Liam Tharme On His New Book “Super Shoes: How Advanced Technology Revolutionized Running”

The Athletic writer and author Liam Tharme joins the show to unpack the biggest shift in modern distance running: the rise of “super shoes.” Tharme’s new book, Super Shoes: How Advanced Technology Revolutionized Running, traces how Nike’s Vaporfly (and the carbon-plated, high-stack foam revolution that followed) helped trigger an avalanche of fast times and world records across the roads and track. In this conversation, Liam shares how his own running background fueled his curiosity, what he learned reporting the inside story of Breaking2, and why the technology boom has sparked debates around fairness, access, and sporting integrity. We dig into the science behind the gains, the key researchers who helped validate them, the brand arms race between Nike, Adidas, Puma, ASICS, Hoka, New Balance and On, and the tricky new reality super shoes introduce: when performance leaps can be explained by tech, it can get harder to interpret everything else we see on race day. In this episode, we cover: - How the Vaporfly changed running in 2016 and why the record books haven’t looked the same since - The origins of carbon plates + advanced foams, and what the research actually says - Breaking2’s behind-the-scenes decisions and the people who made it possible - The “shoe doping” debate, fairness, and how accessibility has evolved - The current footwear landscape and who’s winning the innovation race now - The next frontier: personalization, super-responders, and what “the perfect shoe” could mean Super Shoes is available now here. ____________ Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠ ⁠@chris_j_chavez Guest: Liam Tharme | @liamtharme Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr ____________ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest. OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.