And so the 4% running economy measurement was in reference to the Zoom Streak 7. When Nike initially introduced 4%, it was all compared to what was the gold standard at the time, which was the Zoom Streak 7. Is the science behind Nike’s pinnacle running sneakers like the AlphaFly Next% 2 helping runners see a 4 percent improvement in their energy expenditure still valid? So those two cushioning technologies come in together with the full-length carbon plate are essentially what makes up the magic and the engine of the shoe to improve running economy. And even better than any of our foams and other foams that exist in the market is the Zoom Air technology, which is even better at storing and returning that energy. Not only is foam lightweight, but it’s also very good at returning that energy efficiently. In terms of doing that, that comes down to a couple factors for us and a big part of that is the ZoomX foam underneath the foot. We’re never going to be able to return more than 100 percent of energy but we’re trying to get more and more efficient and closer to that 100 percent line. That comes down to the thicker stack of the shoes and being more efficient with energy storage and return. The big thing is at the root of the AlphaFly, we’ve been on this journey for a couple of years now since the introduction of the VaporFly and this running economy concept is to try to give more of the energy that the athletes are creating back to them. So all of our measurements are based on testing athletes in different shoes at the same pace to see if it varies how much oxygen they’re consuming. Running economy is essentially how much oxygen you’re using to do a certain amount of work. The science behind the Nike AlphaFly Next% 2 is that the shoe helps with improving running economy for the wearer. The interview was conducted in early September, a month prior to me participating in the Chicago Marathon, and it has been edited and condensed for clarity. Prior to running in this year’s Chicago Marathon, I spoke to Heath to break down the shoe’s design, Kipchoge’s role in the shoe’s development, and how the AlphaFly Next% 2 can help everyday runners achieve their marathon personal best times. I’ve run a marathon before, but this time I’m taking on the 26.2 mile journey in one of the tools preferred by the sport’s top athletes: the Nike Air Zoom AlphaFly Next% 2. Despite me constantly telling myself that this was another routine run, I knew there was an immense task ahead of me: the Chicago Marathon.Ībout four months before, Nike-one of the sponsors of the Chicago Marathon-invited me to take part in this year’s race. I entered my final checkpoint into the park and that’s when reality began to set in. As I finally made it past the security checkpoint, the sun began to rise on this brisk morning. I scurried to the park and as I got closer, thousands of runners were lined up in front of the guarded entryways. In the hotel lobby, it was filled with dozens of other runners, but I pushed past them and headed outside for what I told myself was just another long run. I quickly laced up my running sneakers inside my hotel room as I made my way to Grant Park located on the east side of the city’s business district. on an unusually chaotic Sunday morning in downtown Chicago.
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