Nike almost made history using science and elite runners!

Posted by: admin , May 8, 2017

Using a combination of science and the world’s best runners, Nike’s Breaking2 team came agonisingly close to breaking the 2-hour mark for a full marathon!
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:00:25, however, due to the rule violations, the time will not disturb the current world record held by Dennis Kimetto, who ran 2:02:57 in the 2014 Berlin Marathon.
The science behind the race is IMPRESSIVE. Research showed that the Monza F1 track near Milan, Italy had the best combination of temperature, air currents, altitude, vapour pressure and asphalt ground surface.
The 3 runners were provided with extensively-tested calorie-based drinks every 5 to 10 minutes throughout the race.
Each of the runners used Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elites, which contain cushioning at a third of the weight of typical models.
Perhaps most contentious was the use of ‘pace-setters’, who were brought in to run alongside the runners to set the pace at record time, and shield them from the wind.
Australian champ Steve Moneghetti said the thinking behind the race was ‘phenomenal’, noting that this could prompt further research into how technology and race structures can cross over into normal events.
Nobody in history has ever run a marathon in under 2 hours, but with the lessons learned from this “moon shot” (as organisers called it), it may not be far off.
A full marathon is 41.195km (26 miles and 385 yards).