Sebastian Sawe’s win at the London marathon — clocking 1:59:30 — shatters not just the two-hour barrier in marathon but a belief that seemed fundamental across the recorded history of the sport: that the two-hour barrier was impossible to breach. Experts reasoned that achieving this would require running 17-second 100-metre sprints for 42 kilometres, demanding an energy-release quantum much higher than what the human body is typically capable of. It also required operating close to the body’s aerobic limits —
Sebastian Sawe’s win at the London marathon — clocking 1:59:30 — shatters not just the two-hour barrier in marathon but a belief that seemed fundamental across the recorded history of the sport: that the two-hour barrier was impossible to breach. Experts reasoned that achieving this would require running 17-second 100-metre sprints for 42 kilometres, demanding an energy-release quantum much higher than what the human body is typically capable of. It also required operating close to the body’s aerobic limits — consistently for almost two hours.
Yet, Sawe has achieved the “impossible”. As has Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, who secured second place, finishing with a time of 1:59:41. Given that the marathon is a test of will and endurance as much as skill, the 31-year-old Kenyan and the 26-year-old Ethiopian have certainly earned their spot in history. But, the full gamut of their methods suggests there is a new way to break these old barriers once considered unbreakable. Both runners sported the new Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 supershoes — which, at 97 grams, are the lightest in history. As did the winner of the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa. This edge would have been amplified by scientifically-determined mechanical accuracy of running: Elite runners must typically sustain a cadence of 180-190 steps per minute for a sub-two-hour pace. Earlier, the minutiae of getting to that rhythm were about “feel”; now, this is tracked, analysed, and perfected. And then there’s the fuelling plan. In Sawe’s case, across the race, he averaged well above what has long been considered the standard target for marathoners. This took months of adjustment — wherein he slowly raised his carbohydrate intake — before his team could lock-in a fine race-day plan.
And then, of course, the three athletes ran the race of their lives.
One Subscription.
Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines
to 100 year archives.
Archives
HT App & Website