The Verge · Video summary
The tech that made a 2-hour marathon possible | The Vergecast
The Vergecast explores the technology that has enabled a handful of athletes to run a full marathon in under two hours, a feat once thought impossible.
Watch on YouTube ↗Key takeaways
- 🏃The two-hour marathon barrier, once deemed impossible by some scientists, has been broken, signifying a major milestone in human achievement.00:25
- 🏅Eliud Kipchoge first broke the two-hour barrier in 2019 under highly curated conditions, making it ineligible for an official record.00:30
- 🏆Earlier this year, two elite marathoners officially broke the two-hour barrier on an official course in the same race.00:38
- 📏The governing body for running, World Athletics, imposed a 40mm stack height limit on shoes to regulate the rapidly advancing technology.04:01
- 👟The primary technological advancement enabling these feats is the introduction of 'super shoes' with stiff carbon fiber plates in their soles.04:27
- ⚡Nike's Vaporfly 4% shoe was named for its ability to make runners 4% more efficient, a finding so significant it was included in the shoe's name.06:25
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 1:4990 Seconds on The Verge
- 4:05The Significance of the Two-Hour Marathon
- 6:50The Rise of Super Shoes
- 13:47Nike's Breaking2 Project
- 30:33The London Marathon Breakthrough
- 40:12The Fueling Revolution
- 51:59The Ethics of Super Shoes
- 56:39Outro
The digest
The dream of running a marathon in under two hours has captivated athletes and scientists for decades. Once considered a feat of science fiction, this seemingly insurmountable barrier has now been shattered, not just once, but multiple times. The Vergecast dives deep into the technological advancements, particularly in footwear, that have propelled human performance to new heights.
The Significance of the Two-Hour Marathon
For many, the two-hour marathon is an arbitrary round number, but its psychological impact and historical significance are immense. As journalist and author Alex Hutchinson explains, the idea of a sub-two-hour marathon was first seriously predicted in 1991, at which point it seemed like pure science fiction. For years, scientists and runners alike pondered whether it was even physiologically possible. Hutchinson himself, in a 2014 article for Runner's World, predicted the milestone would be achieved by 2075. The fact that it has happened decades ahead of schedule underscores the revolutionary changes in sports science and technology.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 4-minute article, 4 more sections, and every new episode from The Verge and the creators you follow.
- The Rise of Super Shoes
- Nike's Breaking2 Project and Beyond
- Continuous Innovation and the Fueling Revolution
- The Ethics and Enjoyment of Super Shoes
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