’ ability to propel multiple runners to world records may be the greatest marketing imaginable for its new Adizero Pro Evo 3 shoe.
At the London Marathon on Sunday, Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha both broke the all-time marathon record, finishing in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds and 1 hour 59 minutes and 41 seconds, respectively.
The previous record-holder was Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who set a time of 2 hours and 35 seconds at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, wearing Nike’s Air Zoom Alphafly Next 3 running shoes.
Sawe even beat the unofficial record held by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who ran a 1:59:40 marathon in Milan wearing a pair of Nikes.
Additionally, Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa broke the women’s record at the London Marathon, which she previously set, finishing in 2 hours 15 minutes and 41 seconds.
Last Lap: Other than the three racers, the big star of the show was the Adizero Pro Evo 3, now the lightest shoe ever made — at a measly 3.42 ounces. Adidas worked closely with the runners to develop the shoes, and that bet clearly paid off. Yesterday, the German footwear giant officially rolled out the sneakers at $500 a pop… and saw its stock climb 2%.
That’s a winning strategy.
Next Run: Prepare for the Adizero Pro Evo 3s to become the status symbol of your run club… and for Adidas’ sneakers in general to skyrocket in popularity across athletic circles once again.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.