The Shoes
Nike Vaporfly 4% Alpha Next % Zoom Ultra Flymesh Fly - or whatever the latest name is for them is causing masses of hysteria in the running community in the last few weeks.
It's an interesting debate going on. So on the left you have the shoe remainers who consider themselves purists and believe the shoes give an unfair advantage. There are some misinformed that believe the shoes actually give back more energy than you put in - but you can't be expected to deal with stupidity.
On the right - you have the Nextiteers - see what I did there ;) Upfront - I am in this camp. We consider the technology a good thing for the sport.
So regardless of the moral arguments, I'll give my own review of the shoes.
The shoes WORK
Yes, they are better for running fast over longer distances than any other shoe on the market. I believe that one of the reasons everyone is running quicker than before is down to the shoes. The shoes are doing what running shoes should do - they are comfortable.
I have run marathons in harsh racing flats (Adidas adiZero Bostons) and my legs were trollied for days afterwards. The Bostons were harsh, the last 4-5 miles my legs were being battered every step. I have never run a marathon in the VF (lets group 4%, Next% and Alpha Fly as VF) - but I can see how the cushioning will lead to much less muscle damage over longer runs.
To be clear, I trained for marathons in highly cushioned trainers - let's say Nike Lunarglide or Adidas Boost for faster runs and Nike Vomero for easy miles. You can use the VF for all runs because they are lighter than the fast shoes and they are more cushioned than the easy mileage shoes plus you don't need racing flats because they are. So the cost implication is that you could in theory only need one pair of shoes instead of 3 !
Personally, I can't see an obvious reason why I wouldn't use a pair of better cushioned shoes (VF) over the Bostons which will fuck my legs up for the best part of 6 weeks post marathon.
And to draw the argument where it leads - this is the point the purists consider cheating. Be clear, the improvement over other shoes baseline comes into it's own later in a long distance race. Your legs get less battered -> your form breaks down less -> you use less energy to run. It's very simple science at it's route.
The arguments with it being like the banned swim suit do not hold. The swim suit added buoyancy and narrowed your shape in the water. the comparative argument would be like using an Alter-G treadmill to artificially reduce body weight and claim those PB's. That is not the same.
The shoes are more like a disc wheel and tri bars in cycling. Anyone who uses a disc knows, once you get it up to speed and get into aero position it is considerably easier to keep riding at the same speed against someone on a standard road bike with spoked wheels.
It is a technological improvement.
The shoes HELP
I have struggled to keep running over the years with various leg injuries. My calfs should have their own medical journal! These shoes are so cushioned and comfortable that the allow me to keep training. I use them as everyday running shoes - they are that good.
They allow me to keep running and I am sure I'm not the only person that finds this.
I come from a very solid background. I am never going to break my old pb's but I have always been of the opinion that anything that gets people - and to a greater extent kids - running is a good thing. that's why I am so glad to see Parkrun & Junior Parkrun booming. There is nothing better than seeing hundreds of people out running and getting it done. Yep, £239 shoes are not getting kids out and running but I do believe they are helping some older people not only run, but set season and personal bests for longer. How is that a bad thing?
The shoes DON'T WORK for everything
Nick Symmonds does a great video of the Next% on track. The shoes have zero grip, they are less than useless on a wet track doing intervals.
They are too chunky and soft to do fast speed work (I have tried) and they have very little support so going around bends they don't give any benefit.
I'd go as far as to say less than 5k on the road there are much better shoes for running pb's (the Bostons, Asics Piranha type shoes) - that's why they will never get near spikes - you need traction, responsiveness and push off.
5k - I don't think they are good enough at the top end but for 16.30 Parkrunners and above they give benefit due to the lightness and comfort. They 100% help runners with bad form more than runners with good form due to the carbon plate. The 4% I believe give more benefit to bad form runners due to the additional heel drop.
10k - same, benefit is for normal runners but at elite level where you are pushing 4.40 miles they are likely to be too soft.
Over 10k - I'd be shocked if anyone runs better in another shoe. I know Kipchoge is running 4.40 miles in city marathons but the comfort and fact he's still out 2+ hours make them the best shoe. For normal and slow runners this shoe is invaluable.
Back to speed work though, the shoes are pony. The 4% I'd say caused my injuries last year - doing 200m reps on track with no lateral support caused plantor fasicitis which in turn caused a compensatory hip problem. Doh !
So I've tried my XC spikes - still too harsh - so ordered a pair of Zoom Streak spikes which look more cushioned. Roll on the VF spikes eh !
I prefer the 4% over Next%
That's just my preference, the 4% for me are the perfect shoe. Interestingly they have a bigger heel drop, it's the midsole that gains with the Next % and interestingly the toe has less foam on the 4% but I just feel faster in them.
I save my 4% for races and use next% for training.
What Next (%?)
Nike just
The sprint specific spikes look insane. My opinion the air in forefoot either a) won't work as it's too soft or b) will work too well and be illegal (think boing, boing, boing)
The track spikes look good, but I can't see any improvement over traditional spikes for the very reasons set out above - ok, maybe for 10k track racing - and possibly 5k. Interestingly (for me) they may work out as excellent steeplechase spikes.
The new tempo should be the big shoe - a training shoe that's a daily wearer and the Alphas will be a race day specific shoe.
The Real problem
Make no doubt, Nike is killing it and couldn't have better marketed these shoes with everyone calling them EPO shoes and cheat shoes. The problem that wrangles me is that kids sponsored by New Balance, Adidas, Mizuno, Asics are lining up against Nike athletes and thinking they are already beaten because of all the press.
Imagine the mind games that happen at 20 miles into London marathon with Olympic qualification on the line and you're feeling the guy running next to you has an advantage you cannot beat. That's going to fuck real athletes up. They already announced Kara Goucher lost the 2016 Olympic trial because of the shoes.
Remember Steve Collins telling Eubank he had been hypmotised to not being able to be hurt ahead of the Chris Eubank fight. It ruined Eubank, he went from 100 to zero because he couldn't get it out of his head.
I've even seen one guy on twitter call out Nike athletes using prototype shoes not available to all in championships, then in another tweet has shown a pair of flats he loves that you cannot get in the UK !!
I get the fact that Nike is a horrible company - Jesus open your eyes people, not an awful lot of wealth comes without the blood of other people on it. But you cannot argue with good shoes that do the best job.
Just my opinion.
Jog on.
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