Sneaker News Back in 2017, Nike set out to make history with Breaking2, an initiative aimed at burst through the “impossible barrier” of a sub-two hour marathon. In doing so, they debuted a beautiful new sneaker called the ZoomX VaporFly Elite, a sneaker that went on to completely rewrite the book on running shoe design and engineering. Those pages have been almost plagiarized by its competitors; today, you won’t find a thick-foamed sole stacked with a springy carbon fiber plate.
Eliud Kichoge, the living legend enlisted to achieve this absurd run time, came close; he finished with a mind-blowing time of two hours and twenty-five seconds, which at the time was the fastest marathon run in history. Not longer after, he somehow bested that mark with a 1:59:41 time at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria. However, the IAAF chose not to ratify it as a record because of the plates embedded in the shoes, but that did little to dull the impact.
Fast forward to 2025, and Nike is dreaming big again with another moonshot. Partnering with world-class runner and world record holder Faith Kipyegon, Nike announces Breaking4 with the mission to empower the first woman to break the sub-four minute mile time. Kipyegon, already the world record holder in the mile and 1,500-meter run, will make one attempt at the milestone on June 26 at the Stade Charléty in Paris.
The sub-four minute mile was as absurd and unthinkable as Kipchoge’s sub-two hour marathon. For women, that reputation still stands as no woman has yet to crack 240 seconds. With Nike providing a holistic support system and nearly unlimited support much like how Eliud was set up for success in 2017, Kipyegon will aim to shave her personal best time by at least 7.65 seconds (she ran a mile in 4:07.64 in 2023). In the world of running, seconds can seem like minutes.
“I want this attempt to say to women, ‘You can dream and make your dreams valid,’” says Kipyegon. “This is the way to go as women, to push boundaries and dream big.”
“This courageous attempt at breaking a monumental boundary embodies the alchemy of art, science and athlete, resetting ambitions and amplifying impact. Together with athletes, we approach problems systemically, creatively and parametrically — no problem too large, no detail too small. As always, we stand in awe of helping athletes achieve greatness,” says John Hoke, Chief Innovation Officer.
Stay tuned for more updates on Breaking4 as Nike and Kipyegon near the attempt on June 26th.
