21 Races, 15 Podiums, One Shoe: Testing the Nike Hybrid RN

You've been told to pick a lane. Runner or lifter. Speed or strength. A soft shoe for the miles or a flat one for the barbell.

 The Nike Hybrid RN, out now, says you don't have to choose. So we put it to the test with someone who's done both at the highest level: former England hurdler and Hyrox podium regular, Alex.

Most hybrid training falls apart in the transition. You come off a heavy station with burning legs and need to be running again in seconds, and that's the exact moment the Hybrid RN is built around.

For the running side, there's a forefoot Air Zoom unit sitting on top of ReactX foam, which gives you a responsive, springy toe-off that keeps your pace honest even when your legs are cooked. The other half of the story is the base. The outsole is wide, so you've got a solid platform to push through the floor, and the sticky rubber grips when you're under load. The high-abrasion rubber is there for the rough stuff too, standing up to sled tracks, turf and repeat sessions. Put it all together and you get a shoe that feels fast when you run and planted when you lift. 

Alex Hill, Athlete

Alex has been putting the Hybrid RN through her build-up for solos and doubles HYROX races, with Birmingham being the major focus later this month.

"I'm an ex-400m hurdler and have been running since I was 10 years old. I competed for England and spent years training at a high level, learning what it takes to perform consistently at the top when the pressure is on. I've since moved on to a new challenge, competing in 21 HYROX events, podiuming in 15 and setting one world record along the way.

So it's safe to say I've tried and tested a few different trainers on the track and the competition floor, and I was honestly surprised by how good the Hybrid RN are for all my hybrid training sessions. They feel so light to run in, which isn't what I expected from a shoe that's this stable.

For my HYROX training, I need something that can handle everything: fast running, heavy stations and constant transitions. The Hybrid RN gives me a really good balance of grip, stability and bounce. The grip gives me confidence during sled pushes, pulls and lunges, while the stable platform means I feel secure when I'm generating force through the floor.

What I really love is that it still feels great rep after rep. After a hard station, when your legs are already fatigued, that responsive feeling helps me get back into my running rhythm.

It's also made life a lot easier. Some days I'm training twice a day, and I used to need multiple pairs of trainers in my bag to cover it all. Now I only need one. They're my go-to pair whenever I'm attacking a hybrid gym session, and they've helped me feel super confident in the build-up to my solos and doubles races. I'm excited to put all the training and prep to the test at Birmingham later this month!"

The best way to test a hybrid shoe is a hybrid session. Lace up the Hybrid RN and take on this workout, built around the run-to-station switch.

3 rounds for time

1. 1km run
2. 50 wall balls
3. 25 burpees
4. 20m sled push
5. 20 walking lunges with sandbag
6. 1km run