Nike dared to dream but couldn’t make that dream come true, having three lightning-fast runners compete in a two-hour marathon in an attempt to break records while wearing the brand’s new Vaporfly Elite. The record-holder himself, Eliud Kipchoge, came up twenty-five seconds short despite an unbelievable effort.
The shoemaker selected Kipchoge and two others, Zersenay Tadese and Lelisa Desisa, to wear the Vaporfly Elites and compete in a 42km marathon in Monza dubbed Breaking2, starting in the early hours of the morning and accompanied by an audience of 700. The marathon situated six pacers in a diamond shape around each runner to prevent the wind from hitting them, all of them running fast enough to meet the two-hour mark. When half of the distance was covered, only Kipchoge kept up with the pacers.
For a while, Kipchoge seemed as if he would beat two hours, but eventually, he began to slow down and overheat. His spirits weren’t crushed, however, as his run was still a crowning achievement for him, even if it didn’t break any records. Surprisingly, the weather in Monza could have been to blame.
Although the season and terrain in the beautiful Italian district were ideal, the heat that day was not. It was a mere three degrees higher than the maximum ten degrees celsius it should have been for a perfect running temperature. Another cooler venue could have been chosen, but Monza offered a good mix of even ground, decent elevation, and reasonable temperatures.
It’s a shame the one man that had a chance at breaking the two-hour marathon record didn’t quite get there, but how close he got was a triumph. Fortunately, he isn’t discouraged; in fact, he plans to try again soon.
Let's Talk