Review of Nike Alphafly Next% Running Shoes
My review of the Nike Alphafly Next% running shoes is long overdue. I will have one for the Alphafly Next% 2’s as my next review in order to keep with the times.
So, a little background first. For many years, I was a diehard Newton Running shoe advocate I credit the Newton’s for helping me improve my running form. They promote a forefoot strike and over the years, with better form, I ran better times. The marathon is my favourite distance with 5k being a close second. So it was the Newton Distance Elite for my marathons. For the 5k’s it was the Newton MBV3’s. Then came some health issues that took me away from racing for a year or so. During this time, Nike released it’s first magic shoe, the Vaporfly 4% (June 2017). I joke about them being magic, mostly because there are many of that opinion; I’m not one.
From Newton to Nike
My first marathon wearing the new Nike technology took place in 2019 when I ran Dublin. The shoes on my feet on this day were the Nike Zoom Fly 4’s. These were a relatively heavy shoe, but had the ZoomX cushioning and the carbon fibre plate. I didn’t manage a personal best time, but it took place only three weeks after Chester, where I did run a personal best in my old trusty Newton’s. After Dublin I invested in the Vaporfly 4% shoes for the upcoming 2020 racing season, but due to Covid-19, this went out the window.
Next up was another lost year in 2021 due to an injury. Coming back in 2022 I was going to give myself every opportunity to finally break the three hour mark. On the calendar for 2022 was Manchester (England), Kildare Thoroughbred Marathon, Berlin, and Dublin once again. On my feet in the first of these was a pair of Nike Alphafly Next%. There were only about 30 miles done in training in them but the feel was amazing.
Review of Nike Alphafly Next%
My thoughts on these Nike Alphafly Next% shoes shouldn’t surprise too many runners. I loved them. From the moment they are laced up, one feels taller, lighter, and faster. The way the Atomknit upper holds my foot couldn’t be better. Some of the other Nike trainers will gap at the top, but not these. The foot feels secure and comfortable. The 4mm drop isn’t massive, but from the outside you would think it was more. There is just loads of cushioning with the ZoomX foam.
Paired with the ZoomX foam is the carbon plate in the forefoot. These two features give the shoe good return from each foot strike. Additionally, there seems to be less abuse to the feet during the long miles. The feet just feel a little bit fresher at the end of the day.
Nike Alphafly Next% Cons
It’s not all great, however, and here are my only two complaints. These aren’t built for tight corners, and you will feel as though you must slow down on sharper bends. During a marathon though, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. The other issue I have is with the Atomknit material. Although it holds my feet flawlessly, you must make sure to have your toenails cut nice and neatly. Any bits of nail can catch on the soft material. With today’s running socks being so thin, there is no room for compromise with nail etiquette.
Conclusion
The Nike Alphafly Next% was a game changer for me in my marathon running. I took my best times down from 3:06:07 in 2019 all the way to 2:56:44 in April 2023. It wasn’t all the shoes though. There were thousands of miles and hours of physical and mental strength training involved. Yoga, improvements in nutrition, and better training including more hills all played their part. Here is the progression in my times while wearing the Nike Alphafly Next% shoes:
Manchester Marathon: 3:00:29
Kildare Thoroughbred Marathon: 2:58:33
Berlin Marathon: 3:08:46
Dublin Marathon: 3:01:08
London Marathon: 2:56:44
A Word About New Technology
When all is said and done, I understand the criticism of the new shoe technology. Today’s foam and carbon plates do make for faster times. However, shoe technology has always been improving. Ever since humans first slapped a piece of buffalo hide to their feet running has become easier. I have no question that past runners would have run faster with this new tech. But that has always been the case too. And this trend will continue.
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