Nike’s Latest Ekiden Pack Celebrates Japan’s Rich Culture of Running

What to know

• In celebration of one of Japan’s most exciting sports moments, Nike Running debuts its latest Ekiden Pack, featuring a collection of footwear and apparel to propel all runners forward.
• The Nike Running Ekiden Pack is designed to honor the heritage of the Japanese long-distance relay competition while inspiring the next generation of racers. 
• The pack includes five footwear models, Alphafly 2, Vaporfly 3, Zoom Fly 5, Pegasus 40 and Rival Fly 3, and an array of tees and a packable Nike Windrunner jacket.
• The Nike Running Ekiden Pack releases for Nike Members in Japan December 1 and will be available nationwide December 8 at select retailers. The pack launches globally this winter.

Each year from late fall until winter, Japan celebrates one of its most exciting sports moments: Ekiden season. The long-distance running relays push the limits of performance and require the lightest and fastest racing footwear available. The latest Nike Running Ekiden Pack is designed to honor the heritage of the competition while inspiring the next generation of racers. 

The Ekiden Pack is part of Nike’s Global Express Lane strategy, which creates products in an expedited timeline through the design filters of local culture, insights and trends, presenting collections that connect authentically to communities worldwide.

To curate the Ekiden Pack, the Nike design teams drew on the brand’s deep roots in running and history of producing innovative products for runners of all skill levels. Whether you’re going for a jog or toeing the starting line, the Ekiden Pack features footwear and apparel for every day training and race day. 

The pack includes five footwear models, the AlphaFly 2, VaporFly 3, Zoom Fly 5, Pegasus 40 and Rival Fly 3, all in pink and volt colors, two hues that Nike and Ekiden racers have made synonymous with speed. The collection is embellished with graphics that harken back to the origins of the Ekiden race and the majestic landscapes found across the most popular courses.

The Ekiden Pack apparel includes an array of tees and a packable Nike Windrunner jacket. In addition to design elements seen on the footwear, the apparel features a stripe inspired by tasuki or the sash that is used in place of the relay baton in Ekiden races.

The Nike Running Ekiden Pack releases for Nike Members in Japan December 1 and will be available nationwide December 8 at select retailers. The pack launches globally this winter.