Saving runners energy: ASICS has revealed how the eagerly awaited GLIDERIDE™ has successfully adapted the GUIDESOLE™ technology, first introduced in the METARIDE™ concept, and placed it on the feet of more runners in a unique race featuring participants of different abilities from around the world.
AN ENERGY REVOLUTION
The human-centric GUIDESOLE™ technology is an ergonomic precision-shaped curved sole that reduces energy loss. It works by minimizing lower leg movement through the stride – giving a feeling of effortless coasting – to make it easier for runners to keep going for longer.
Increasing the accessibility of the GUIDESOLE™ technology was the inspiration behind the new shoe. Engineered by a team of scientific experts and designers at ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS), the development of GLIDERIDE™ was fast-tracked to get the new technology to more runners as quickly as possible.
The result? The new GLIDERIDE™ has taken the category-leading GUIDESOLE™ technology a further step forward. Whilst providing maximum energy saving, it is lighter, with a less extreme curve and more cushioning than the concept shoe – increased comfort.
In tests, GLIDERIDE™ has been scientifically proven to:
- Reduce total energy loss at the ankle joint, where runners expend the most energy
- Improve cushioning for increased comfort
- Reduce weight while maintaining stability to provide both performance and protection
Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer and Senior General Manager at ISS, said: “The positive reception and speed at which runners adopted the new technology spurred us on to develop GLIDERIDE™ in record time. With no compromise on efficiency, it offers a cushier ride that we believe has the potential to help runners of every level significantly improve performance to go further than they thought possible”.
GET AHEAD WITH THE CURVE
To demonstrate what energy saving really means for runners, ASICS put the theory to the test in a unique race on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah on 7 September 2019.
The race, designed by an expert team of sports scientists, ASICS RUNKEEPER™ data analysts, elite coaches and engineers saw 22 runners of different abilities from around the world put the latest technology and theory in running performance to the test. Participants explored how energy saving technology can assist them in improving performance in the ultimate battle against themselves in a race without a finish line.
“We effectively took our research lab from Kobe to the Salt Flats to understand directly from runners how they can benefit from our energy saving technology in a real-life situation,” commented Harano. “What we learnt proves the importance of optimizing energy and will fuel our next generation technologies beyond footwear.”
Yasuhito Hirota, ASICS President and COO, said: “This latest innovation is a major milestone in achieving our goal to make our energy saving technology available to all runners. In Spring 2020, we will launch the next shoe in the family, EVORIDE™. And it doesn’t finish there. ASICS commitment to this new category extends beyond footwear with the planned introduction of further innovations to our in-store and on-line services”.
Retails for MYR629, the GLIDERIDE™ will be available for men and women at selected ASICS retail stores and www.asics.com from 4 October 2019.
