Nike has launched its 2025 Ekiden Collection to honor the dedication and passion of Japan’s long-distance relay runners. This new collection pays tribute to athletes whose courage, teamwork and speed inspire others to pursue their dreams.
Working with Japanese Ekiden runners since the 1990s, Nike has developed innovations to enhance performance in demanding relay events. The latest collection introduces four road racing shoes – the Alphafly 3, Rival Fly 4, Vaporfly 3 and Zoom Fly 6 – designed to make runners better, faster and stronger.
Each shoe features a flame graphic pattern that symbolizes the fire within every racer and reflects the torches used during the night stages of early Ekiden races. This design is inspired by the 2002 world record-breaking Air Streak Spectrum Plus, a revered model in the Streak series that was created with input from Japanese athletes. Japanese Kanji characters adorn the upper, encouraging runners to reach their highest potential.
The collection also includes lifestyle apparel with a matching flame motif, such as a Nike Windrunner jacket and a classic long-sleeve T-shirt. These pieces are designed to inspire athletes off the track.
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The campaign, titled “Let Your Fire Run,” features athletes from Chuo, Komazawa, Tokai, and Toyo universities. These runners will compete in Japan’s premier Ekiden race in early January 2025. The campaign highlights the challenges of the Ekiden training cycle, emphasizing that true victory comes from pushing through difficult moments.
“The Ekiden Pack supports runners from daily training to race day by letting you select the right shoes to match your needs, whether it’s the Rival Fly for easy runs, the Zoom Fly for faster distance runs, or the Vaporfly or Alphafly for speed training and the race,” said Kosuke Ishida, an Ekiden runner from Toyo University. “Ekiden is a race where the items you wear also attract attention, so running in distinctive shoes motivates you to push your limits. This year’s flame design really gets me fired up for the race.“
The 2025 Nike Ekiden Collection will be available in Japan beginning November 22. A global release at select retailers is scheduled for December 4, bringing this celebration of Japanese running culture to athletes around the world.
