This year’s winner of the Sanet Wentzel Spirit Award at the THIRSTI AFRICANX TRAILRUN was Jéan Payne, who is using running to cope with a heart-breaking loss. This is her story. – By Sean Falconer
Author: Roxanne Martin
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One for the Record Books! Gerda Steyn Does it Again!
The big story to come out of this year’s Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra was Gerda Steyn finally breaking Frith van der Merwe’s 33-year-old course record, but as she told us, it almost didn’t happen! – By Sean Falconer
Win with the All Out Mile!
From inspiration to perspiration the UA ALL OUT MILE provides the motivation, the coaching, and the training plan to run your fastest mile. Starting this May, unique stories from around the world will highlight thousands of runners achieving their personal best.
By joining the UA All Out Mile, you gain access to training routines and workouts from UA’s elite coaches, athletes, and Human Performance experts. Registration will automatically grant you access to a free 3-month UA MapMyRun™ MVP membership you will be able to log miles and access exclusive training plans and video tips throughout your journey to your best mile.
Our Race Calendar is Back – Bigger and Better!
Our Race Calendar is back at last after more than two years on hold due to the COVID pandemic, and we’re going bigger than ever before with it! Compiled by our Ed Sean Falconer, it is now two months instead of one, so this edition contains May and June fixtures, allowing you to plan further ahead.
Secondly, we’ve included hyperlinked icons that you can click right here in the mag to take you to the event website, or to send a mail to the event organiser, and best of all, you can go straight to the online entry portal for those events that offer this option, so you can get your entries in quickly and easily!
Our goal is to make this calendar your ‘one-stop shop’ for all your racing planning, and in coming editions we plan to add still more to this expanded Race Calendar.he has combed through all the races to make sure our version includes all the fixtures for running, obstacle racing, track & field and so much more! Find your province, find your event
Soweto Marathon is Back!
Sold out year on year, The People’s Race, Soweto Marathon will officially open entries for the 2022 edition come Friday 27 May.
Taking place on Sunday 6 November 2022, the race route will continue to honour Soweto’s rich history as it takes runners through the tour of Soweto, so says Soweto Marathon Trust Chairman, Sello Khunou;
“We’re delighted to announce that all is on track to host the Soweto Marathon post our two year hiatus. The 27th edition will bring with it a tremendous gratefulness for life as we honour those lost to Covid-19 and all the struggles associated with the pandemic. We also encourage all would be participants who have not vaccinated to do so ahead of the race in November for preservation of all our lives.”
The race will consist of three different distances – the 42.2km standard marathon, the 21.1km half marathon and a 10km run – all of which start and end at the iconic FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
Follow Soweto Marathon’s pages for more details
The Running Mann: New Kid on the Block
As regular readers of this column know, I love running marathons, and thankfully, the races are coming back at last, so in February I kicked back into marathoning gear with the new Joburg North City Marathon. – By Stuart Mann
Go All Out on Global Running Day
UA ALL OUT MILE Returns with Live and Virtual Events
From inspiration to perspiration the UA ALL OUT MILE provides the motivation, the coaching, and the training plan to run your fastest mile. Starting this May, unique stories from around the world will highlight thousands of runners achieving their personal best.
With virtual participation in 14 countries, Under Armour has almost doubled regional participation from last year’s challenge to execute a global event in both virtual and live formats. Teams and individuals alike will take on the 30-day mission to train with resources to fit into their existing routines with the ultimate goal to go ALL OUT just in time for Global Running Day.
YOUR FASTEST MILE
During the UA All Out Mile Competition Period, participants are encouraged to go ALL OUT and run their fastest mile anytime between June 1st – 5th. In celebration of Global Running Day, UA will kick off live events across the globe at cities across the US as well as in the UK, Thailand, Japan, and South Africa.
Participants results will automatically be pulled from UA MapMyRun™ and appear on the FitRankings leaderboard, where they can see how they stack up against runners from around the world. Are you ready to see your name on the leaderboard? Prizing will be awarded to the top-3 males and top-3 females in each region!
THE MILE IS TOUGH. YOU’RE TOUGHER.
By joining the UA All Out Mile, you gain access to training routines and workouts from UA’s elite coaches, athletes, and Human Performance experts. Registration will automatically grant you access to a free 3-month UA MapMyRun™ MVP membership you will be able to log miles and access exclusive training plans and video tips throughout your journey to your best mile.
On May 1st, the UA All Out Mile begins with a month-long Training Period. Whether you’re walking or running, connect your shoes or smartwatch to get personalized tips and training plans to help you go farther and faster.
Need Help Training? UA has you covered
Train Like a Champ and Run your Fastest Mile
Starting May 1, check here for training resources provided by UA athletes and UA MapMyRun™ experts to help push yourself to your personal best.
When you register for the UA ALL OUT MILE, you’ll have access to training routines and workouts from UA’s elite coaches, athletes, and Human Performance experts.
UA MapMyRun™ has the right tools to help you reach your peak fitness. Scan the QR codes (or tap on mobile) to view some of our favorite routines in the app
WHY WE RUN
At Under Armour, we recognize the power of sport. We know that youth participation in sport goes beyond the track, court, field, or arena. Being in sports at a young age leaves an impression that sets our youth up for a brighter future.
That’s why we’re committed to awarding the top teams in the “Most Milers” competition with a $10,000 monetary donation back to the non-profit organization of their choice. All designated charities must have a connection to increasing access and opportunity for all young athletes in support of UA’s Access to Sport initiative.
Sign up your local crew, club, or even create a team for your social followers to support youth sports in your community. Make a team. RUN ALL OUT. Make an impact.
How Smart is Smart?
In today’s world of hi-tech training, counting steps, Discovery Vitality goals and a general move to wellness, owning a smartwatch has become part and parcel of our active lifestyles, but how do you know what watch suits your needs best? Here we look at some key features of the smart watch market, and what they mean when it comes to running.
PUMA Partners with Elite-Tier Boxer Athletics Club
PUMA has signed a multi-year partnership with the Boxer Athletics Club which will see the global sports brand providing the top-tier running club with technical PUMA Running apparel and footwear.
Boxer Athletics Club was established in 2005 and the club’s elite squad includes multiple South African champion and Olympian Precious Mashele as well as Glenrose Xaba, who is also a multiple national champion on the road and on the track.
“PUMA has a growing family of elite distance runners, so partnering with a top-tier club to showcase our innovative product was the obvious next step” said Brett Bellinger, Marketing Director of PUMA South Africa. “By providing the best race day product and through a package of incentives we aim to support athletes to achieve their goals of breaking national records and excelling on the local and global stage.”
The technical product available to members of the elite squad will include the PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite, part of the brand’s new running shoe range as worn by Mashele and Xaba.
Club manager Rhyn Swanepoel said the partnership with PUMA will boost Boxer Athletics Club’s commitment to supporting its athletes’ dreams, from winning races at provincial and national level in South Africa, to competing at World Championships and Olympic Games.
“Boxer also remains dedicated to uplifting the development of community sporting clubs. We will continue our work to enhance the presence of sports in disadvantaged communities and to lay a foundation for future athletes to be realised,” said Swanepoel.
Bring Your Running Shoe Game Up to Speed with the Flow Velociti Wind 2 — Literally
Runners can experience light and effortless speed with the new UA Flow Velociti Wind 2
The Under Armour human performance and product development teams continue to create innovative solutions for runners to bring you the next generation of unparalleled performance running shoes. With the help of UA athletes and brand ambassadors, the UA Innovation Lab in Baltimore and UA Human Performance Center in Portland, Under Armour develops the best footwear that’s based on key insights and learnings from years of experience and research.
UA has always performed best when we’re disruptive: The UA HOVR Machina launched with the innovative Pebax® Propulsion Plate, and the first iteration of UA Flow eliminated the need for a heavy rubber outsole — and we’re not stopping there.
Technology moves fast and runners’ demands grow, and UA understands the importance of meeting the athlete where they need us. Expanding Under Armour’s Flow running shoe collection that debuted in early 2021 with the UA Flow Velociti Wind and its disruptive all-in-one cushioning system, the UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 is here to bring runners up to speed — literally. The Flow Velociti Wind 2 features the same groundbreaking singular, ultra-responsive and long-lasting midsole compound as its predecessor. The UA Flow cushioning platform eliminates the need for rubber on the outsole, drastically reducing the weight and giving runners the feeling of light and effortless speed — the feeling of the wind at your back.
What is UA Flow
UA Flow disrupts the design of a traditional running shoe with its lightweight construction and by completely eliminating the rubber outsole, removing the 56 to 85 gram weight it typically would add to a traditional running shoe. UA Flow is the lightest midsole technology in UA’s current running lineup, bringing unparalleled lightweight cushion and long-lasting technology to the run category. The foam has naturally sticky traction, so traditional bulky overlays of the past aren’t needed. UA Flow offers runners great energy return, amazing consistency and reliable durability that will keep you reaching for your new favourite pair run after run!
“UA FLOW is a game-changing cushioning technology that expands our capabilities for delivering the best experience and product solutions to the runner. The Flow Velociti Wind 2 delivers speed without sacrifice-keeping the runner protected, delivering amazing energy return, and putting the wind at their back with every stride, every run, every day.”
– Douglas Smiley, Senior Global Product Line Manager for Performance Run at Under Armour
Warp Upper + Tatami Stitch Heel
The UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 is designed for speed over longer distances and engineered to provide great responsiveness, energy return and grippy traction so you can run with confidence. The new shoes feature the groundbreaking super-engineered upper solution, UA Warp, that adapts to the runner’s foot throughout their stride. It features supporting tapes that act like seatbelts on the foot, placed precisely where our biomechanists found them to be most helpful for a runner. The tapes are in tension when you need them and relax when you don’t — eliminating any buckling and pinch points from traditional uppers built with continuous materials.
The UA Warp upper then moves in unison with the foot, supporting it in each step to help unlock performance by improving the efficiency of the foot-to-shoe interface in each stride. UA Warp locks you onto the UA Flow midsole without getting in the way of the foot’s natural movement.
New for the UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 shoes is the Tatami Stitch Heel: a premium solution that delivers a more consistent lockdown around the heel, a moulded EVA sockliner with added comfort and resiliency and cushioning for high-mileage performance.
The UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 launches in South Africa from 14 April and is priced at R3 499, it will be available online and at UA Brand Houses across SA.
PRODUCT DNA:
- Launch: April 2022
- Weight: 236 grams
- Price: R 3,499.00
- Heel: 26mm
- Forefoot: 18mm
- Offset: 8mm
- Connects to UA MAPMYRUN™: tracks and analyzes your running metrics to help make you a better runner
- Warp™ upper optimizes containment with lightweight lockdown & allows maximum breathability
- One-piece Flow midsole provides responsive & long-lasting cushioning
- Flow technology eliminates the rubber outsole, creating a more lightweight & seamless ride on any surface
- Outsole material is super-durable & increases ground traction