Puma Deviate Nitro 3 Review, Heismans for Stride Power, Data Highlights from Valencia and more...
#WhatsUpThisWeek?
Improve your hip flexion and stride power with the Heisman exercise in #WoW
Much awaited review of Puma Deviate Nitro 3 in @geeksonfeet
Surge in run clubs and group activities are focus of Strava annual report, and 2024 Valencia Marathon data highlights in this week’s #RunShorts
Optimize Your Training by Measuring by time, and not distance, is #TipOfTheWeek
Happy Reading!
#GeeksPoll
How faithfully are you sticking to your training plan this running season? #geekspoll
Last week’s poll on runners’ views on the Procam Slam are here.
#WoW - Heisman
Heisman is a dynamic workout to improve hip flexion and the ability to drive the knee up powerfully. Heisman also improves glute mobility and hip rotation. Better hip flexion helps the ability to raise the knee during the drive/propulsion phase of running. Better knee drive means a more powerful stride. Improving glute mobility and hip rotation further betters your running stride.
How to do it?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and arms at your sides with elbows bent to less than 90 degrees.
Start by kicking off your left knee up while trying to reach the elbow on the right side.
Once you hit the elbow, bring the left knee down. While bringing the left knee down, immediately kick off the right leg to drive the knee up to reach the elbow on the left.
Keep repeating.
Keep your torso straight through the movement, and ensure you are raising the knee up driving as opposed to bending down at the hip.
Learning the Heisman movement can take a bit of time, as it involves building neuromuscular coordination.
@Geeksonfeet- Puma Deviate Nitro 3 Review
The Puma Deviate Nitro 3 continues Puma’s push in the modern daily trainers category with notable updates. Nitro 3 features a 10mm heel drop and a dual-layer Nitro Foam midsole enhanced with a carbon plate, offering improved stability and energy return. The engineered mesh upper provides good breathability and durability, while the Puma Grip ATR rubber outsole ensures good road traction, even on slippery surfaces.
We’ve tested by running over 400 kilometers, and our impression is that comfort remains a strong point for the shoe. It is suitable for long distances, though the fit is slightly snugger compared to previous models. The shoe’s durability holds up well, promising up to 800 kilometers of use. However, the higher price point and minimal discounts may be considerations for some runners.
For a detailed analysis, read the full review here.
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#RunSHORTS
RunClub, RunDates, Burnouts - all in Strava’s Year in Sport trend report
Strava combined the billions of unique activity data of its global community of more than 135 million people across over 190 countries, alongside insights generated from a randomized global survey of more than 5,000 active people both on and off the Strava platform. The findings showed a huge rise in run clubs and group activities with ‘making social connections’ revealed as the lead motivator for people to exercise. Strava said that the group activities boomed with a 59% increase in running club participation globally in 2024. 58% of survey respondents said they made new friends via fitness groups, while nearly 1 in 5 Gen Z reportedly went on a date with someone they met through exercise - and were 4x more likely to want to meet people through working out than at the bar. The 2024 report also highlighted that people preferred balancing things out rather than burnout with many prioritising shorter workouts and giving importance to rest days. Strava revealed that this focus on balance didn’t hold back progress with 72% of 2024 run goals and 77% of ride goals being achieved. Strava also saw a 9% increase in the number of marathons, ultramarathons and century rides being logged this year. The report revealed that the Nike Pegasus and the Apple Watch wear the popular gears amongst the 5K runners, while the Garmin Forerunner was more popular for longer distances. Read the detailed report here
2024 Valencia Marathon Data Roundup
Redditor Brian Rock has put together an analysis of the 2024 Valencia Marathon. Here are some highlights.
The 2024 Valencia Marathon reaffirmed its reputation as one of the fastest marathons globally, with over 5,000 runners finishing under 3:00 hours. This marks a significant increase since the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting a 140% rise in sub-3:00 finishes compared to 2019. Valencia surpassed major races like Berlin, Boston, London, Chicago, and Tokyo in the number of sub 3 finishers, particularly among men under 45. Factors contributing to these impressive times include a flat course, favorable weather, and a first-come-first-served registration system that attracts serious, speed-focused runners. The gender distribution however remains skewed, with only 20% women participants. Read more here.
Race Calendar
We have revamped our race calendar with everything you need to know about the race, route, experience, and much more. We have added information about major races and we need the help of the community to make it further robust. Thus we invite runners to share their experiences related to race routes and other information that will benefit runners.
Next 6 Months:
Search and find races using our Race Finder at geeksonfeet.com/races.
#TipOfTheWeek - Optimize Your Training: Measure by Time, Not Distance
Most runners measure distance by week, but not time spent. Measuring your training volume by time instead of distance can help you manage training volume better.
The reason for this is, the true stress running places on your body is more about how long you run rather than the distance you cover. Focusing on time also helps you better manage endurance and recovery.
How to use time to make the switch:
Establish a Weekly Structure- Rather than targeting a specific mileage each week, create a consistent running schedule with fixed hours that fits your lifestyle. That way you can balance training and other life priorities better. For example, aim to run 5-6 times a week for a fixed duration each time.
Use time-based guidelines to gradually increase your running duration. Be ready to tweak your schedule as needed, ensuring you can adapt to how your body feels and recover properly.
#TriviaOfTheWeek - A record year!
2024 began on a heartbreaking note with the tragic loss of Kelvin Kiptum in a road accident. While his incredible marathon record remained unbroken, the year saw history being rewritten in both long and short distances. Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich stunned the world with a record-breaking 2:09:56 at the Chicago Marathon in October. At the Paris Olympics, Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, a late replacement, overcame thr challenging course to win gold with an Olympic record of 2:06:26. Shorter distances also saw remarkable performances. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha shattered the men’s half marathon record in Valencia, clocking an astonishing 57:30. On the same streets earlier this year, Agnes Jebet Ngetich made history as the first woman to run a 10K under 29 minutes, setting a blazing new world record of 28:46.
What were your favorite road running moments of 2024? Share your picks with us on Twitter/X at @GeeksOnFeet.
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Contributors to this edition: Aditi Pandya, Karthik Nadar, and Aravind Yarra