No distance in super trainer

Pounding the pavements training for a fun run or marathon will take its toll on those who overdo it.

But even the most lazy park jogger would expect to cover more than 62miles in a running career.

However, that is exactly how long Nike's latest running shoe is designed to last before wearing out.

The revolutionary Mayfly, which goes on sale this week, has been made as light as possible to boost the performance of top athletes.

At just 135g a shoe, a third the weight of a normal trainer, it is intended to be used only in events. The minimalist design means the shoes disintegrate after three marathons, while an average running shoe will go on for up to 600 miles.

The Mayfly was inspired by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, a former running coach. He thought the ultimate racing shoe 'would support and cushion you one metre past the finish line before wearing away.' A Nike spokesman said: 'We know that, for every 100g you carry on your feet, you use approximately one per cent more energy to perform at the same level.

'So the Mayfly is stripped down for performance enhancement, and is engineered to last for 100km of racing.

'Most regular runners will have a pair of shoes they train in that are very different to the ones they use to run events.'

The shoes are Nike's first attempt at persuading customers to recycle their footwear. Each pair comes with a label so they can be returned to the company after they have worn out.