NIKE Men's Renew 2 Running Shoe

Product Information

Kipchoge used his Alphaflys to set the current official marathon record—2:01:09—in 2022, and he also wore them while winning his second Olympic marathon gold medal. The Alphafly is the pinnacle of the Nike running shoe lineup, and occupies a vaunted place in the running world. In 2018, elite marathoner Eliud Kipchoge wore an earlier version of this shoe when he (unofficially) became the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours. On the foot, the fit is true to size lengthwise (I’d go up ½ or full size on your regular shoes), and regular width.

I’ll use it for occasional short recovery runs in colder weather, and day to day wear outside of running.The Zoom Air units work in tandem with midsole foam to provide cushioning and energy return, and they’re used across the running shoe lineup, from the Alphafly racer to the Pegasus training shoe. Carbon Fiber Plates The feel on the foot is most similar to the Winflo range but feels more rigid, padded, and weighty.

The outsole in the first Renew Run and the second iteration are identical, with small design changes made to the swoosh.The current model, the Alphafly 2, features thinner outsole rubber and more ZoomX foam at the forefoot. In our testing, we found the shoe created smoother transitions, felt more responsive, and also moved more quietly. If you want the best of the best for your next race, this is it.

Alternatively, if you’re a heavier runner and want good upper padding and impact protection under the heel, this could be a good choice, otherwise I’d choose something else. This was most noticeable after 5km, making my calves ache much more than usual. As my legs became more tired the sole unit felt hard and I didn’t get a great energy return from the shoe. The Zoom Fly 5 adds a slightly widened midsole at the forefoot and heel for improved stability. Although it’s significantly heavier than the Vaporfly and Alphafly, it offers a similar springy feel underfoot, and it's a great training counterpart to those shoes (you can save the pricier models for race day). Aesthetically the shoe has many similarities to the first Renew Run, with the only visible changes being the shaping around the collar and tongue to add in more support. In recent years, running shoe brands have moved toward a more “hands-off” approach to support shoes. Rather than putting firm medial posts or plates in the midsole to counter overpronation, modern support shoes opt for less-intrusive ways to build in support, like adding a wider sole or raised footbed edges on the medial side of the shoe.The tongue is attached to the shoe underneath the eyelets and stays in place well on a run, whilst remaining easy to get on and off, and the laces stayed tied and tight throughout wearing. Nike Renew Run 2 Conclusion The Pegasus 40 features a redesigned midfoot band that better accommodates varying arch heights, and Nike redesigned the way the layers of the mesh upper fit together and added padding to the ankle collar for a more comfortable fit. The sole features React foam and Zoom Air units at the heel and forefoot for a well-cushioned and responsive ride. Overlays on the seams and toe box add to the durability and lifespan of the shoe. This extra padding and overlays do the shoe no favours in the weight department either.