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Hoka One One show off their new Carbon X shoe with a 50-mile world record

At 8.5 oz., the Carbon X shoe is exceptionally light, and Hoka believes it has the right combination of lightness, foam and a carbon-fibre plate

Project Carbon X, Hoka’s version of Breaking2. On May 4th, various Hoka-sponsored athletes attempted to break the 100K road world record in California while wearing the new Carbon X – Project Carbon X 100k. Unfortunately, the heat played against the runners. But in spite of that, Jim Walmsley took down the 50-mile world record with his 4:50:08 (by 43 seconds)–that’s 50 consecutive 5:48 miles (between 3:35 and 3:40 kilometres). The previous 50-mile world record of 4:50:51 was set by ultrarunning legend Bruce Fordyce in the London to Brighton Ultramarathon in 1983.

Double 100K world champion Hideaki Yamauchi of Japan won the 100K in 6:19:52, almost 10 minutes off Nao Kazami’s 100K world record (6:09:14, set last year at the Lake Saroma Marathon), which the project was designed to challenge. Patrick Reagan was second in 6:33:50. Yoshiki Takada of Japan was third in 6a:52:03, and Walmsley fourth in 7:05:24 – a new PB for him in the 100K distance.

Related: Review: HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 5

Sabrina Little hung on to finish the women’s race after Aiko Kanematsu dropped out, finishing in 7:49:28.

The 10x10K mixed-gender relay team successfully brought down the 100k relay world record, finishing in 5:45:50. The second-place team also went under the world record time, finishing in 5:46:16.

At 8.5 oz. (241 g), the Carbon X shoe is exceptionally light, and Hoka believes the combination of lightness, foam and the carbon-fibre plate make it unbeatable over long distances. Endurance runners and triathletes will be eagerly waiting for the summer release of these shoes.