The saddest six-word story ever written: For sale, $500 shoes, worn once.
What happened: The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s are now on sale. They’re Adidas’ newest running shoes, which runner Tigist Assefa wore when she shattered the women’s world marathon record last weekend. The price tag for these record-setting sneaks? US$500.
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If you’re thinking, “Well, at that price, they must last you a long time,” you’d be wrong.
- Weighing a mere 138 grams, they’re designed to last only one marathon plus a pre-race warmup — that comes out to about $19 per mile.
Catch-up: Since 2016, the biggest race in the running world hasn’t been any marathon, but the race between shoe companies to develop the top “supershoe.” That is, feather-light runners boasting shock-absorbing foam and carbon fibre plates to maximize performance.
- While Nike kicked off the revolution and dominated marathon podiums early on, it’s now facing stiff competition from the likes of Adidas and Swiss newcomer On.
Why it matters: A $500, essentially single-use pair of shoes will test the uppermost limit of the running market and show how much amateur runners will spend to set personal bests.
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One expert told The Guardian that supershoes can shave more than five minutes off marathon times for amateur runners who can finish races in the 3:30 to 4-hour range.
Zoom out: The emergence of supershoes aligns with the growing popularity of intense fitness culture. However, it can also be seen as another sign — alongside Peleton and pricey gym memberships — that peak fitness is actually becoming less accessible than ever.—QH