In September 2019, the sport of marathon racing changed forever. Nike athlete Eliud Kipchoge broke the previously elusive 2-hour marathon barrier, inspiring the world and proving that no human potential is limited. A revolutionary footwear innovation, a prototype of the Nike Alphafly NEXT%, helped Eliud run into the history books — and a new footwear category was born.

Five years later, Nike athletes and the Nike Alphafly are still the ones to beat.

Marking the next chapter of Nike’s relentless focus on innovating for all runners, the new Nike Alphafly 3 delivers marathon speed to push beyond what you thought possible. It’s the lightest and most tested Alphafly ever, validated by elite marathoners and powered by Nike Air Zoom to help all athletes break barriers in the marathon no matter their pace.

Nike Air, since its inception, has been a critical to Nike's culture of innovation. We continue to push the boundaries of what's possible with Air in meaningful ways that are tailored to specific sport and athlete needs.

An early version of what would become the Nike Alphafly 3 debuted in the spring of 2023 on the feet of some of the world’s best marathoners during the shoe’s official World Athletics development window. In Chicago, Kelvin Kiptum set the new marathon world record with a time of 2:00:35. Sifan Hissan won her debut in London, then ran the second-fastest women’s marathon of all time, also in Chicago. And Eliud triumphed in the Berlin Marathon for a record-setting fifth time.

The Nike footwear team set out to refine the engine of the Alphafly and meet the needs of both elite and everyday marathoners while keeping the things runners loved most about the shoe. Their focus: maximize the stability, comfort and propulsive ride you need to cover 26.2 miles in a lightweight design.

Key updates include:

Improved Transition

• The Nike Alphafly 3 features the same high-stack ZoomX foam midsole marathoners love for lightweight cushioning mile after mile.
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• For the first time, the Alphafly 3 connects the heel and forefoot with one continuous bottom, offering varying foot-strike patterns a smoother heel-to-toe transition regardless of the runner’s pace.
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• A new lightweight Fast Shot outsole ensures optimal traction and grip.
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Energy Return and Propulsion

• Dual Nike Air Zoom units in the forefoot cushion impact with the road and return energy to the runner, launching you into your next step.
• A wider full-length carbon fiber Flyplate delivers a propulsive, stable ride.
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Comfort and Containment

• Insights and feedback from the largest-ever women’s testing pool for a Nike racing shoe helped improve the comfort of the Alphafly for all marathoners.
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• An all-new last was used to improve arch comfort and reduce rubbing throughout the foot, while a new molded sock liner was created to support the new lower-profile arch.
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• A new Atomknit 3.0 upper offers improved containment, breathability and midfoot support in a lightweight, breathable design.
• Lofted Flyknit heel pods offer padding in the heel and lower Achilles.
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• A redesigned lacing system creates a softer fit on the top of the foot by integrating the eye stays in the Atomknit upper.
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The Nike Alphafly 3 debuts in the brand’s iconic “Prototype” colorway, a nod to Nike’s development process of testing with athletes. The all-white silhouette features pops of color highlighting the dual Air Zoom units in the forefoot, an athlete wear-test number (20820-4) on the lateral midsole, and “V62” on the Atomknit upper signifying the number of upper iterations.