If These Three People Create Human History, Will They Subvert The Sports Industry?

Fede Pitts, the ancient Greeks, ran more than 40 kilometers from the marathon plain to Athens to convey the news of the marathon campaign.

More than 2500 years later, when the marathon commemorating Fede Pitts's campaign was carried out, human beings were not afraid of death, but they still fought to improve their speed.

The scientists summed up the charts of the best marathon marathon every year since twenty-first Century, and drew the time range of human marathon's final breakthrough in 2 hours: 2032-2060 years.

Even a British sports scientist named Yannis Pitsiladis thinks that this goal can be achieved in 2020.

On May 6, 2017, three athletes selected by Nike will wear their own Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite running shoes in Italy's famous Monza Road, trying to run 42.195 kilometers in 2 hours.

In June 8th, after 1 months, 2 days, three models were described as running shoes similar to Nike ZoomVaporfly Elite "appearance and function" - Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%, Nike Zoom Fly, Nike Air Nike, which will be on sale in designated sales channels.

According to the development trend of the best results of human marathon since twenty-first Century, it is possible for mankind to break through two hours after 2030.

2 hours, a record of being caught

As the world's top sports brand, Nike is trying to advance the timetable for human marathon running to 2017.

The decision was not taken in mind. Dr. Luo Gang, a senior biomechanics researcher at Nike sports research laboratory, introduced Nike's Breaking2 Greater China media sharing conference in April 15th. Nike has started developing and running marathon runners that can help marathon athletes improve their performance in 2013. In 2014 2014, it officially decided to increase the marathon performance to less than 2 hours, or Nike's "Breaking2" plan.

Dr. Luo Gang, senior researcher in biomechanics of Nike sports research laboratory.

The current marathon world record is 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds, created by the Kenya Dennis Kipruto Kimetto in Berlin marathon in 2014, when the running shoes on his feet were Adidas's AdizeroADiors Boost 2.

The Breaking2 plan means shortening the record time by 2 minutes and 57 seconds, which means that the average speed of the 42.195 km marathon will increase by 4.19 seconds per kilometre, even for the best runners in the world.

Officially announced in the summer of 2014 and released by the end of 2016, Nike quietly pushed forward the process of Breaking2 in 1 and a half years.

Of course, Nike is not alone in using the gimmick of "running into 2 hours".

Shortly after the Breaking2 plan was announced, foreign media reported that Adidas, the German sports brand, was also challenging the 2 hour event. The project was known as "Sub2 Programme" on its official website. It has been in secret for two years.

A proud German brand is the fact that the last four marathon breakers wore Adidas.

In 2007 and 2008, in 2007, in 2007, in 2008, in the 2011, in the 2011, in the case of George B.

Poussin, Wilson foundation, won the Tokyo marathon in adizero Sub2.

Before the 2017 Tokyo marathon began, Adidas officially released the new running shoes adizero Sub2.

Then, in the February 26th Tokyo marathon, Poussin, Wilson of Kenya, won the championship in these shoes and broke the Tokyo marathon race record in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

Compared with Nike's high-profile publicity, Adidas has not been too vocal about the matter. It is not clear what Adidas plans.

A risk of "everything is ready"

Athletes and running shoes are the two most important elements in the Breaking2 plan.

Around this point, Nike gathered a team of diverse roles and roles: engineers, designers, bioologists, nutritionists, physiologists and materials research personnel gathered to assist the three selected athletes, Erud Kipjoge (Eliud Kipchoge), Lelisa Desisa (Lelisa Desisa) and Zersenay Tadese (Zersenay Tadese).

Kipjoge was the Rio marathon champion of Rio in 2016 and won the 2:03:05's best results in London Marathon in that year, only 8 seconds behind the world record.

Zesenne Tadese is currently the world's record holder in the men's half marathon. His score is 58 minutes and 23 seconds. Laresa de SESA has created his personal best 2:04:45 in the 2013 Dubai marathon, and has won the Boston marathon for 3 consecutive years.

In addition to convening staff, Nike is not idle about running shoes and equipment research and development.

In the research and development of running shoes, Luo Gang introduces that Nike provides a variety of running shoes for cooperative athletes to test. By changing the characteristics of running shoes, it can record the running efficiency of athletes. The total number of shoes used in this process has hundreds of editions.

There are three main feedback points for athletes: running shoes should be lighter, providing better energy feedback, and better protection for athletes.

In 2015, Nike made a test shoe called "Cinderella" by internal staff.

In 2016, the 3 Olympic medals of the Rio Olympic marathon, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathon athletes were all Cinderella on their feet.

In March 2017, on the basis of Cinderella, Nike released Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite, which was built for three athletes and used for final testing.

Three athletes finally tested the running shoes Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite.

This is a new pair of running shoes that are different from the traditional ones: the shoes are gradual, the middle sole is thicker, the front palm height is 21 millimeters, the rear palm and the front palm are 9 millimeter drop, the lighter cotton foam and the shovel shaped carbon plate can provide athletes with higher energy return and shock performance, reduce the injury of Achilles tendon and improve the running efficiency.

The weight of Zoom Vaporfly Elite is 190g at present, Rog says, and the weight of running shoes will be lightened after debugging.

In addition to people and shoes, the environment is also a factor that can not be ignored.

Scientific research shows that ideal weather, downhill and downwind hard runway is the best running space; the lower the altitude, the higher the oxygen content in the air will improve the running efficiency.

(Breaking2) the final test site, Monza Road, Italy.

Nike has chosen a circular runway with a fixed length of 2.4 kilometers at Monza national circuit in Italy.

Official information shows that during the test period, the temperature of Monza road is maintained at 12 12mmHg, and the vapor pressure is less than that of the cloud. The weather is mainly cloudy. The perfect match between the track and the coast is that there will be no sharp directional changes in the airflow, surrounded by a large number of trees.

Beijing time March 8th, Nike

A half marathon test was carried out here. Kipjoge wore Nike ZoomVaporfly Elite and ran 59 minutes and 17 seconds (the half horse world record was 58 minutes 23 seconds).

In this regard, Luo said, in order not to affect the athletes to prepare for the final test, do not comment for the time being.

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Controversy and expectation coexist

American media Wired writer Ed Caesar (EdCaesar) once asked two Olympic gold medallist and former marathon world record holder Gebre Sylla Siennaa, a question: "how fast can a clean clean runner run a marathon?"

"Do you ask me, clean? No technology? No assistance?" Gebre Sylla Siennaa did not realize that Kaiser was concerned about the use of banned drugs. He replied, "it must be traced back to 1960 when Abebe Bikila (Abebe Bikila, Ethiopia runner) played at the time. He was barefoot and the cleanest."

At the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, he scored 2 feet, 15 minutes and 16 seconds.

He also became the first African African athlete to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games.

In Gebre Sylla Siennaa's view, although athletes have assisted in their diet, training methods and even drug use, the biggest reason for the marathon performance up to more than 12 minutes from 1960 to now is the athlete's equipment, that is, shoes worn on the feet.

In 1960, he won the gold medal in the 1960. He took the Olympic marathon again in 1964. This time, he wore shoes, and his score was 2 hours, 12 minutes and 11, which was faster than that of 4 hours ago, 15 hours and 16 seconds.

Therefore, since the launch of Nike's Breaking2 program, it has been widely questioned as well as the degree of aspiration. Is this the progress of human physical strength and strength, or the progress of science and technology?

The researcher of the University of Brighton, England, is the founder of the "The Sub2 Project" (the same research raises the human marathon performance to less than 2 hours). He believes that the marathon's breakthrough in 2 hours should ultimately depend on the improvement of the human body's athletic performance, not the improvement of the shoe making process.

Adeharonand Finn, author of Running with the Kenyans, said in an interview with the Wall Street journal that "running within 2 hours" is something like a scientific experiment that treats athletes as mice.

"It's not a good thing for this sport."

Fenn said, "if Nike suddenly produced some shoes with spring support, or produced a track with wind tunnels, the planning of this project would be too obvious."

Although Nike said that Breaking2 plans to break through from athletes, products, training, nutrition and environment, it is undoubtedly the best embodiment of its technical ability or running shoes.

In the intertwining and evolution of these three relationships, the position of technology seems to be more and more important, and more and more discussions are also taking place.

Shark skin swimsuit once helped athletes break one after another world record at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But since then, shark skin has been banned because athletes have won "unfair advantages". In track and field, South African athletes, known as "blade fighters", "sporting leopards", are also suspected by the IAAF to be different from ordinary people. The IAAF has ruled against the use of prostheses to participate in the IAAF's international competitions, including the world championships and the Olympic Games.

Oscar's sports prostheses have attracted the attention of the IAAF.

This time, Nike did not escape the same discussion whirlpool.

According to the New York Times, Janice biz Lei Si chose Bekele, a long-distance runner in Ethiopia, as a partner in "The Sub2 Project".

On the 2016 Berlin marathon, Bekele wore the predecessor of Zoom Vaporfly and ran 2 hours, 3 minutes and 3 seconds, the second fastest marathon in the world.

After the match, biz leydis scanned the shoes by CT, and he noticed the spoon shaped carbon plate in the bottom.

Bill leydd thinks that the carbon plate is similar to a spring and is not in conformity with the IAAF's rules, so it should be banned.

However, Bekele in the shoes said that he would continue to wear the shoes as long as they were not banned because they had a good shock and reduced the pain in his running calves.

He is the fastest runner in Nike Vaporfly 4%.

Then, what are the rules of the IAAF for running shoes?

According to the 143 rules of IAAF competition rules, athletes can wear shoes with bare feet, one foot or two feet to participate in the competition.

The purpose of the shoe match is to protect and stabilize the feet and firmly grasp the ground.

The structure of shoes shall not be provided with any additional assistance to athletes, and no type of technical installations shall be attached to the shoes so as to bring any unfair advantage to the wearer.

Shoe lace is allowed to be reinforced.

All types of footwear must be approved by IAAF.

But what is "unfair advantage" is not explained in the rules.

New York Times reported that Nike did not know the process of applying for permission to the IAAF and did not submit relevant applications.

But at the same time, Nike and IAAF have been working closely together in track design and drug testing, and will also submit the shoes to regulators for testing.

At the April 15th event, Luo said to the lazy bear Sports: "we have interconnections with the IAAF, and all the materials and methods we use are completely fair.

How to use it concretely is our innovation.

"In my opinion, when you create a great advantage, people begin to question the fairness of this creation, which is actually a compliment," Bret Schoolmeester, senior director of Nike global shoe speed department, told New York Times. "Of course, we do not think this phenomenon exists (unfair advantages), but we still think this kind of doubt is praising us." Bret said.

The development of track and field is inseparable from the progress of science and technology: the runway evolves from coal cinder to synthetic rubber; the pole of pole vaulting has changed from bamboo to glass fiber; sports shoes have begun to add air cushions and slow shock colloids.

When the rationality of technology has not yet been negated, it will promote human race performance all the time.

Although Breaking2's final performance will not be officially recognized, this is not a formal competition of the IAAF.

But for Kipjoge, who is currently in Kenya for 1 weeks and 6 practice, this is not a problem.

Personally, I hope to prove to the world that human beings can overcome their limitations.

That's why I'm involved in this plan. "

Finally, we need to sell shoes.

Nike, which has always been a product of both marketing and marketing, is probably on the one hand due to the confidence brought by research achievements over the past few years. On the one hand, it may also create a "professional" image in the field of running shoes.

Nike, the world's most popular sports brand, is now a running product and its running product is still the highest income category.

But in the eyes of professional runners, Nike's running shoes seem to be inconsistent with the brand's status.

When professional runners choose running shoes, Arthur (Asics), Soconi (Saucony), Brooks (Brooks), New Balance and MIZUNO (Mizuno) can all be ranked in front of Nike.

Among the best running shoes in the 2016 best runner magazine runners world, the highest ranked Nike product is the sixteenth Lunarglide 8.

Competition on top running shoes is not the upper hand. Nike is also facing competition between Adidas and Andrew in the field of parity running products. Nike may need a running explosive product.

The data released by the end of March for Nike's third quarter 2017 earnings (December 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017) are not good.

In the third quarter, Nike's revenue was $8 billion 432 million, an increase of 5% over the same period last year, and net profit of $1 billion 141 million, an increase of 20% over the previous year and a gross margin of 44.5%, a 1.4% decrease over the same period of the previous year.

Revenue of $8 billion 430 million is lower than analysts' average expected $8 billion 470 million.

However, analysts at Nike, who have a positive attitude towards Nike, say that Nike's investment in technological innovation will bring about growth in the future, including the development and application of automatic production and 3D printing technology.

In a telephone conference with investors, Nike CFO Andy Campion (Andy Campion) said: Nike has doubled its investment in innovation, and the outside world will see its results in future earnings reports.

The Breaking2 is also an embodiment of innovation. In addition to inviting the most powerful athletes and making the most effective sports shoes, Nike also needs to create more momentum for activities.

However, as the real protagonist of this test, Nike ZoomVaporfly Elite is only used by three athletes and will not be on sale.

The final public facing will be Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%, Nike Zoom Fly and Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34.

Although ordinary people can not understand how to wear Vaporfly Elite, how to get wind under foot.

However, Ed Caesar, author of the US Wired website, has tried through the March Zoom Vaporfly 4%, which has not yet been listed in the Ed Caesar.

He said the feeling on his feet is like this:

"When I put on these shoes, speed was no longer my first consideration.

My most intuitive and obvious feeling is that I can't stand straight.

Because the bottom of these shoes is tilted forward.

Wearing this pair of shoes, I spun my son forward more directly than standing up.

My legs seem to be left behind by my body.

I seem to be running downhill all the time.

At that time, I felt like a Kenya person. "

The reason why it is called ZoomVaporfly 4%, and Nike's official website shows that "laboratory test results show that this running shoe has a 4% higher running performance than a new fast running marathon running shoe, Zoom Streak 6."

Ross Tucker, a sports scientist in South Africa, once said that if 4% of the figures were true, it would be equivalent to running downhill on a more obvious slope (1-1.5% at 1-1.5%).

According to the information currently available, Zoom Vaporfly 4% is priced at $250 and Zoom Fly is priced at $150 after the listing.

In May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister, a student at the University of Oxford School of medicine, finished 1 miles in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds, breaking through the "1 mile 4 minute" mark for the first time.

63 years later, in May 6, 2017,

On the same day, Breaking2 will again challenge the limits of human speed.

Can miracles happen two times on the same day?

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