My nickname for the Zoom Next%
Can’t be arsed with the full name
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Oh right. Those pics above looks like 2 slightly different versions of the Alpha.
where does the heel come in then?
talk me through ankle extension too, please
Cheshire Half Marathon yesterday and amongst the many Vaporflys at the front of the field with a smattering of Alphaflys. Spoke to a few guys to see how they thought they compared to the Vaporflys and seemed a bit unsure if they held much advantage over the Vaporfly’s but admittedly experience of them is still pretty new.
Interestingly the winner (1:05 something) wasnt nike at all but appeared to be the New Balance carbon offering. Cant remember the name but uses a carbon plate with the NB’s FuellCell foam. I’ve got some New Balance FuelCell Propels and really rate them. Regularly swap between these and Arahi’s for my daily trainer and think they have some nice rebound and would describe them as a bit of an everything trainer. Good for cushioning and running a bit quicker at Tempo. Be interested to try the NB offering as could be a good Nike alternative.
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My Nike Trampolines have arrived
Upper much more comfortable than Next%, feels similar to 4%, which is nice.
Love large toe box.
In terms of stability feels very similar to 4%, which works for me, but others may find lacks stability.
Bounce is like Next% on steroids
First run at lunchtime
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what is that flooring? Looks quite funky!
Are you standing on the edges of your feet there on purpose, or is that a trick of the photo?
Capesthorne Hall one?
How did you get on?
I’m friends with Andy Davies he has some NB sponsorship & his Strava feed has him down as wearing New Balance Fuelcell TC, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a bit lazy about updating his Strava shoes.
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Floor in basement, where my office is located. Wooden cubes around 7cm x 7cm x 7cm set into mastic (or similar). The previous residents had it setup as a pub and put down this floor (guy worked in a brewery). Works surprisingly well.
Not standing on sides of shoes, think that it is just camera angle
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yeah thats the one. Lovely place to start and finish and a nice course with gentle undulations make for a good course. Also very well organised start by Run Through. A really good day for it and enjoyed a 7 mile walk around Clough Head and Three Shires with the wife after as well as a lovely picnic:)
Got a PB of 3 minutes (1:12:46), ran with a good group for first 5 miles. Aerobically felt easy but legs felt a bit dead but they freshened up half way through and managed to push on from half way and got a nice even pace throughout. One of those races where think trood the line between just enough an turning self inside out quite well. Maybe could have got down to low-1:12 but would have been feeling horrid for it.
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Nice work! 
Yeah, all the wind of Saturday had died down and it was super still yesterday.
I cycle those roads loads, so know the course, which looks a bit convoluted on Strava, but if it’s nice and fast that doesn’t matter - I always prefer some undulations to totally flat, as you get that slight recovery on the small downhills and the slight uphills don’t really feel like they slow you down too much.
There were some super rapid times yesterday, like first 59 results all under 1:20 !!!
That sounds like a really bad choice of flooring for a bar…all that fluid absorption, especially between the gaps!
It was pretty easy to follow. Basically one big loop then a short dog leg to head back up the loop that came down originally.
Yes it was an interesting mix. From the 750 ish runners only around 200 women which is a bit low in my experience. Not sold out either so think it was a lot of people who’ve not raced for a while got in good shape over lockdown looking for a proper race distance as opposed to the more common socially distanced trail races that have gone ahead. It’s been difficult finding a decent standard distance race and unfortunately I feel it could be my first and last race for a while. parkrun sounds like it’s going to be put back and suspect they will struggle to get traction to start if lockdowns come back
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If there was ever a shoe designed specifically for me, then this is it. It takes the best elements from the Vapor Fly 4% and the Vapor Fly Next %, and then improves on everything just a bit
17.5km run completed at an average pace of 4:30/km with 88% in Z2, I did 3 short high intensity intervals. This was the first time I have run 4:30 in Z2. In my 4% an equivalent run would have been 4:40-4:45/km
The Upper is fantastically comfortable, no blisters or rubbing. I love the “4% like” footprint. In terms of overall comfort, I prefer them to the 4% due to the nice big toe box, great for my duck feet. Knit is a massive improvement on the Next% upper
At low intensity, the sole feels sqishy, however, when you put some energy through it it really firms up, then when you go for a fast interval it changes again, and you can really feel it driving you forward.
Downhill these shoes really shine: you feel that you can really push, without massive jarring
Only negative is that they feel a little heavier than the Vaporflys, need to get the scales out to see if it is true. I was feeling a little “pendulum” on my feet. Anyone else experience this?
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Did you attempt any dynamic stretching (?) in them?
Like lunges, calf raises, side running, leg swings and all of that nonsense?
I did yesterday and experienced a weird anti-balance thing, which I am guessing is what you’re calling the “pendulum” effect.
Also, I have a blister on my toe, too, from where I predicted I’d get one.
Need to test these out on a longer run, as I think over 21.1km, they might rub a bit too much 
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Yes, I experienced exactly this, I thought that it was because the sole is really squishy when static, or putting low energy, it feels like walking on a bouncy castle (obviously less dramatic). and really unstable, but as soon as I was running it all firms up. I wonder if you get tired and pace drops, do they go squishy again… if so won’t be pleasant.
In terms of pendulum, I started noticing this towards the end of the run. I was not tired, my form was good and I was running a nice negative split, but on a long straight section I convinced myself that there was this strange pendulum I have not really experienced before. I didn’t consider it in relation to dynamic stretching balance thing, but now you mention it, I wonder if it is related
I took 44 which is the same as my 4%, I have the Next% in 43. I’ve got a weired soreness on my big toe joint and any shoe which has a tight toe box is currently painful, so I sized up to be safe, which I think was a good call as shoes don’t feel lose at all
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Oh, I meant more along the lines of - just try doing some stretching and dynamics (or whatever they call it these days!) in them…it feels odd and un-natural.
They feel like they’re solely made to run in.
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Lunges, hopping and skipping, tiny steps high knees, high kicks type of thing? Make you look like Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks sketch
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they’re the ones!
Do people still do them?
I do, because it’s all I know - but I’m still wearing compression tights and taking ice baths, whilst wearing a nasal strip, so 
Yes, still do them, but not worn compression tights for ages (too itchy), and never a big fan of ice baths
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