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Four Runners Break Sub 4 Minute Miles!

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In celebration of Global Running Day which took place on 1 June,  Under Armour hosted the UA ALL OUT MILE grand finale event which saw hundreds of athletes including elite athletes, novice runners, top club runners, celebs, sports personalities and the general public going all out to take on the ‘1 Mile Run’ around the iconic Green Point Athletics Track.

For the 2nd consecutive year Under Armour hosted its popular Global UA ALL OUT MILE campaign, where runners from across the world have been lacing up and training to record their PB over the iconic 1 mile (1,6 km) distance. The campaign kicked off in May and concluded on Global Running day with  14 events hosted in key territories across the Globe with Cape Town playing host to the South African leg.

With an impressive exhibition of running on display, an unprecedented total of 4 elite athletes managed to break the sub-4 minute barrier with Justin  Kemboi from Kenya crossing the finish line with a time of 03:59.02  to take top prize as the winner in the Men’s Elite category.

20-year-old South African favourite Prudence Sekgodiso blistered through the field to secure bragging rights as the fastest in the Women’s Elite race with a time of 04:43.17. Other notable runners on the night included: Blitzbokke Captain Shakes Siviwe Soyizwapi, South African professional boxer and IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena as well as  Stormers outside centre Ruhan Nel.

The Mile, much like the 100 meters and the marathon is still widely considered one of the most iconic distances and the pinnacle of athletic excellence. The first sub-4-minute mile was smashed in 1954 by Roger Bannister. His time of 3:59.4 has since been broken by over 1600 athletes worldwide. Two unmatched records still stand today in the ladies’ and men’s categories. The men’s world record stands at 3:43.13, set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999 while the women’s record sits at 4:12.33 held by Olympic sensation Sifan Hassan, set in July 2019.

However, the mile isn’t only for a  ‘pro’ or Olympic athlete, it’s the ideal fitness distance for runners looking to test their speed and endurance, regardless of age or ability. UA recognised the massive appeal that the distance holds and wanted to create a campaign that would challenge runners and encourage them to reach their best.

Commenting on a very successful event, Under Armour South Africa MD Darren Cooke says, “It has been amazing to see the ALL OUT MILE  campaign come to life, particularly here in SA. Those in attendance were treated to a superb display of running with many setting new PBs.  It has been an honour to host some of the top elite middle-distance runners and at the same time bringing the local running community together. Under Armour is dedicated to helping athletes, both pro and amateur, to continuously assess and improve their performance and this was definitely achieved with the ALL OUT MILE campaign.”

“One of the highlights of the evening was definitely the spectacular Elite men’s race, culminating in four world-class performances by 4 athletes running the mile in under 4 minutes. What an absolute privilege to bear witness to an incredible feat,” concludes Cooke.

Top 4 Male Elite Runners on the night:

  1. Justin  Kemboi – 03:59.02
  2. Matthew Kipsang – 03:59.02
  3. Ashley Smith – 03:59.86
  4. Christopher  Swart – 03:59.98

Even Better Than Before

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The lightweight, neutral PUMA Velocity Nitro 2 is a slight upgrade on what was already a really good shoe, offering a cushioned, responsive and comfortably smooth ride. – By Sean Falconer

In 2021, PUMA made the running world sit up when it introduced its Nitro range, featuring new nitrogen-infused NITRO foam midsoles. These immediately proved popular because of their cushy, soft feeling, but still with a snappy, responsive ride. The Deviate Nitro Elite garnered widespread attention that year when US marathoner Molly Seidel wore them as she won the bronze medal in the Olympic Marathon, and another popular model in the range was the Velocity Nitro, a budget-friendly neutral trainer designed more for recreational runners. Now with the Velocity Nitro 2, PUMA has managed to enhance the performance of the original shoe.

Targeted Cushioning

As much as NITRO foam has proven popular, some runners have found that the softness of the NITRO can start feeling a bit sluggish as your legs tire and you tend to heel-strike more and ‘sit’ lower on your heels. In other words, they wanted a bit more structure in their shoes, not just out-and-out soft cushioning, and that’s where PUMA has tweaked the design to improve the shoe’s performance.

The Velocity Nitro 1 featured a midsole made predominantly of NITRO, but with a heel plug of firmer EVA foam and a stabilizing plastic shank in the heel. In the Velocity Nitro 2, PUMA has extended the layer of EVA foam, which now runs the entire length and width of the shoe and sits underneath the NITRO layer. This provides more stability for the NITRO, allowing it to do its cushioning job without compressing too much and becoming sluggish. At the same time, PUMA has reduced the EVA foam’s thickness in the heel, and increased the NITRO foam’s thickness there, while eliminating the heel clip. The heel stack height remains the same at 33.5mm, with a 10mm drop to the forefoot.

These changes are responsible for a softer feel in the heel and a smoother, snappier toe-off, but that plusher heel is obviously of more importance to heel-strikers, especially with that 10mm heel-drop. That said, because I am a midfoot striker and like running lighter and faster, more up on my toes, I still found the midfoot and forefoot provided great cushioning and a most enjoyable ride, with a noticeable feeling of forward propulsion as you transition to the forefoot. I therefore found these shoes ideal for faster tempo runs and speedwork, but I could definitely still do long runs in them.

I also found that the PUMAGRIP rubber outsole coped well with several different surfaces I ran on, including tar, gravel and grass, as well as wetter surfaces, and the treadmill. The Velocity Nitro 2 features more outsole rubber than the original, but more importantly, the new triangular lugs on the outsole provide exceptional grip. I felt really sure of my footing these shoes. Oh, and at just under 250 grams per shoe, these shoes are light, but they also ‘feel’ really light, too.

Comfort Ensured

I don’t mind admitting that I have really soft feet, and thus I like a bit of cushioning around the heel area. Otherwise, shoes can rub my Achilles up the wrong way… That’s pretty much the only reason I was not the world’s biggest fan of the Deviate Nitro plated shoe last year, and also why the original Velocity Nitro was criticised. Happily for my heels, this new Velocity Nitro 2 ticks all the boxes in this area, with a well-cushioned and comfy heel collar, and I had no problems with slippage, because it’s not too bulky to prevent the heel being locked down securely. 

The shoe’s new seamless mesh upper proved comfy, too – not quite the stretchy sock-like fit of other shoes I have run in, but still very comfy. I particularly liked the toe box area, which is unstructured and allows my toes room to wiggle. The tongue is now also slightly thicker and more cushioned, for extra comfort.

What My Feet Said

The key to this shoe is its NITRO midsole, providing exceptional shock absorption with energetic rebound, but that grippy outsole and comfy upper are also big plus-points. Meanwhile, the women’s version has been created with specifically for the female foot, with a narrower heel, lower in-step and sculpted arch.

In terms of fit, I have wider feet and found the half-size did the job in giving my feet enough room, while my usual 8.5 UK sizing seemed just right – the thumb-width of space in front of my toes is definitely a thumb-width. However, some reviews I read said that testers found the shoes a bit on the longer side, and thus recommended trying a half-size down. This is one of those situations where you will only know if you go into a PUMA stockist and try the shoes on for yourself. As they say, if the shoe fits…

GET THEM HERE

The PUMA Velocity Nitro 2 retails for a suggested selling price of R2799 at PUMA stores, Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse, Superbalist and selected retailers, or you can order the shoes online at puma.com.



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Win with the All Out Mile!

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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!

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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!

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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

www.sowetomarathon.com

Soweto Marathon Facebook

Soweto Marathon Insta

Soweto Marathon Twitter