Why read this: This article gives B1 readers a clear way into a story they may already know from social media: a Kenyan runner has just broken the marathon world record while wearing a brand-new shoe that weighs less than a bar of soap. The text asks one question that students can argue both ways — was it the runner, or was it the shoe? The topic mixes sport, technology, rules and a quiet doping doubt, so it works as a discussion starter as well as a reading task. Numbers and dates are kept manageable, and the named runners and brands are limited to the few that the argument needs.
What to notice: Notice how the article uses one number — 99 grams — as its hook, then opens out into how a super shoe is built and why it matters. Watch how each section answers a small question (Why doesn't Kipchoge's 2019 run count? What makes the new shoe different? Is it only the shoe?) before moving on. Notice the sign-posted phrase "in light of" at the end: this is the only point where the writer asks readers to make a small inference about why Sawe asked for extra drug testing. The closing paragraph is also where the article shifts from celebration to caution.
Skills practised: Tracking cause and effect across short paragraphs (the shoe's design leads to better running economy, which leads to faster times). Linking facts to a central question ("Is it the shoe, or is the runner?"). Reading sports and science vocabulary such as "super shoe", "carbon plate", "stack height" and "running economy" with the help of margin glosses. Practising the formal connector "in light of" and the phrasal verbs "top up", "ramp up" and "hit with". Using textual evidence to support a short written answer in the open questions.
The 99-gram shoe behind a new marathon world record
Sabastian Sawe ran a marathon in under two hours wearing a shoe lighter than a bar of soap. Was it the runner, the shoe, or something more?
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
On Sunday in London, the Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe broke the world marathonmarathon: A long-distance running race of 42.195 km; a long and difficult task. — 马拉松 record. He finished in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the fastest man ever to run a marathon in an officialofficial: approved by the government or a person in authority; formal — 官方的；正式的 race. The 31-year-old beat the previousprevious: Prior; occurring before something else, either in time or order — 先前的；以前的 London course record by nearly two minutes.
Another runner, Eliud Kipchoge, ran a marathon in under two hours back in 2019, but his run did not count as a world record. It was held under controlled conditions: a setting where many factors are managed to give the best possible chance, rather than a normal race — 受控条件；非比赛环境, not in a real race against other athletes. To be record-eligible: able to count as an official record — 有资格被记录为正式纪录的, a time must come from a normal open marathon. That is why Sawe's sub-two hour: (of a marathon time) faster than two hours — 两小时以内的（马拉松成绩） result is the first one to count in the record books.
Many people think the answer is in the shoes. Sawe wore the new Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which is a "super shoe: a high-tech running shoe with carbon plates and a thick foam sole, designed to make runners faster — 碳板跑鞋；超级跑鞋" — a high-techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 shoe built to make runners faster. The Pro Evo 3 weighsweigh: to measure how heavy something or someone is — 称重；重达 only 99 grams, which is lighter than a bar of soap. It is the first super shoe to weigh under 100 grams.
In a sport of marginal gains: very small improvements that add up to a large advantage — 边际收益；微增量, every small detail matters. Most super shoes use a stiffstiff: Not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid; formal in manner. — 僵硬的；不灵活的 carbon plate: a stiff piece of carbon material inside a running shoe — 碳板 inside the solesole: The bottom of a shoe or boot — 鞋底 to spring the runner forward. The Pro Evo 3 uses carbon material that wrapswrap: To cover or enclose something in paper or soft material. — 包裹；包装 around the sole instead. This design helps running economy: how little energy a runner uses to keep going at a given speed — 跑步经济性, which means the runner uses less energy at the same speed. The shoe will sell for £450 later this year.
For many years, Nike was the market leader: the company that sells the most in a particular market — 市场领头羊；行业第一 in racingracing: The sport or activity of competing in races, especially with horses, cars, or bicycles. — 赛跑；赛车运动 shoes. Kipchoge wore Nikes in 2019, and the late Kelvin Kiptum wore them when he setset: To put something in a particular place or position, or to decide on a time, amount, etc. — 设置；放置；确定 the previous world record in 2023. Now Adidas can say that the fastest marathon runner in the world wears their shoes instead. governing bodies: official organisations that make and enforce the rules of a sport — 管理机构；监管机构 have tried to keep pace with: move forward at the same speed as something — 跟上……的步伐 the new technology. Since 2022, the rules from World Athletics say a shoe's stack height: the total thickness of a running shoe's sole, measured from the ground to the foot — 堆叠高度；鞋底厚度 cannot be more than 40 millimetres, and a shoe can have only one carbon plate.
The shoe is not the only reason for faster times, because sport science has also improved. Sawe worked closelyclosely: In a way that involves careful attention to detail; in a way that is near in distance or relationship. — 紧密地；密切地 with the nutritionnutrition: The process of providing or obtaining food necessary for health and growth. — 营养；营养学 brandbrand: A type of product made by a particular company, identified by a name or symbol. — 品牌；牌子 Maurten for many months before the race. The team trained him to top up: add more of something so that it stays full — 补足；加满 his energy with carbohydrate gelsgel: A semi-solid to almost solid colloid of a solid and a liquid, such as jelly, cheese or opal — 凝胶 during the race, so that his body could burn carbohydratescarbohydrate: A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant — 碳水化合物 for fuelfuel: A substance such as oil, gas, or coal that is burned to produce heat or energy. — 燃料 rather than fat reserves: energy stored in the body as fat — 脂肪储备. When new records are set, some people doubtdoubt: To be undecided about; to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, to question — 怀疑 the result. One Kenyan runner was recently hit with: given (a punishment, fine, or ban) — 遭受（处罚）；被判处 a three-year ban for dopingdoping: The use of drugs to improve athletic performance — 服用兴奋剂. in light of: because of; considering — 鉴于；考虑到 this, Sawe and Adidas asked officialsofficial: An office holder invested with powers and authorities — 官员 to ramp up: increase (something) sharply — 加大力度；增加 his anti-doping testing: drug testing on athletes to check whether they have used banned substances — 反兴奋剂检测, to show that his record was clean.
On Sunday in London, the Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe broke the world marathonmarathon: A long-distance running race of 42.195 km; a long and difficult task. — 马拉松 record. He finished in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the fastest man ever to run a marathon in an officialofficial: approved by the government or a person in authority; formal — 官方的；正式的 race. The 31-year-old beat the previousprevious: Prior; occurring before something else, either in time or order — 先前的；以前的 London course record by nearly two minutes.
Another runner, Eliud Kipchoge, ran a marathon in under two hours back in 2019, but his run did not count as a world record. It was held under controlled conditions: a setting where many factors are managed to give the best possible chance, rather than a normal race — 受控条件；非比赛环境, not in a real race against other athletes. To be record-eligible: able to count as an official record — 有资格被记录为正式纪录的, a time must come from a normal open marathon. That is why Sawe's sub-two hour: (of a marathon time) faster than two hours — 两小时以内的（马拉松成绩） result is the first one to count in the record books.
Many people think the answer is in the shoes. Sawe wore the new Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which is a "super shoe: a high-tech running shoe with carbon plates and a thick foam sole, designed to make runners faster — 碳板跑鞋；超级跑鞋" — a high-techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 shoe built to make runners faster. The Pro Evo 3 weighsweigh: to measure how heavy something or someone is — 称重；重达 only 99 grams, which is lighter than a bar of soap. It is the first super shoe to weigh under 100 grams.
In a sport of marginal gains: very small improvements that add up to a large advantage — 边际收益；微增量, every small detail matters. Most super shoes use a stiffstiff: Not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid; formal in manner. — 僵硬的；不灵活的 carbon plate: a stiff piece of carbon material inside a running shoe — 碳板 inside the solesole: The bottom of a shoe or boot — 鞋底 to spring the runner forward. The Pro Evo 3 uses carbon material that wrapswrap: To cover or enclose something in paper or soft material. — 包裹；包装 around the sole instead. This design helps running economy: how little energy a runner uses to keep going at a given speed — 跑步经济性, which means the runner uses less energy at the same speed. The shoe will sell for £450 later this year.
For many years, Nike was the market leader: the company that sells the most in a particular market — 市场领头羊；行业第一 in racingracing: The sport or activity of competing in races, especially with horses, cars, or bicycles. — 赛跑；赛车运动 shoes. Kipchoge wore Nikes in 2019, and the late Kelvin Kiptum wore them when he setset: To put something in a particular place or position, or to decide on a time, amount, etc. — 设置；放置；确定 the previous world record in 2023. Now Adidas can say that the fastest marathon runner in the world wears their shoes instead. governing bodies: official organisations that make and enforce the rules of a sport — 管理机构；监管机构 have tried to keep pace with: move forward at the same speed as something — 跟上……的步伐 the new technology. Since 2022, the rules from World Athletics say a shoe's stack height: the total thickness of a running shoe's sole, measured from the ground to the foot — 堆叠高度；鞋底厚度 cannot be more than 40 millimetres, and a shoe can have only one carbon plate.
The shoe is not the only reason for faster times, because sport science has also improved. Sawe worked closelyclosely: In a way that involves careful attention to detail; in a way that is near in distance or relationship. — 紧密地；密切地 with the nutritionnutrition: The process of providing or obtaining food necessary for health and growth. — 营养；营养学 brandbrand: A type of product made by a particular company, identified by a name or symbol. — 品牌；牌子 Maurten for many months before the race. The team trained him to top up: add more of something so that it stays full — 补足；加满 his energy with carbohydrate gelsgel: A semi-solid to almost solid colloid of a solid and a liquid, such as jelly, cheese or opal — 凝胶 during the race, so that his body could burn carbohydratescarbohydrate: A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant — 碳水化合物 for fuelfuel: A substance such as oil, gas, or coal that is burned to produce heat or energy. — 燃料 rather than fat reserves: energy stored in the body as fat — 脂肪储备. When new records are set, some people doubtdoubt: To be undecided about; to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, to question — 怀疑 the result. One Kenyan runner was recently hit with: given (a punishment, fine, or ban) — 遭受（处罚）；被判处 a three-year ban for dopingdoping: The use of drugs to improve athletic performance — 服用兴奋剂. in light of: because of; considering — 鉴于；考虑到 this, Sawe and Adidas asked officialsofficial: An office holder invested with powers and authorities — 官员 to ramp up: increase (something) sharply — 加大力度；增加 his anti-doping testing: drug testing on athletes to check whether they have used banned substances — 反兴奋剂检测, to show that his record was clean.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
Why did Eliud Kipchoge's 2019 sub-two hour marathon not count as a world record?
- 02
What is different about the carbon technology in the Pro Evo 3 compared with most other super shoes?
- 03
Why did Sawe and Adidas ask officials to ramp up his anti-doping testing?
- 04
Explain why many people think the new shoe is the main reason for the world record. Use two pieces of evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare the role of the shoe and the role of sport science in helping Sawe break the record. Which does the article say is more important?
Suggested length: ~70 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
Why did Eliud Kipchoge's 2019 sub-two hour marathon not count as a world record?
- 02
What is different about the carbon technology in the Pro Evo 3 compared with most other super shoes?
- 03
Why did Sawe and Adidas ask officials to ramp up his anti-doping testing?
- 04
Explain why many people think the new shoe is the main reason for the world record. Use two pieces of evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare the role of the shoe and the role of sport science in helping Sawe break the record. Which does the article say is more important?
Suggested length: ~70 words