On April 21, more than 30,000 runners from around the world will be taking over the city of Boston for the renowned Boston Marathon. Among them is Canadian Running‘s own Marley Dickinson, making his marathon major debut. His secret weapon? The Adizero Adios Pro 4, adidas’ newest super shoe designed to break records and empower athletes to set and achieve their goals.
Qualifying for Boston
Dickinson’s marathon debut last spring was a spontaneous decision. Last February, at 28, he had been looking forward to the summer track season when he learned he needed surgery in May to remove a cyst “the size of a golf ball” from his back. Frustrated by the three-week recovery but unwilling to sit out the season entirely, he pivoted to a new goal.
“I had the goal of running a marathon before 30,” Dickinson said. “I turn 30 this May–so I decided I’ll be running the Boston Marathon before 30, instead.” He trained for a mere 40 days, including two weeks tackling the steep hills of San Francisco.
The day before his surgery last May, the Mount Albert, Ont., native clocked 2:52:35 at the 2024 Georgina Spring Fling Marathon, just 20 minutes north of where he grew up. “I had an A-goal of 2:45, a B-goal of sub-three hours and a C-goal of finishing,” Dickinson said. “I didn’t want to put too much pressure on it.”
When Boston qualifiers were announced in September, Dickinson had secured his spot, achieving the cut-off time with 35 seconds to spare.
A no-brainer
Dickinson is no stranger to the Boston Marathon; he’s attended for the past three years for work. It didn’t take much contemplating to decide he’d be returning, this time as a racer. “I booked my accommodation right away. I was in tears–I was so happy,” he shared.
“In running, Boston is a pinnacle event that everyone knows about,” Dickinson said. “Being there for work and seeing the race weekend from the media perspective–you look at it differently. Seeing the joy it brings others gave me a lot of motivation to be part of it.”
The runner is most excited for the point-to-point aspect of the event–taking a bus to the start line, seeing how far he has to run, lining up with fellow qualifiers and crossing the finish line in the heart of the city.
This year’s training plan
Dickinson’s current marathon build looks different from his debut last year. He began training 15-16 weeks out, starting with January’s Chipotle challenge, where he logged 80-90 km a week, running circles around Toronto’s downtown Chipotle location.
He took his training to the treadmill in February, covering 90-100 km weekly. In March, he brought it up to 120 km, and then his calf flared up. “After a workout in snowy conditions, my calf was pretty tight the next day,” he said. “I took a few days off, put on compression socks and stuck to treadmill running.” The injury was re-aggravated midway through a 10K time trial that month.
Dickinson was diagnosed by his physio with a grade 2 calf strain. “I panicked,” he admitted. “At six weeks out, these weeks are supposed to be the most important weeks. I didn’t want to lose fitness.” Cross-training on the bike and in the pool was an eye-opening experience. “I realized how weak a swimmer I am, that’s for sure,” he said.
T-11 days to Boston
Luckily, by three weeks to race day, Dickinson was feeling back to normal. On March 30, he braved miserable cold, windy and rainy weather in Hamilton, racing the Around the Bay 30K and clocking 2:00:40. “Thirty kilometres didn’t feel that long,” Dickinson said. “But I don’t know if I could’ve gone 12 more kilometres at that pace–the bonk was coming.”
His goals for this year’s marathon are to have fun and enjoy the experience. “If I was going in last year, I would’ve wanted a personal best,” he said. “Now, the goal is to soak it all in–it’s a celebration run to begin with. If things go to plan, I’m hoping for 2:45.”
adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
Dickinson is excited to have adidas on board for his first marathon major. “I can use any help I can get in terms of performance shoes,” he said. “The Adizero Adios Pro 4 is so soft–I’ve been loving it in training. Even with less training due to injury, these shoes make running feel effortless and make me feel a lot fitter than I actually am.”
The Adizero Adios Pro 4 combines cutting-edge features like Lightstrike Pro foam, ENERGYRODS 2.0 and a Lightlock upper–all engineered to optimize running economy and deliver unparalleled speed. With its state-of-the-art tooling geometries, the shoe empowers athletes to chase their fastest times, whether it’s a personal best or a world record.
Dickinson’s marathon to-do list:
- High-five Wellesley College supporters in the “scream tunnel”
- Grab a mid-race beer
- Soak in the support from family and friends
- Make the weekend an unforgettable memory
