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In the week leading up to a marathon many runners are prone to “maranoia” – a feeling of dread and doubt that leads you to question every decision you’ve made during your marathon training (and, for many, your life).
My biggest worry were the shoes I was going to wear. I was split between a couple of pairs – one that sacrificed some support to be more lightweight versus one with maximum cushioning. In the end I opted for the cushioning owing to the fear of my legs crumbling at the 30km mark, and I was perfectly happy with my pick.
However, if I’d had the Nike LunarEpic Flyknit 2 to hand I wouldn’t have had to pick between cushioning and weight.
In many ways it’s the ideal long-distance road running shoe. There is ample support from the Lunarlon sole and yet the LunarEpic weighs in at just 249g for a UK size 9, where most other cushioned models top 300g. A saving of 50g might not seem much, but over 42km it can make a difference.
Even over shorter runs the LunarEpic feels lightweight and responsive, with a smooth transition that allows you to pick up the pace and feel the road beneath your feet. It’s not perfect for all-out sprint sessions due to the cushioning, but it’s good for any other road training, and shines during medium and race-pace runs of 10K or more.
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The Flyknit upper is also fantastically comfortable. The LunarEpic was originally released with an upper that came over the ankle (the Mid version of the shoe), but unfortunately it seems this innovation mostly resulted in blisters rather than increased comfort, so the Low is the one to go for. It provides a secure but not overly tight fit so your foot doesn’t slide out to the side when rounding corners and it has plenty of room in the toebox.
Flip the LunarEpic over and you are confronted with a bizarre-looking sole. Five raised foam pads are cut in concentric circles. Nike suggests this provides targeted support to the areas of the foot that need it most. In practice, the most noticeable thing I found is that the concentric circles are very adept at picking up small stones. This doesn't affect the comfort of the run, but you will spend a couple of minutes picking them out afterwards.
The LunarEpic is a shoe that requires no breaking in – it’s comfortable straight away – but that may well come with a trade-off. In my experience instant comfort costs durability, shortening a trainer’s lifespan from 800km to around 550km. I couldn’t test this in the time I had with the shoes before reviewing them – but it’s something to consider.
Offering incredible comfort and support in a lightweight and stylish frame, the LunarEpic Flyknit 2 is an excellent option for runners training for any race over 10K and it will suit almost all your everyday training needs. The £130 price is steep, but you will not be disappointed. £130, buy on nike.com
