The science behind Adidas' £400 single-use 'super shoe' that helped Tigist ... trends now

Runners around the world were left gobsmacked after watching Tigist Assefa smash the women's marathon world record in Berlin this weekend.

The Ethiopian athlete raced around the 26.2-mile course in just 2hr 11min 53 seconds – 131 seconds faster than the previous record.

So, what was the key to Assefa's success? Her trainers.

During the race, Assefa wore Adidas' new 'super shoe' – the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1, which is one of the lightest racing shoes ever created.

'This is the lightest racing shoe I have ever worn and the feeling of running in them is an incredible experience – like nothing I've felt before,' Assefa said.

Adidas' new racing shoe weighs in at just 138g. 

For comparison, the average high-top Converse shoe weighs 340g - more than twice as heavy as the ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1. 

It's also 40 per cent lighter than any other Adidas racing super shoe. 

This minimal weight not only improves running economy, but also provides runners with greater energy return, according to the brand.

Patrick Nava, VP Product, Running & Credibility Sports at adidas, said: 'We explored every element of a racing shoe, balancing what we could remove or change to reduce the weight. 

'Created with and for the fastest road racing athletes, this shoe is designed to help ambitious runners go even faster on race day.'

The ADIZERO Adios Pro Evo 1 features a unique rocker, placed at 60 per cent of the length of the shoe. 

'The first-of-its-kind forefoot rocker triggers forward momentum, resulting in record-breaking speed that improves the wearer's running economy,' Adidas explained. 

To cut down on weight, Adidas ditched the conventional sockliner, and used a new version of its Lightstrike Pro foam to form the midsole. 

'The newest version of the record-breaking Lightstrike Pro foam is crafted in a non-compression molding process,' it explained. 

'Created with a cutting-edge manufacturing process, this

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