It only took a few steps to understand why Sabastian Sawe’s shoes, which he wore while becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, are valued at a hefty £450 by Adidas.

On a bright Thursday morning in East London, I set out to test the now-renowned Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 supershoes. As a journalist who often spends his free time pounding the pavement, I wanted to see if this revolutionary footwear could enhance my performance during a 5km run.

To my surprise, they exceeded all expectations.

Sawe, who crossed the finish line appearing as if he had just completed a casual Parkrun rather than shattering a world record, removed one of his shoes and asked for his remarkable time to be inscribed on it.

This moment resulted in a photograph that has become iconic in the world of running.

Sabastian Sawe poses with his Adidas shoe after his record-breaking London run

After seeing that image on Instagram post-marathon, I never imagined I would soon be wearing those very shoes. Even the day they were delivered to me, I completed a long half-marathon run, unaware they would soon be mine. Clearly, I underestimated the situation.

But here I was, lacing up the 97g trainer, which is lighter than a Mars bar – yes, you are reading that correctly – ahead of a run around Victoria Park, in which my aim was to see if I could ramp up through the gears in these bad boys.

While I’m not an elite runner, I would describe myself as a decent one. I train four times a week, schedule-dependent, and recently ran a 3hour 13min marathon in Rome on my debut in the event (not quite the sub-2 that first-timer Yomif Kejelcha managed behind Sawe).

My PB in the 5km distance is 16min 30sec, but that was back when I was a 5ft 7in 16-year-old who ate up miles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’m not capable of that anymore – no chance. Instead, my aim was to try to achieve a 19min 30sec, getting faster each kilometre.

However, once I’d completed my first kilometre in 3min 59sec, I knew there was a lot more in the tank. It was time to take off the shackles and let these special shoes do their thing.

And that’s what they are, special. For trainers that have an ‘ultralight’ and ‘weightless’ upper, which are said to be inspired by kitesurfing sails, they are an incredibly supportive shoe. The next gen LIGHTSTRIKE PRO EVO foam is both cushioning and provides ‘energy return’ as you push the soles of your feet against the pavement.

They also don’t have your typical carbon plate. Adidas have moved away from the technology adopted by other manufacturers and have an ‘energy rim’ that is carbon fibre-infused to provide a ‘stiffening element’ in the midsole. It makes the shoe miles lighter than any other on the market, while maintaining – if not exceeding – the propulsion that platers provide.

Sawe crosses the line in London last Sunday for an incredible world record

Harry in the Adidas Pro Evo 3 super shoes – it’s fair to say they had the desired effect

The shoes helped eat up the kilometres as Harry turned up the gas

After that 1km mark, I’d almost forgotten that I was even wearing shoes, which is the biggest compliment I could give. It was time to turn on the gas, and with the assistance of the Pro Evo 3s, I clocked a 3min 41sec second kilometre, before getting even faster on the third and fourth km.

By this point, the shoes made me feel like I was Peter Pan. I was flying.

I closed the show in a 3min 24sec final km – still 34 seconds shy of Sawe’s average pace for the entire 42.2km slog – finishing with a final time of 18min 33sec. A time I’m certainly proud of, but it left me regretting my plan of a progressive run. Had I gone all out from the gun, I believe these shoes would have propelled me to a sub-18-minute result. Regardless, these shoes made a huge difference.

Only last month, I tried the viral £39.99 Crivit CarbonLite 1.0 running trainers, made by German-owned supermarket chain Lidl. They are the cheapest carbon-plated shoes on the market, and I tested them on the cobbled roads of Vatican City. The chasm between them and the most expensive running shoes we have ever seen used in competition is almost unexplainable. They are worlds apart.

£450 may seem utterly ridiculous to some, but trust me, they are worth it. If you are a keen runner who is looking to smash their marathon PB, and you are feeling a little flush with your cash, I’d certainly advise treating yourself to a pair of these.

They are ‘engineered for those who chase records,’ and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the limits pushed ever further beyond Sawe’s seemingly impossible-to-reach mark with these shoes in the game.