How much does a single second cost? That’s the question Nike attempted to answer first-hand this summer in Paris, as the athletic brand sponsored Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon in her ambitious effort to become the first woman in history to break the four-minute mile. Dubbed “Breaking4,” the high-profile time trial at the Stade Charléty was a multi-million dollar exercise in achieving the impossible—a dream that, for now, remains out of reach. Kipyegon completed the one-mile run in 4:06.42, breaking her own record of 4:07.64, an improvement of just over one second.
“I’ve learned many lessons from this race,” Kipyegon said in the aftermath of the attempt, smiling in spite of the loss. “I think I will go back to the drawing board and see where I can improve to get it right and get it to where I want to be.”
Nike spared no expense in pursuit of this goal. Conditions were rigorously controlled to maximize her potential. She was flanked by more than a dozen world-class racers, among them the Olympian Grant Fisher, to help cut wind resistance. And outfitted in cutting-edge racewear—including a 3D-printed sports bra, state-of-the-art aerodynamic speed suit, and a bespoke pair of Nike Victory 2 Elite FK spike shoes—Kipyegon benefited from the best that running technology has to offer, the result of thousands of hours of R & D at the Nike Sport Research Lab in Beaverton, Oregon.
Of course, the technology would be for nothing if Kipyegon were not committed in the extreme, pushing herself beyond ordinary limits. That’s exactly why the Nike team took Kipyegon’s preferences into account. “There are intangibles that you can’t measure in the lab,” Amy Jones Vaterlaus, VP of product research and innovation at Nike, explained hours before the time trial kicked off. “She describes this bra as ‘friendly,’ and she feels fast in this suit. That’s what’s most important: it’s what Faith thinks is fast.”
She certainly looked fast on the Stade Charléty track, and indeed, she came out with a convincing performance to begin. Her lap splits—60.20 seconds for the first 400 metres, and slightly over three minutes for 1200—showed her on target for some time, her lightning pace only waning marginally through the final stretch.
While Sir Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in 1954, it has never been done by a female racer. This is in part due to historical imbalances: It wasn’t until the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich that women were first permitted to run a 1500-metre race. Men had a big head start. Under the circumstances, Kipyegon getting so close so soon is nothing short of miraculous, even if the ultimate goal is still perhaps some years off.
Kipyegon collapsed at the finishing line having clearly given the attempt her all. The crowd was effusive despite the disappointing result, and Kipyegon herself, not unsurprisingly, walked away not crestfallen but encouraged, now certain that sub-four can be achieved. “This was the first time trial,” she said after the race, upbeat and cheerful. “I’ve seen it’s possible.”
Feature Image: courtesy of Nike.
