Nike’s much-publicized attempt to break the two-hour marathon mark came up just short on Saturday at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza outside Milan, Italy.
Eliud Kipchoge finished his marathon in 2 hours and 25 seconds. The 32-year-old’s time smashed the official mark of 2:02:57 set by fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in 2014 but will not enter the record books largely due to a non-compliant system of pacemaking. Kipchoge’s performance was 2:40 better than his own personal best of 2:03:05.
Among the others competing in the controlled race was Eritrean Zersenay Tadese, who finished with a time of 2:06:51, beating his personal best by 3:50. Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa crossed the line with a time of 2:14:10.
Nike in December announced the Breaking2 goal after three years of planning. Admittedly considered a “moonshot” by the sports giant, Nike designed what it believes is the most ideal apparel, footwear and race conditions for that time to be achieved.
Nike simulated how the race would go at a half-marathon test event on the track in March and tested many of the variables. The three ran behind an arrow-head formation of pacemaker, to reduce drag, and a car beaming a green line on the road behind it to show the required speed for the sub-two hour target. The company also developed Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite that promises to make runners four percent more efficient.
The sub-two hour mark required a pace below four minutes and 35 seconds per mile.
Replay The Attempt
You can watch the ] race on Nike’s Breaking2 Facebook page for up to one week after the event ends.
Keep An Eye Out For The Documentary
The journey of the Breaking2 program concludes later this summer with a feature-length documentary produced in partnership with National Geographic.
Photo courtesy Nike
