Those who followed the 2026 London Marathon witnessed something historic: the first two finishers broke the two-hour barrier. Thus, the winner, Sebastian Sawe, became the first human to achieve this record, stopping the clock at one hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds. An unprecedented result in an official race, achieved through extreme preparation, up to 240 kilometers weekly, and many other secrets. Among them, ultra-lightweight state-of-the-art shoes and a simple breakfast of bread and honey.
In front of about 800,000 spectators gathered along the streets of the British capital, Sawe won thanks to a powerful surge in the second half of the race, allowing him to pull away from the pursuers and attack the world record. At the end of the race, Sawe immediately understood the significance of the feat: “Today I made history in London,” said the Kenyan athlete. “I proved that nothing is impossible. I had the courage to push even when the pace was extremely high. The crowd gave me an incredible boost: this record is also thanks to them, and it’s something that will stay with me forever.”
Great satisfaction also for his coach, Claudio Berardelli, who described Sawe as “a special athlete” revealing some of the secrets behind the success. In the last six weeks of preparation for the race, the Kenyan maintained an average of over 200 kilometers per week, peaking at 241. “I knew he was in great shape already in Berlin, but the heat compromised everything. Watching him train before London, I realized something extraordinary could happen,” Berardelli added.
As mentioned, among the key factors for Sawe’s incredible result is also technological innovation: the Kenyan ran with the new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, one of the lightest shoe models ever produced (less than 100 grams per piece) and used energy gels from Maurten, essential for maintaining energy in the final stages. “We have entered a new era of the marathon, thanks to the shoes and proper nutrition,” Berardelli explained. “But beyond the technical factors, Sabastian is an exceptional person: humble, positive, with a unique attitude. In over twenty years of work in Kenya, I thought I had seen everything, but he showed me something that seemed impossible.” And the margin for improvement, according to the coach, is still wide. On faster courses like Berlin or Chicago, Sawe could even go under one hour and 59 minutes: “It’s possible. He hasn’t reached his maximum potential yet. It was only his fourth marathon.” Also enthusiastic is Steve Cram, former world champion in the 1500 meters, who to the English newspaper The Guardian compared the feat to that of Roger Bannister, the first man to run the mile in under four minutes. “It’s something incredible, never seen before. We thought it was impossible, and yet it happened right here in London,” Cram commented. However, he evidently did not take into account Sawe, with his work ethic, his ultra-light shoes, and his diet. With his being an athlete from the future.