Greek marathon talents Amadeus Clements and Panagiotis Petroulakis competed in the Athens Marathon wearing ENGO 2 — the lightweight, performance-focused smart glasses engineered for endurance athletes who need real-time feedback on their performance, without breaking focus.
With the smart glasses market size projected to reach USD 8.26 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 27.3 percent — per Grand View Research, AI-powered smart glasses are experiencing growth driven by a convergence of technological advancements and increasing consumer demand for wearable technology that looks good and is technologically on-point. It was evident this Sunday, at the Athens Marathon, where marathon talent Amadeus Clements and Panagiotis Petroulakis raced equipped with ENGO 2 smart glasses.
After months of training among world-class runners in Iten, Kenya, Clements aimed for a top national placing using ENGO’s real-time pace, heart-rate and distance display to stay locked into race strategy without breaking visual focus. Petroulakis, current Greek 10K road race champion, integrated ENGO into his daily training for sustained pacing and minimal distraction.
These smart glasses could be a game changer for endurance athletes: be it training for a marathon or everyday runs and trails, it allows them to track statistics without looking down at a smart watch. With this real-time hands-free data stream on hand, they can adjust their intensity instantly, ensuring they stay in the desired training zone or marathon pace without breaking focus. With features like real-time performance tracking, hands-free gesture controls, automatic brightness adjustment, and simple device integration, ENGO allows both marathon athletes and everyday runners to achieve their goals with complete focus.
Why It Matters
Running is a sport built on focus, endurance, and precision. Whether an athlete is competing in a marathon or navigating a technical trail run, staying aware of their pace, heart rate, and performance data is crucial. ENGO eyewear aspires to empower the way runners train and race by bringing real-time performance data directly into their field of vision. The most important data—speed, cadence, heart rate, distance—is displayed right in front of the eyes without reaching out for a smart watch, allowing them to run smarter. This approach could empower elite athletes to manage their races, smartly and with complete focus.
“Training in Iten pushes me to raise my standards. Every session becomes a race — and every race makes me stronger. With ENGO, I can keep my head up and my pace locked in. It helps me stay in rhythm without losing focus — no more losing seconds checking the watch” says Amadeus Clements. “With ENGO, I can maintain a steady pace, making my training more effective. I use them during sessions and races to control my pace and monitor my heart rate. They provide great sun protection while seamlessly connecting with my Garmin watch. ENGO helps me go faster — with no distractions” adds Panagiotis Petroulakis.
The Age-Group Athlete Experience
Many master’s athletes in the ENGO community have experienced this challenge firsthand. Marathon runner Min Park describes on the smart glasses’ official website how ENGO transformed his Boston Marathon experience: “Seeing my pace right there in my field of view—without having to break stride to look at my watch—was amazing! I was pleasantly surprised to have averaged a pace slightly faster than my goal during this last challenging section.” For master’s athletes like Justin Fiske, the ability to see metrics clearly becomes increasingly valuable with age: “I use Engo 2 to monitor my pace, overall time elapsed, and heart rate, these are absolutely critical for any speed, threshold, tempo run or long runs! I also don’t have to look down at my watch ever!”
FAQs on wearing smart glasses without looking ‘techy’
What makes smart glasses stylish?
Stylish smart glasses blend cutting-edge technology with sleek designs. They feature minimalist frames, customizable lenses, and innovative functions like AR, all while maintaining a fashionable aesthetic.
How can I wear smart glasses without looking too techy?
Choose frames that suit your personal style, such as classic aviators, round frames, or bold rectangular shapes. Stick to neutral or metallic colours to keep them versatile, and pair them with casual or formal outfits for a more polished look.
Can I wear smart glasses with formal attire?
Opt for sophisticated frame designs and choose colours that complement your outfit, like matte black or silver. Pair them with tailored suits or elegant dresses for a modern, tech-savvy edge.
What are the best smart glasses for casual wear?
For everyday wear, go for lightweight, classic frames like wayfarers or sportier designs with a subtle tech twist. Choose colours like black, grey, or tortoiseshell for a versatile, understated look.
How can I accessorise smart glasses to match my outfit?
Pair your smart glasses with accessories that match their tone. For a bold look, opt for contrast accessories like statement watches or scarves. For a sleek style, keep other accessories minimal and monochrome.
What colours should I choose for smart glasses to complement my wardrobe?
Choose colours that complement your wardrobe’s palette. Black, silver, and gold are timeless options that go with anything. For a bolder statement, opt for metallics or bold hues like navy, burgundy, or forest green.
Can I wear smart glasses in professional settings?
Absolutely! Select sophisticated, low-profile frames in neutral colours. Frames with thin, wire designs can look especially professional and help keep the technology subtle. Just make sure the glasses fit your work environment and don’t distract from your overall look.
Are there smart glasses that work well with my hair type or style?
Smart glasses can enhance your look depending on your hair type and style. For short hairstyles, try round or angular frames. For long hair, go for frames that aren’t bulky, allowing your hair to flow freely around them.
What about wearing smart glasses during workouts or outdoor activities?
For active use, opt for sporty frames that are lightweight, durable, and offer features like anti-glare lenses or UV protection. Look for designs with adjustable nose pads and flexible hinges to ensure comfort during exercise or outdoor adventures.
How do I maintain the style of my smart glasses over time?
To keep your smart glasses looking fresh, regularly clean the lenses with a microfiber cloth. Store them in a protective case when not in use to avoid scratches, and occasionally replace the nose pads or temple tips to ensure a comfortable, stylish fit.
About ENGO Eyewear
ENGO creates smart eyewear for endurance athletes, powered by ActiveLook® technology. Performance data — pace, heart rate, speed, distance — is projected discreetly in-view, allowing athletes to train and race with full focus.
Per the official website: ‘As athletes and engineers, we thrive on solving these challenges with intelligent, efficient solutions. Based in Grenoble, French Alps, a hotspot for endurance sports, legendary cols, and innovation, we designed ENGO with one clear mission: to revolutionize how you athletes train and race.’ ENGO believes in the power of light augmenter reality (Lite AR) to enhance the athlete’s experience. ‘That’s why we also created ActiveLook, the technology and app ecosystem powering your ENGO. ActiveLook goes beyond endurance sports: it all about keeping Augmented Reality compact and truly useful, providing the information you need without cluttering your vision, motion and social experience.’
There’s a lot athletes can do including setup of a dedicated dashboard for trail days, with additional metrics like altitude or running power; ensuring recovery days stay recovery days with a dedicated zone training dashboard; mix and match 1-3 different data fields for special efforts like cadence workouts; and compete in the leaderboards with the first ever real-time Strava training experience. Who is team ENGO? A group of athletes, engineers, and designers who share a love for sports and a desire to push boundaries. They believe in the power of technology to elevate sport experience, and they’re excited to see where ENGO takes them next.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
