Nike’s 2017 project to break the two-hour marathon barrier was called Breaking2.
Nike announced Breaking2 in November 2016 and assembled three elite runners for a carefully engineered attempt: Eliud Kipchoge, Lelisa Desisa, and Zersenay Tadese. The event took place on May 6, 2017, at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, a Formula One circuit in Italy selected for its controlled conditions and fast layout.
Kipchoge came closest, finishing in 2:00:25—just 25 seconds outside the target. The attempt was faster than the official marathon world record at the time, but it was not eligible as a recognized record because of the use of rotating pacemakers and other specially arranged conditions. Desisa and Tadese fell behind before the finish.
Breaking2 also served as a footwear and sports-science laboratory. Nike developed the Vaporfly Elite for the attempt, while a pace car, laser timing guides, and coordinated pacemaker formations were used to maintain the required pace. Kipchoge later broke two hours in the 2019 INEOS 1:59 Challenge, under similarly non-record-eligible conditions.