It’s taken a while for us to get our hands on – and feet into – the Nike Vaporfly 4 but Run Tester Kieran recently laced up a pair of the update to Nike’s OG super shoe for an all-out, guns blazing tilt at the Sonia O’Sullivan Cobh 10 miler in Ireland. A hilly road race through the Irish countryside just outside of Cork. Hit play to find out how he got on, what he made of the Cobh race and get his race test verdict on the Nike Vaporfly 4.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 – Intro
1:42 – Race overview from Sonia O’Sullivan
3:29 – Vaporfly 4 thoughts 1 mile in
5:31 – The Post-Race Reaction
8:09 – Nike Vaporfly 4 race test verdict
11:31 – Now watch this
While you’re here, check out:
Jarlath Regan
https://www.instagram.com/jarlathregan_irishmanabroad/
Irishman Running Abroad Podcast with Sonia O’Sullivan
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ixwgnQc2VbiqFmyiaszFz
Hey people welcome to the run test it's Kieran here i am in Cove in Ireland for The Sonos Sullivan Cove 10 mileer i am Hiding behind a van in the shade because It's mega windy up here at the start It's going to be blowy out there on the Course and you won't be able to hear me If I was out there down where the start Is it's just behind me in about 15 Minutes we are going to go out and do a 10mi uh loop around Cove i've been out And done some miles already this morning It's going to be lumpy there are hills Here everywhere but we're by the coast It looks stunning uh there's a brilliant Atmosphere down there uh I think we're Going to have about a thousand runners Or so um all pushing for a sort of 10 Mile fast time i'm not really sure how I'm going to run how it's going to go But on my feet the interesting thing Let's get to the interesting bit i've Got the new Nike Vaporfly 4 fresh out The box this morning just on now i've Done a little mile warm up up here to The race start i'm going to go and see How these shoes cope over 10 miles some Really interesting changes in the shoes That maybe make them better suited to Shorter distances than the old Vapor Flies so the 10 mile range might be Absolutely spot on for this but there Are some steep downs there are some Steep climbs as well so it's going to be
Interesting to see how they cope with That less stack of course in this shoe In terms of that midsole switch up Changed carbon plate structure as well There and yeah super light these shoes Are so light i nearly left one of them In the box and put it in the bin before I was coming out here i couldn't find it And I'd nearly thrown it in the Recycling i thought I'd take it out but Anyway I'm waffing now we've got about 15 minutes to go i'm going to go back Down there and get a warm up and we will Go run the Cove 10 mileer [Music] Sonia what can we expect when we go out I've been out and done a mile or so Around and everywhere seems to be hills But how how bad is it going to be out There it's not that bad you know you Come from the finish line up to the Start line so you're going to hit the Bottom so so I think overall it's Downhill but there's a few rolling hills In there there's a few there's a few Challenging hills um one two yeah two Probably decent ones um but I like to Describe it's a bit like a roller Coaster you know so you just kind of What goes up must come down so enjoy it Every you know I think once you pass 5 Miles it's pretty much downhill you can Fly get to five get to Birds Hill spread Your wings
And what else is special about this race Where it is and you know what's the Magic why should people come here well It's just a little bit different you Know because you know these days Everybody wants to run a fast time so Everybody wants to run on a fast course And sometimes you just got to go out There and enjoy it and I mean you'll Love it when you get down to a ski down By the sea it's just beautiful down There there's just you might see some Swimmers in there um even though it's Still early now they they swim down There all year round and um the scenery Is great the hills are magic and um it's A lot of the roads that I ran on when I Was training as a child you know and I Have many happy memories of running out There and I hope everybody here creates You know some memories and comes back Again next year for the record I can see Why if you're training on these hills it Might be helpful but you know I've just Been out and done a couple miles and It's Yeah it's beautiful though so Looking forward to it thank you S thank You for having us thanks a lot enjoy it Thank you [Music] So then we're about a mile In and uh vapor feel good feel light Feel cushioned feel springy i've got a Bit slipping in one on the right foot at
The moment in the hill but overall Feeling nice and punchy i am moving down A massive Hill something pace i'm not going to Film this whole thing because I'm going To go my plan now is to give it a bit so Yeah there won't be too many shoe shots In this race test video but it will be a Proper guns blazing race test before so Yeah I'm going to go through this Countryside these hills and we're going To go give it some let's go have a crack [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Let's go do it [Music] Down here Look here we Are thank [Music] You [Music] Keep going keep going go go [Applause] [Music] Go come on guys So that was the Cove 10 mileer done i Did it in something like 62 there are
Still people finishing in behind me i've Just seen Charlotte and Steve come in i Got a bit of a yeah handshake for Sio Sullivan at the end which is lovely had A chat that's a that's a nice way to Finish isn't it but not a bad person to Greet you at the finish line so that's a Special moment here and see the people Just coming in behind me right by the Water for this race instead of a medal You get a mug which I'm definitely in Favor of that is a nice big mug we're Going to be drinking out of that little Reminder every time you have a cup of Tea of what you've done out here so Round 62 the race hilly hard at times The first five miles is quite a few big Climbs i mean you know in the grand Scheme of things for road runners you Would say they are decent hills they Took it out of you across kind of then You went into kind of a rolling few Miles there was some big steep downhills That kind of paid back your work on the Ups uh and then I think kind of the last Few miles you're sort of almost grinding On a slow steady incline that you don't Really notice but it is taking a moment From you or taking a bit of energy from You so you have to dig in i ran really Well i felt strong control most of the Way h there was some really steep Descents as well you have to choose Whether you let go or you sort of hold
On put the brakes on i decided to let Fly and see what the vapor flies would Do on the way down Speaking of uh and then when you come in You come along the waterfront here and You'll come into the town you finish Right in the center of town behind me The finish line is just down there There's great Crowds aid stations along the way There's a few water stations but one Thing I love about these kind of smaller Races that are local lots of tables out People outside their houses giving out Bottles of water and jelly babies and Kids supporting and watching people go By that was all really grand beautiful Countryside to run through excellent Support good people on the course it was Uh yeah and a 10 mi is actually a really Nice distance to run actually i think You know I was digging at the end but Yeah that was a happy thing and then on To the shoes the Vapor I mean I think these are a marked Improvement on the Vapor Fly 3 from my Tastes i found the Vapor Fly 3 went too Soft they were too squishy they didn't Return soon enough they lost a bit of That dynamism that you've got from the Earlier Vapor Flies i think these now Feel a bit more direct road comes back Quicker and they're a bit punchier i Like the fact there's lower stack they
Feel more immediate they were good good Energy throughout i I felt really nice And smooth the fit for me it's quite Narrow it's quite hugging there's enough Length but it really worked for me so Overall so far that was good i'll do a Bit more of a wrap back in cuz I'm going To go and meet the guys at the finish Line but but yeah but so far positive For the Vapor Flies so I'm back home From the Cove 10 mile and I've actually Been out for another 10 mile run at Close to marathon pace in the Nike Vaporfly 4 that had some slower miles Thrown in and from the race test and That second run that I've just done I Have to say I really quite like what I See from the updates to this shoe here i Wasn't a huge fan of the Vapor Fly 3 but I think this has improved things i like The lower stack and the lightness and The raciness that's back i think this Now sits somewhere between the stiffer Snappier and more direct ride that you Got from the earlier first and second Gen Vaporfly shoes and the squishier Vaporfly 3 that added a bit more cushion It was a bit more accommodating the Softness but I found it all a bit too Mushy for those really fastpaced efforts It had lost some of its allout edge for Me but I think some of that's back and I Now think there's a good balance here The shoe feels light and fast you've
Still got good connection with the road Under foot but without being too harsh It's not too much of the ground coming Up through some people will probably Want a bit more cushion when they go to The marathon distance than the shoe Offers it might be a kind of half Marathon sweet spot shoe but I Personally think I could race 26.2 in The shoe without too much trouble and I Don't mind more ground feel so there is That caveat even when I was hammering my Feet into the ground on those steep Descents in cove in the 10 mileer I Still found I had enough protection i Found everything quite smooth i think There's good energy when you're punching Mid to forefoot in this shoe there's Also some protection if you brought it Back a bit further on the heels i don't Think it's quite as potent or as bouncy As like a Hocus Yellow X12 not springy as an Adidas Addios Pro 4 but it's certainly more controlled I Think than both those shoes it's more Natural certainly than the Addios Pro 4 I feel that shoe can be a bit unstable And a bit uncertain uh likewise the Socket endorphin Elite 2 which is Absolutely wild by comparison to this Vaporfly 4 which just feels a bit more Natural but still fast i also took them For a few miles here on some light river Paths though and the stability proved
Good in that sort of testing conditions And the durability as well looks good That kind of stuff could cut up the outs Soles but these still look good even in The heels where that's sometimes a Problem certainly on the road as well I Don't think these feel as uncertain as Some rival carbon shoes when it comes to Stability and when I dropped back to Slow the marathon pace I also felt that They looked after me nicely with a bit Of protection you know if things go Wrong this has all the signs of a shoe i Think you could wobble the last miles of A marathon without too much trouble it Wouldn't leave you kind of exposed Though I do still think that most Runners will find the sweet spot is up To the half marathon and really going Full tilt some minor gripes I did have Some slipping in just one of the hills On the right hand side i had to pay Quite close attention to lacing down Wasn't anything that worried me too much But it was bit Noticeable so that's been my race test Of the Nike Vaporfly 4 at the Sonor Sullivan Cove 10 mileer i can't end this Video without saying a big thanks to a Certain Steven Dailyaly who helped make That race happen got me over to Ireland Did a lot for me thank you very much Stephen and to Jarus Fraan a brilliantly Funny comedian host of the Irishman
Running Abroad podcast with Sonia Sullivan that you should definitely Check out that I will put some links to His work in the caption below Brilliantly warm welcome from everyone There and I'm very very grateful for it I'm away now to continue testing the Vapor Fly forum we'll have the review up On the channel soon in the meantime I'm Going to put a video on the channel you Should go and check out now otherwise Until next time
