Tag: Nike

The best running shoes of 2017 revealed!

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Those of you who have read a lot of my writing on running will know that I’m not someone who is into continually buying the latest kit. I tend to only buy the things I need – whether it’s clothes or technology – and then (literally) run it into the ground before I invest in the next big thing. While there is a lot of incredible gear out there, I do think a lot of it is more about changing fashions rather than huge leaps forward in technology.

That said, there is however one area where I do regularly invest in the latest new products – and that’s running shoes. I’ve spoken in the past about the benefits of having more than one pair of shoes for your runs and I thought that it might be an idea to share some of the latest that I think have really stood out this year. So, here are my top picks of 2017.

Altra Escalante

The Escalante is a gorgeous shoe – it’s built using TPU foam in the sole rather than the traditional EVA foam, which both lasts longer and delivers a bit more bounce for your money. It’s a comfortable fit and I highly recommend it for those long training runs. Prices start around £115.

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

An all-time classic, of course, but the Pegasus just seems to be getting better and better with age. Suitable for most runners, they’re beautifully made and have a staggering amount of technology built into them – that, more importantly, actually works. This year there’s more room for your toes, which anyone who has experienced sore toes out on a run will know is very welcome news. Prices from around £100.

Brooks Ghost 10

Secure feeling, this is a quality shoe that will look after you on your long runs. It’s a product built for high mileages, but it is also a great shoe for beginners too – a piece of footwear that will never let you down when you need it most. Prices start around £80.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Nike’s Attempt to Break the sub-2 hour Marathon

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

You may well have seen the YouTube video of ‘normal’, non-elite runners trying to run at the pace required to complete a marathon in under two hours (13.1 mph) – in the light of the recent challenge set by Nike. It’s a sobering sight. Some of them manage it – for all of a minute – before the strain becomes too much and they have to stop the treadmill. What the film shows is the incredible standards set by elite marathon runners – and underlines for the rest of us just how far off the pace we are.

Monza Lessons

So, is there anything that the average runner can learn from an attempt like Nike’s Breaking2? Well, despite the ultimate failure of the project to break the two-hour mark (Eliud Kipchoge ran the 26.2 miles around Monza racetrack in Italy in an incredible two hours 25 seconds – still a remarkable feat for any human being) – I believe that there are.

Unsurprisingly, one of the keys to improving performance appears to be diet. Andrew Jones, professor of applied physiology at the University of Exeter who was involved in the Nike project, explains.

“I’m responsible for the beetroot revolution,” he told the Guardian recently. “I do think it can be effective in a lot of people. It’s less effective the more highly trained you are, but at lower levels we find the nitrate in the beetroot juice causes people to be a bit more economical when they run. They use a bit less oxygen for the same speed and that should translate into better performances. There are plenty of studies to indicate that’s true. You should use some on race day, maybe a couple of hours before, and take it for a few days running up to the event.”

Jones also points to the way that many African runners use caffeine as a pick-me-up towards the end of races, as well as the importance of consuming plenty of carbohydrates as you run.

Rest Up

A final, and very interesting point he makes is around rest. I’ve already spoken on this blog about the importance of recovery time, and the key role it plays in not only allowing your body to repair itself, but also as away of embedding the training you’ve done on your active days.

Professor Jones’ work with the African athletes as part of Breaking2 showed that their lifestyle and approach to training is much more relaxed than that of western runners – they understand the importance of listening to their bodies and giving themselves a break when needed. It’s something we could all learn from in our own approach to training, whatever pace we run at.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Nike Athletes to Attempt a Sub 2-hour Marathon

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

(Picture Credit: Nike)

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog, where I share tips, advice and news on all things running.

Earlier this week, sports giants Nike announced the launch of an ambitious project –Breaking2. This is, in simple terms, a plan to break one of running’s most difficult tasks – the two-hour marathon.

4 Minute mile

Way back in 1954, Sir Roger Bannister ran the first four-minute mile – redefining what athletes are capable of. Nike’s plan is to do this again with their new initiative. The current marathon world record for men, from The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) was set by Dennis Kimetto of Kenya at 2:02:57 in 2014. This breaks down to 4:41 seconds per mile. In order to run 1:59:59 or faster, a pace of 4:34 per mile will be required. This is a full seven seconds per mile, or 2.5 per cent, faster than the current record.

Nike now wants to reduce this record by three per cent, to “explore whether the impossible is within reach”. After more than two years of research, preparation and testing, three top distance runners have started their build up towards a sub two-hour attempt. Hoping to be able to accomplish this in Spring 2017, they are Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea. The exact timing and location have yet to be finalised, with the details expected to be released next year.

World-class expertise

In order to maximise the chances of success, Nike have brought together a team of passionate world-class experts across science and sports. This includes professionals from the world of biomechanics, coaching, design, engineering, materials development, nutrition, sports psychology and physiology.

Brad Wilkins, director of NXT Generation Research in the Nike Sports Research Lab, says: ‘We know that we need to break the two-hour marathon. That’s a defined outcome. So now let’s take a step back. What do we need to understand scientifically? What are the problems that we need to solve?’

As well as working on improving the Athletes themselves, Nike is also using this opportunity to work on a footwear solution that is specific to breaking the sub two-hour marathon. Nike has said that it began the full-commitment to the challenge in the summer of 2014, when the Breaking2 team was formed. Extensive research and development has been carried out over the past two years in order for Nike to reach the point now where it feels it can start delivering performance benefits.

I personally can’t wait to see if this will be a success or not.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya