Sub-2-Hour Marathon Shoes: How the Tech Works

The two-hour barrier was broken twice today. In legal conditions, at the London Marathon, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya crossed the line in 1:59:30, 65 seconds inside Kelvin Kiptum’s world record. Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia followed in 1:59:41 on his marathon debut.

Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda took third in 2:00:28, also under the previous world record. Sawe and Kejelcha both wore the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, launched three days before the race. Kiplimo wore a Nike Alphafly 4 prototype. So begins the new generation of endurance running tech.

The complete sub-two-hour list

Only three people have ever gone under 2 hours for the marathon distance. Every one was set in a carbon-plated supershoe.

• Eliud Kipchoge, 1:59:40.2. INEOS 1:59 Challenge, Vienna, 12 October 2019. Nike Alphafly prototype. Paced by 41 rotating elites and a lead vehicle, not eligible for ratification.
• Sabastian Sawe, 1:59:30. London Marathon, 26 April 2026. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. The first sub-two-hour mark set in race conditions.
• Yomif Kejelcha, 1:59:41. London Marathon, 26 April 2026. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. Marathon debut.

No other runner has gone under two hours. Kipchoge’s Monza Breaking2 attempt in 2017 stopped at 2:00:25, and Kiptum’s Chicago world record of October 2023 stood at 2:00:35.

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

The shoe used by Sawe and Kejelcha is the first carbon-plated marathon racer to weigh under 100 grams. Weight is an important factor which we’ll consider in a minute.

• Weight: 97 grams in a men’s UK 8.5, around 30 per cent lighter than the Pro Evo 2 (I have a pair – they are fast!)
• Stack: 39mm at the heel, 36mm at the forefoot, 1mm under the World Athletics legal ceiling of 40mm.
• Foam: a new generation of Lightstrike Pro Evo, claimed 50 per cent lighter than the version used in the Pro Evo 2.
• Stiffening: ENERGYRIM, a carbon-fibre frame around the outer edge of the midsole rather than under the foot. Lighter than a full plate, allowing the foam to compress directly beneath the foot while the perimeter rim provides propulsion.
• Outsole: Continental rubber on the forefoot.
• Adidas claims: 1.6 per cent better running economy than the Pro Evo 2, 11 per cent more forefoot energy return.
• Price: $500!

How the gains accumulate

Three effects compound to produce the modern supershoe. To varying degrees all are relavent to any distance runner.

• Mass. Lower shoe weight reduces the metabolic cost of swinging the foot through each stride. Published research suggests roughly a 1 per cent gain in running economy per 100 grams removed. This is NOT the same as you carrying a tiny amount less weight, the saving is linked to a swinging weight.
• Foam. PEBA-class compounds return more elastic energy than the EVA midsoles they replaced. A thicker, softer stack returns more energy per footstrike.
• Plate. A stiff carbon element, whether plate, rods or perimeter rim, restricts metatarsophalangeal joint flexion (now you know), lengthens the effective foot lever and smooths the rollover at toe-off.

The combination, capped at 40mm of stack, has cut seconds from the world record across each generation. These culminated to give today’s amazing times.

What this means for amateur runners

The carbon element delivers most of its benefit at elite pace, where ground contact is brief and toe-off mechanics dominate the stride. The foam delivers benefit at every pace. For a runner targeting a four-hour or five-hour finish, much of the running-economy gain comes from the foam rather than the plate. Opinion: A shoe with PEBA foam and no carbon may capture most of what matters at a fraction of the cost.

FAQ

Q: What shoes did the sub-2 marathon runners wear at London 2026?

Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha both wore the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, the first carbon-plated marathon racer under 100 grams. Jacob Kiplimo, third in 2:00:28, wore a Nike Alphafly 4 prototype.

Q:How many sub-2 hour marathons have ever been run?

Three. Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40.2 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna in October 2019, but that was a paced exhibition and not eligible for ratification. Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 at London 2026 and Yomif Kejelcha ran 1:59:41 in the same race. They are the only sub-two-hour performances on record.

Q: Do amateur runners need a carbon-plated supershoe to gain from this technology?

The carbon element delivers most of its benefit at elite pace. For a runner targeting a four-hour or five-hour marathon, the bigger contribution comes from a modern PEBA foam, which is now available in shoes priced well below the $500 of the Pro Evo 3. A PEBA-foam shoe without a carbon plate may capture most of what matters at a fraction of the cost.

Last Updated on 26 April 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID