Glasses on the run Newsletter #39
Hi,
This is the final edition for 2023. I hope it finds you well, enjoying the year-end festivities!
This is a short final edition with what I thought was most interesting in 2023. I hope you will enjoy it.
What was interesting in the business of running in 2023
Running records after running records... This amazing period of record breaking actually began in 2022...
2022
- 25th September - Eliud Kipchoge broke his own 2018 world record finishing the Berlin marathon in 2:01:09.
- 4th December - Kevin Kiptum broke the Valencia Marathon race record and the 2:02:00 barrier, running the fastest marathon debut ever with 2:01:53.
2023
- 23rd April - Kevin Kiptum broke the London Marathon race record with 2:01:25 - just 16 seconds short of Kipchoge's world record.
- 24th September - Tigst Asefa smashed the women world record in Berlin with 2:11:53. Kipchoge won the men race again (his fifth Berlin win), but no record this time.
- 8th October - in his third marathon ever, Kevin Kiptum smashed the world record with 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon - 34 seconds faster than Kipchoge's record one year earlier. Sifan Hassan won the women race, setting a Chicago record with 2:13:44 - the second fastest women time ever.
- 3rd December - another Valencia record. This time by Sisay Lemma with 2:01:48, breaking the record Kiptum set a year earlier.
As mentioned in one of the earlier editions this year, marathon races are as competitive as ever. As it stands now - at the end of 2023 - nine out of the 10 fastest men marathon runners achieved their best times during the last five years. For women it's even more competitive - eight out of the 10 fastest women marathoners achieved their best times during the last two years. And that leads me to the next key highlight, which is a major contributor.
Shoes and shoe records... Adidas launched a €500 super shoe - the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. It not only is the most expensive yet (albeit in a limited edition), but it lasts one race only - as in you can only run one marathon with it at its best performance. It is however apparently very effective, as that's the shoe that Tigst Asefa used for her world record in Berlin, beating the previous one with full 2 minutes 11 seconds.
Nike wasn't left behind either as both Kevin Kiptum and Sifan Hassan wore Nike shoes for their Chicago records in October. And a total of 30 among the fastest 25 men and 25 women in Boston this year wore either Adidas or Nike.
Since Nike debuted Vaporfly in 2016 however, pretty much all major brands have introduced carbon plated shoes and the market for the casual runner is very competitive.
And Nike admitted earlier this year that it is "struggling to connect with everyday runners.". While Adidas has had its long running issues around its partnership with Kanye West.
Perhaps that's an opportunity for brands like Brooks, Hoka, On, Saucony, all of which have seen tremendous growth in recent years. As well as, of course, other major brands like Asics, Puma and New Balance, among others.
With the Paris Summer Olympics just around the corner next year, it will be interesting to see how that competition plays out both on and off the road.
Thank you for reading and for sharing your feedback throughout 2023.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And I am looking forward to continuing Glasses on the run in 2024!
Momchil
