Sean Ingle

So these shoes companies, they're trying to fight out for smaller technological varnishes.

There isn't the big jumps or the big differences between the brands anymore.

Yeah, I think so.

I mean, obviously, there are old timers that back in the day, they look at their times and a three-hour marathon, which is a very good achievement 15 years ago, is not the same as a three-hour marathon now because the shoes may give you three, four, five minutes extra time.

But I think as long as everyone has them, I think people accept that.

And also...

there is a preventative effect.

If you run in shoes that have more foam in them and different foams, they can help you run safer as well as faster.

And actually, it's quite interesting.

There's a big growth of run clubs across the UK and I'm sure Ireland where people that run very slowly, 12, 13, 14 miles are getting into running now.

And a lot of it is because they use a different type of foam, which isn't as fast, but it's very protective.

And again...

That's a good thing.

So technology and sport isn't always a bad thing.

Yeah, so anyone that's run a lot and tried to eat on the run will know that it can have effects on your gastro system.

But a few years ago, a Swedish company called Mertens came up with what they call a hydrogel.

And essentially what athletes can do is they can take this and consume enormous amounts of carbohydrates, which means they don't hit a wall during a marathon, but also they don't get tummy issues.

And to put it into context, Sebastian Sauer yesterday had about 230 grams of carbohydrates during his marathon.

And that's the equivalent of eating about 25 digestive biscuits.

So if you think of that and trying to do that and run, you'd feel it.