Did Nike Just End the Super Shoe Debate?

Busted. Smashed. Obliterated. All these terms are apt for describing what Ruth Chepngetich did to the women’s world marathon record yesterday. 

With her time of 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, the 30-year-old Kenyan bested Ethiopian runner Tigist Assefa’s 2023 Berlin Marathon mark by nearly two minutes. Chepngetich also outran the runner-up, countrywoman Sutume Asefa Kebede, by nearly eight minutes and finished 10th overall in the race.

And she did it all in a pair of Nike’s newest super shoes, the Alphafly 3s. The same model was worn by another quicksilver Kenyan at Chicago a year ago: the late Kelvin Kiptum, who ran a 2:00:35 to break the men’s marathon record by 34 seconds.  

Takeaways: Kenyans are marathon gods, Chicago’s roads are record-friendly and maybe, just maybe, the Alphafly 3s are the greatest racing shoes ever made.

Getty Images/Michael Reeves

Discontinued disclaimer

Before we celebrate these super shoes (or denigrate them as too performance-enhancing), we should clear the air first. 

After all, it was only a couple weeks ago that we were asking somewhat similar questions about another Nike super shoe, one that’s been discontinued for more than a year.

Because when Milkesa Mengesha won the Berlin Marathon on September 29th, he was rocking a pair of Vaporfly Next% 2s.

Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol

Not only that, but the current world-record holder in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, Joshua Cheptegei, also raced in the Vaporfly Next% 2s last month. 

However, there could be a very good reason for that — one that favors familiarity over superiority.

As GP’s own Jack Seemer, who just ran Chicago himself, theorizes: “For elites like Mengesha and Cheptegei, who arrive at longer distances by way of the track, it’s simply possible that the streamlined Vaporfly Next% 2 runs closer to the flats or spikes they’re used to.”

New sensation

Now that we have covered that caveated ground, let’s take a look at the Alphafly 3s worn by both Chepngetich and Kiptum and see what makes them special.

(Chepngetich, it should be said, joined men’s champ and fellow Kenyan John Korir in dedicating this year’s wins to Kiptum, who tragically died in a car accident in February.)

Nike

The Alphafly 3s launched in January of this year and cost $285. Pricey? Perhaps. But they’re still much less than the $500 Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s the aforementioned Assefa wore when she ran 2:11:53 at Berlin last year.

Now, what do you get for all that scratch? According to Nike, three big innovations help maximize your energy return. First, two Air Zoom units in the forefoot launch you into your next step. Second, a full-length layer of ZoomX midsole foam supplies blissfully bouncy cushioning. Third, a full-length carbon-fiber plate provides plenty of propulsive power.

Even with all those ingredients, Nike managed to make these shoes the lightest Alphafly 3s yet. A women’s size 8 comes in at 6.1 ounces, while a men’s size 10 weighs 7.6 ounces. The secret there appears to be the brand’s supportive yet feathery Atomknit upper.

Nike

Of course, the proof really is in the pacing — and two scintillating world records, both of which pretty much ethered the previous marks, are pretty hard to argue with. 

But before you go thinking all you need is shoes to win a marathon, let’s recognize there are actual humans — racing other humans with access to the same footwear tech — doing the running here. 

Considering the margins of victory — Kiptum won last year by nearly three-and-a-half-minutes — these two humans can safely be considered running legends, no matter their choice of footwear.

Availability and pricing

The Nike Alphafly 3s are available now, in four colorways and a range of sizes for both women and men, for $285.

Nike

Nike Alphafly 3 Women’s Road Racing Shoes

• $285 at Nike

Nike

Nike Men’s Alphafly 3 Men’s Road Racing Shoes

• $285 at Nike

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