Nike Zoom Fly 6 Glam Dark Obsidian Emerald

Two ways to use it. Early morning or late evening tempo runs, with a reflective vest or an armband, because this colourway gives you none of the visibility a bright pair would. Or a long steady effort where you want a firmer, faster platform than a cushioned trainer offers, worn with a thin technical sock. Keep it out of daily walking and gym use, since thin uppers wear at the flex point and foam ages under standing loads. Size with a thumbnail of toe room for swelling. For care, never machine wash, remove the insole to dry after wet runs, and rotate with a softer trainer so the midsole recovers.

The plated shoe is the most publicly contested thing Nike has built. World Athletics responded on 31 January 2020 with rules capping sole thickness at 40mm, allowing only one rigid plate and requiring genuine open retail availability, and compliant Vaporfly models remain legal, which is a different outcome from the ban people often describe. Behind that argument is a long track lineage running from Steve Prefontaine, the first athlete Nike endorsed on the track, through Sebastian Coe, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson. The trickle down shoe is where an elite arms race becomes something an amateur can actually buy and use.

A dark upper on a road shoe is a real decision, not a cosmetic one. Obsidian navy hides road spray, dust and the grey film that Indian roads leave on light uppers, so the shoe looks presentable through a full training block. The cost is visibility, which matters if you run in traffic before sunrise. Emerald is used as a small area of high chroma to break the darkness at the Swoosh and trim. Uppers in this family are thin and breathable because weight is the enemy at speed, so they dry quickly and offer very little protection from stones. Expect a firm, forward rolling ride that feels best when you are pushing.