by Running gives me precious time to myself. I work in a desk-based program management position, and I’m a pretty structured person. So I really look forward to my runs, which I religiously put on the timetable. If you want to do something as a habit, you have to make time for it and put it in the diary like you would any other commitment.
On a typical week, I’ll run into work twice – a distance of 10 kilometers from my home in Barnes, south-west London, to Victoria – as well as a 90-minute run on Saturday morning. I’ll listen to a podcast, complete a Peloton Outdoor guided running class with my favorite instructor Susie Chan or listen to the soundtrack to the orchestra and pretend I’m the star.
I’ve always been active – my hobbies are opera and dance – and I enjoy the gym. But in January 2022, I signed up for a triathlon to raise money to help my friend Shonagh, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 37, the same age as me. While training for this event, I realized that I love to run. Since then, I’ve completed a half marathon, two more triathlons, a duathlon, and an ultra-marathon… but I still don’t consider myself a “runner”.
Running keeps me sane: it used to be about how I looked, but now it’s about how it makes me feel. Exercising in the morning makes me energized and ready for the day. On days when I don’t exercise first thing, I find it harder to focus and motivate myself. Everyone talks about a “runner’s platform”, but only because it’s true. Recently, I was in trouble, ready to murder my husband after a sleepless night because he came in very late, very drunk, very loud, leaving the front door wide open, snoring all night – you get the picture. Running a 10k into work completely changed my mood and I even sent him a nice text!
I don’t wear very fancy outfits for my runs. I always wear shorts because I feel trapped in leggings. A good sports bra is extremely important. Otherwise, I wear a vest top, a running zip-up jacket if it’s cold, a pink baseball cap – and my trusty Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 trainers in baby pink, although they’re starting to show a bit of dirt now.
When I bought them last year my Nikes cost £35 on the Vinted website. You can buy them new these days for £28. I wear my trainers all the time: for my runs, but also for commuting and walks.
But from time to time, I wonder if I could go faster.
In September, I read about the Ethiopian marathon runner Tigst Assefa, who broke the women’s record by more than two minutes at the Berlin marathon. Assefa was wearing a new pair of Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s.
After the race, Assefa credited her performance with “hard work over the past year”. However, in another interview, she described her Adizero Adios Pro Evos as “the lightest racing shoe I’ve ever worn. The feeling of running in them is an incredible experience – unlike anything I’ve felt before”.
The Adizero Adios Pro Evo retails for £450. You can no longer buy these trainers as they only made just over 1,000 pairs, although you can pick them up on eBay for prices of up to £2,000.
So when the opportunity came up for me to try the marathon trainer who holds the best record of all time, I was very interested. Would a regular runner feel the benefit of an elite shoe?
These elite trainers are referred to as a “single-use shoe” meaning they are optimized for one marathon race, created with world-class athletes to break world records. I decided I would sign up for a race, and see if I could push myself closer to “elite runner” status.
At 105 grams, the trainers were extremely comfortable and light. It felt like I wasn’t wearing anything on my feet at all. On the other hand, the thick sole took a bit of getting used to, and I was worried I’d trip over my ankle.
But when I started running I had never gone so fast in life. I did eight 500-meter sprints, and my time went down from 4 minutes 5 seconds per km to 3 minutes 25 seconds. Yes, I took the tips for more efficient running: lifting my knees up more, and angling my body weight forward, but I’m sure the bouncy tires had a lot to do with my speed. When I put my normal trainers back on to cool down, it felt like I was putting lead weights on my feet.
I had originally planned to run a half marathon around Richmond Park in my Pro Evos, but it turns out they are only designed for road running and not muddy paths, so I entered a 10k race in Battersea Park . To prepare, I did a 6k road run at an even pace, shaving 15 seconds off my usual time per km. The trainers still felt good, if a little uncomfortable around my ankles.
The race dawned. I decided I was going to beat my previous Battersea Park 10k race time of 49 minutes 20 seconds from July (although this was after a boozy night out with my brother the night before). On the starting line, I clocked a runner who looked professional, and I decided that I was going to keep up with her. She quit and I later stopped her on the Runthrough Instagram account. She finished as the first female so I had no chance. I picked up another strong looking woman and held her close to me throughout.
I started well, I felt fine. I kept my pace steady because I didn’t want to burn out too fast, but I was definitely faster than usual. But then, about halfway through, I started to become aware of a blister developing on my big toe. I wasn’t exactly distressed, but it was very annoying and painful.
And although I finished the race with a time of 44 minutes and 24 seconds – a personal best from a long time ago – I didn’t really enjoy the second half of the race. When I slipped on my old trainers at the end, it felt like comfortable slippers, it was such a relief.
I wonder what is the cause of my blister. Was it my fault in some way: had I worn the wrong socks, for example? By the time I finished the race though, I had run 12 miles in the Pro Evos. Since they are meant for elite marathon races, it can’t be durability issues this early.
So the question is: are these £450 trainers worth the money? For me, running is about comfort as well as speed: relaxation as well as competitiveness. I can see someone wanting to splash out if they have a special race in mind and a friend they want to beat (and they can afford it, of course).
I’ve come to realize that my old £35 leaders aren’t good enough anymore. So I’ll be upgrading to something a few runs up from my Nike pair, and a few down from the Pro Evos, maybe the Adidas Adizero Boston range. Running is great precisely because it’s free, but with the right equipment, you can feel like you’re flying.
As told to Miranda Levy
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