If you’re reading this, it’s possible these words are your introduction to the Nike Alphafly 3. It’s also quite possible you caught wind of this shoe following Kelvin Kiptum’s world record-breaking performance at the Chicago Marathon in October. The shoe, however, has been in the making long before you clicked on this story.

While a bit hyperbolic, the Alphafly 3 was born before Nike was Nike. Bill Bowerman, legendary track coach and co-founder of Blue Ribbon Sports (the company that would ultimately transform into Nike), famously said, “A shoe must be three things. It must be light, comfortable, and it’s got to go the distance.” Although Bowerman shared these words long before a single Nike Alphafly existed, they apply perfectly to the Oregon-based brand’s latest marathon race shoe – so much so that the words are printed inside the shoebox of the Alphafly 3’s “Prototype” colorway.

Nike’s next “super shoe” is set to debut via nike.com, the Nike app, and select running speciality stores on January 4th, 2024. The Alphafly 3 is priced at $285 USD ($275 equivalent in all other Geos).

Continue ahead to read up on the shoe before its launch – including a brief history of Nike Running’s Alphafly series; innovative differences between previous versions and the Alphafly 3; technical specifications; an interview with Bret Schoolmeester, Senior Product Director for Nike Running Footwear; and an honest review of the model by Sneaker News’ resident runner (me).

History

At its core, Nike is a running company. Prior to 1972, the brand simply operated as an importer of running shoes from Japan. As the ’70s got going, however, Blue Ribbon Sports began producing its own footwear to cater to an American audience, outfitting Steve Prefontaine – the American medium-distance runner of the time – in swoosh-branded track spikes.

Bowermanism. Nike

Fast-forward to November 2016, Nike began to chase a crazy idea with Kenyan athlete, Eliud Kipchoge. The “crazy idea?”: Break the 2-hour marathon barrier. To this end, the Oregon-based institution began developing special footwear that focused on Bowerman’s three principles for a Nike shoe: weight reduction, comfort, and durability. The 4% series was born as a result of Nike’s “crazy idea,” which later morphed into the NEXT% line. During a carefully-planned-and-executed event in Vienna on October 12th, 2019, Kipchoge finally broke the previously elusive 2-hour marathon mark; he ran 26.2 miles (42.1 kilometers) in 1:59:40.

The decorated marathoner was wearing a prototype of the Nike Alphafly NEXT%, a shoe that would change the sport of running forever.

Eliud Kipchoge and pacers during INEOS 1:59 Challenge. INEOS

Shortly after Eliud Kipchoge’s feat, controversy arose around the shoe. Its high-stack height, unconventional shape, visible Zoom Air units, and carbon fiber plate raised questions about the role technology plays in athlete performances. World Athletics drafted new rules in the wake of the sub 2-hour marathon, determining guidelines for Nike’s – and soon, competitors’ – “super shoes,” a nascent footwear category that the first Alphafly and Vaporfly NEXT% helped birth.

One of the rules dictated by World Athletics states that shoe companies must make their racing footwear available for purchase on the open retail market at least one month prior to competition (unless the shoe has been approved as still in development). This regulation has allowed for everyday runners to enjoy the magic of Nike Running’s top-of-the-line innovation (more on that ahead).

What’s Different?

How do you improve upon what’s already proven to be the best? Nike’s team of designers, researchers, and runners were challenged with improving upon the Alphafly’s already-great proposition. As it has been time and time again, the Swoosh stepped up to the challenge, dissecting each component of its first two iterations with invaluable insight to their most important audience: athletes.

Nike Alphafly heritage. Nike

Another Bowermanism (there are many) is, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” Therefore, all of Nike’s performance products are developed in close collaboration with athletes of all levels. For the Alphafly 3, the brand worked with more than 300 elite and everyday runners across Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Western Europe, Japan, and the US to inform, test, and give feedback on the race shoe’s development. The result was over 20,000 miles (more than 32,000 kilometers) covered both in the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) and on the roads – the most for any Nike Racing shoe. Ever. According to Schoolmeester, putting the shoe to the test was “highly-itentional”:the brand was conscious about its next Alphafly being able to meet runners at several starting lines throughout its lifecycle.

Women athletes were crucial to the development of the Nike Alphafly 3. In comparison to their male counterparts, women runners have been much more vocal about feedback. Within the context of Nike Running’s next marathon shoe, this insight helped bring softer yarns to the Atomknit 3.0 upper, improved arch support, and better toe protection. Ultimately, women’s feedback would benefit all.