Super Shoes: How Advanced Technology Revolutionised Running - Paperback

by Liam Tharme (Author)

Super Shoes is the inside story of the sport-shattering impact made by advanced technology and footwear manufacturing within athletics. Liam Tharme speaks to elite athletes, coaches, researchers, shoe designers and engineers to explain the avalanche of world records and fast times in track races and road running in recent years. Tharme uncovers how and why records and assumptions about human performance limits have been smashed ever since Nike launched their first Vaporfly in 2017, when 'super shoes' first hit the market. He charts the history of technological advancements and shoe development, reveals why it was not Adidas but Nike that staged the first sub-two-hour marathon, speaks to those who made Breaking2 a reality, and delves into the role that universities in Colorado and Calgary played in revolutionising running.

Author Biography

Since 2022, Liam Tharme has been a writer for The Athletic. With a 2:48 marathon personal best of his own, Tharme was one of MHP Group's '30 Journalists to watch under 30' in 2025. He writes on football as well as athletics, and covered both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.