| adidas is all running
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Running is fundamental to almost every athletic endeavour. Adi Dassler recognised this and has been focused on the performance of athletes since he made his first running spikes in the 1920's earning the first Olympic gold medal in adidas shoes. Since then adidas have been helping to inspire men and women across the country to enjoy running at every level. Today Adi Dassler's values still stand strong; adidas aims to help athletes of whatever level be the best that they can be.
Here's where the adidas legacy began:
For adidas, it all started with shoes – shoes to run in, shoes to play in, shoes that would one day win medals at Olympic Games. Adi Dassler, a modest shoemaker from a small rural town Herzogenaurach in Germany, developed a range of products so original and so perfect that they are sought by athletes from all over the world.
| 1920's – Adi Dassler made his first ever training shoe in his parents' washroom using the few materials that were available after the First World War. Just 8 years later in 1928 Adi's shoes made their debut on the Olympic stage in Amsterdam helping Karoline Radke-Batschauer Lina Radke win Gold in the first ever Women's 800m competition. |
1930's – By now Adi Dassler was already making 30 different shoes for eleven sports, and with a 1' 00 strong workforce. Adi's unrelenting ambition to make the best products for athletes collided with politics in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Under the watchful eye of Adolf Hitler, Adi helped young black American athlete Jesse Owens to win 4 gold medals wearing shoes that boasted specially positioned spikes and a low cut upper.
In less than two decades Adi Dassler had become the world's leading sports shoe manufacturer.
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1940's – The post-World War II London Olympic Games in 1948 reunited the world through athletic competition. Adi's lightest ever shoes continued the Olympic success for young Czech, Emil Zatopek who ran to Gold in the 10,000m and Silver in the 5,000m. In the same year adidas was officially registered as the company name; a combination of the founders first and last name.
A year later the famous 3 stripes were first used, and are today the most recognisable brand icon.
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| 1950's – Adi's little workshop was not so little anymore. The 50's saw adidas grow into the most widely worn sports brand at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. adidas continued to innovative footwear that could make great athletes even better, introducing revolutionary shoes featuring exchangeable spikes. Emil Zatopek went on to become the only man ever to win the 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon all in the same Olympics – wearing adidas! |
1960's – In the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome, 75% of all Track and Field athletes wore adidas footwear including 20 year old Wilma Rudolph who took home 3 gold medals; the first American woman to achieve this. adidas equipped Wilma with track spikes made from the thinnest, lightest kangaroo leather. Unbelievably, it wasn't until 1961 that adidas launched athletic apparel; the first sports footwear company to expand in this way. From the very first tracksuits to the latest technical running gear, adidas has applied the same passion for improvements through innovation as with footwear.
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1970's –The decade of the runner. With fitness and competitive running surging in popularity, business was good for the family-run shoe factory in Herzogenaurach. Adi's childhood love of trail running inspired the 'daddy' of all trail running shoes, the Marathon Trainer. The convex trefoil outsole provided maximum grip and stability and the spoiler construction slowed foot motion on landing – perfect for parkrun terrain!
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| 1980's – adidas is all innovative. In 1988, adidas launched the revolutionary TORSION sole system in the first biomechanical shoe, the ZX 8000. This unique technology works with the natural motion of the heel and forefoot to create greater stability and control. Runners were gifted more flexibility and speed than ever before and TORSION is still used in our running shoes today. |
1990's – Throughout the 90's adidas athletes continue to out perform. Haile Gebrselassie set and smashed his own world records 17 times! Still to this day, Haille is an adidas ambassador and is regarded universally as the greatest runner of all time.
In 1991, adidas established a tailored approach to running footwear, offering athletes a variety of models for different running styles and foot types; support, cushion and guidance.
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00's – Ever the innovator of revolutionary products, in 2004 adidas created the adidas_1, the world's first intelligent running shoe. With the ability to make 5 million calculations per second, it provided the athlete with the perfect amount of cushioning at every step.
During the same decade at the Olympic Games in Athens, athletes wearing adidas shoes or apparel won 147 gold, 28 silver and 148 bronze medals!
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10's – all light, all fast. With an incredible 100 consecutive wins across 100 weeks in 2011 the lightweight adiZERO range just keeps proving its superiority. Winning the Runner's World best shoe award in the same year cemented what we already knew about this light and fast range!
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2012 – 2012 is a hugely exciting year for adidas in the UK, not least as we gear up our sponsorship of the London Olympic Games but also of Team GB. We hope to inspire athletes across the country in an Olympic year to participate in sport by running their local parkrun.
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Almost every athlete uses running to help prepare for sport and all parkrunners are proving that by participating in parkrun week in week out.
We look forward to meeting all the individual athletes at parkruns around the country as the weeks go on.
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adiPRENE+ - an elastic cushioning material used in the forefoot of adidas shoes to provide a nice responsive, springy push off – all about performance!
Continental – What better to use for grip than a car tyre! As Europe's leading tyre manufacturer, we use Continental rubber on our outsoles for improved grip and feel. 32% better traction in dry, 30% better traction in wet – it holds the road like a F1 race car!
adiWEAR - is an extremely durable, non-marking rubber used for shoe outsoles in high abrasion areas to avoid early wear and tear.
Geofit - Enhances fit and comfort by placing padding in the collar and tongue of the shoe where we need it most!
Geofit+ - memory foam that helps mould the shoe to the shape of your foot for a supremely comfortable, secure fit.
Torsion System - a lightweight arch support that allows the rearfoot and forefoot to move independently. This helps the foot adapt to different surfaces and helps contribute to a smooth heel to toe transition – perfect for park running!
Pro-moderator - a lightweight, highly supportive midsole stability element only 1.5mm thick. Made of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), it acts like scaffolding around the midsole of the shoe and stops the foot from rolling too much to the inside during foot strike.
Formotion - is a freely moving heel system that is de-coupled allowing it to adapt to your individual running style. As a result your foot experiences a much smoother, balanced and natural touchdown.
Blown Rubber - Blown rubber is a soft rubber for a lighter, more flexible and cushioned ride used in the forefront zone of an adidas outsole.
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ClimaLite® - absorbs and transports liquid sweat away from the skin to the outer fabric face for quick evaporation. This is the technology that prevents 'Joggers Nipple'!
ClimaCool™ - Strategically placed vents allow the circulation of air to take away excess heat and moisture – keeping you cooler for longer! These vents can be found where we sweat the most; on our back and under our arms!
ClimaWarm® - lightweight, breathable insulation that keeps you dry and comfortable in cold weather conditions by using densely woven synthetic fibers to trap warm air close to the skin, keeping you snug!
Formotion™ - three-dimensionally constructed apparel to move naturally with your body during sport. Optimized fit enhances comfort and reduces irritation due to minimal stitching and carefully placed seams!
ClimaPROOF - Wind and water resistant to protect you against the elements. Now you can run in just about anything Mother Nature throws your way!
Tech Fit Compression
Increases Muscle Protection - Control muscle vibrations by up to 40%. Fewer vibrations mean less micro tears and minimize the effects of delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) after training.
Increases Muscle Recovery - Tech Fit works like a tube of toothpaste. Compressing your muscles enhances circulation for post exercise recovery. Increased blood flow also improves aerobic exercise by pumping more oxygenated blood to muscles!
Increases Spatial Awareness - Increase feedback from proprioceptors, meaning that you have a heightened sense of body positioning in relation to itself. This also helps with balance!
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