The Science Behind the Glycerin Flex: Brooks’ Director of Product Reveals How Great Shoes Are Really Made
THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST
Dominic Schlueter
4.9 • 822 Ratings
🗓️ 17 December 2025
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The holidays are in full swing, and we're pulling back the curtain on one of the most anticipated running-shoe launches of the year.
The brand-new Brooks Glycerin Flex is here, and we have Nikhil Jain, Director of Product Line Management at Brooks Running–and the mind helping steer innovation behind the brand–joining us to break it all down.
The Glycerin Flex is an all-new, highly cushioned running shoe debuting in early 2026 that offers a smoother, more flexible ride compared to the standard Glycerin.
Nikhil Jain himself brings unmatched insight into the art and science of building world-class running shoes. From line planning to forecasting; from creative problem-solving to leading teams that shape what millions of runners feel underfoot; he offers a rare look into Brooks’ product engine.
Whether you’re a shoe nerd, a data-driven athlete, or just curious about what makes the Glycerin Flex so different, this is required listening. If you’re interested in delving into the experience of the future of cushioning in running straight from the source, this is the place to be.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Ushering this new era that we're calling essentialism, which is all about human and tech, |
| 0:06.0 | and everything that is essential, and not just like adding and adding and adding stack for the sake of it, |
| 0:13.0 | which, you know, there is a tipping point. There's a point where, you know, it starts being more detrimental than actually helping the runner. |
| 0:21.6 | And some of this insight really came from consumers that they felt like by adding all of this material under their foot, |
| 0:27.6 | yes, they were getting the protection. |
| 0:29.6 | At the same time, it was really inhibiting that connected feel or that proprioception or the feedback from the ground that so many runners still like really need and want. And that was the spark or Jane, today on the Running Effect podcast. |
| 1:02.0 | If you're unfamiliar with Nick Hill, he is the director of product line management at Brooks Running and one of the big minds behind the all new glycerin flex that I recently got to try out at the running event in San Antonio with Brooks. |
| 1:13.6 | It was such a fun experience. |
| 1:15.0 | The shoe is remarkable. |
| 1:16.2 | And it's not every day that you get to sit down with one of the people behind one of the major shoe launches and releases. |
| 1:22.3 | So for me and the little cross country boy who loved shoes and learning about them. Today is Christmas |
| 1:29.2 | Day. I loved sitting down with him and learning about what goes into making a shoe, the launch |
| 1:34.4 | of the shoe, and the technology of this shoe. I'm going to keep this intro short so you guys can |
| 1:38.0 | hear the story behind the shoe and hear the story behind Nick Hill's journey to get to Brooks. |
| 1:42.5 | If you're interested in join the running shoe industry one day, this conversation is for you. But a quick note for you, it's almost a Christmas season. So I want to benefit one of you and also allow you guys to try out this remarkable shoe. So I'm going to pick one lucky winner. If you are on YouTube or Spotify, comment below a running goal you have for 2026, and I will randomly pick one of you |
| 2:01.9 | and buy you an all new pair of the Brooks Glistram Flex when it comes out on January 31st, |
| 2:07.3 | 2026. And without further ado, enjoy my conversation with the one and only, Nikil Jane. |
| 2:23.4 | Ladies and gentlemen, sitting across from me is a man who is behind some of your favorite running shoes. |
| 2:27.2 | I'm honored, and it's a privilege to sit down with the man the myth of the legend. |
| 2:28.6 | Nikhil Jane, how you doing, man? |
| 2:29.4 | How's it going, Dom? |
| 2:30.5 | Thanks for having me. |
... |
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