IF THE SHOE FITS

Recent meta-analysis by Victoria University of 232,149 participants has shown that increased rates of participation in running lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity and that even running just once a week is beneficial. Thanks to lockdown and COVID-19 drastically reducing the places we can exercise safely, the number of runners continue to increase dramatically. Research from RunRepeat shows that during lockdown people who run once or twice a week have increased their participation by 117%, with those running up to 3 times a week increasing their participation by 55% on average.

But before you start hitting the pavement, there are two things you need to consider – your health and your feet. It’s wise to talk to your doctor before you start any new exercise program, particularly if you’re over 40, have a BMI of 35 or higher, or family history of heart disease. You also need to pay attention to what you put on your feet. As running is one of the highest impact forms of exercise, your feet play a crucial role in absorbing the force of impact when you run. Proper running footwear can also provide you support and stability to help avoid pain and injury. PUMA has a long history in performance footwear (including sponsoring Usain Bolt – the fastest person on earth – since he was 16 years old). This year the global sports brand has brought PUMA Running back better than ever before with brand new products made with cutting-edge technology. Years of research and testing have gone into three new styles, Eternity, Magnify and Deviate. All feature PUMA’s new advanced foam technology, NITRO FOAM, the result of a collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, which developed the nitrogen-infused foam that provides lightweight cushioning and great responsiveness. Magnify NITRO provides maximum cushioning for long runs. Eternity NITRO is the ideal performance running shoe for those needing added stability and support.

Deviate NITRO is a high-performance running shoe for fast runs.

For more information, visit nz.puma. com/collections/sport/nitro.html