The PUMA Mobium Elite Running Shoe

A couple of weeks ago, this blogger was one of the few who witnessed the official launch/introduction of PUMA‘s newest running shoe – the MOBIUM ELITE which brings in new technology in performance running known as adaptive running. It has been the norm that the wearer and his/her feet are the ones who adapts to a shoe but with the Mobium Elite’s adaptive running technology, it will be the shoe which adapts to every foot movement. 

I was able to try on a pair but since the pair meant for me is bigger than my actual foot size, I am unable to take it home for some test run and hence will be unable to give a more definitive consumer feedback. Here however, are my initial impressions on the shoe:

• it is lightweight
• its open air mesh upper provides for breathability
• provides comfort and feel – when I tried on a pair, I liked the comfort that I felt – it’s as if I was stepping on a soft sponge.
• the shoe design is great and comes in vibrant colors

FEATURES:

• Open air mesh upper 
• Lace closure and synthetic overlays for a snug fit
• Windlass Chassis
• Expansion Pods located on the forefoot outsole
• Mobium Band runs through the outsole
• EverRide and EverTrack rubber at the outsole for added grip
• Synthetic Suede
• Lightweight Performance EVA
• PUMA Formstrip at lateral side
• PUMA Cat Logo at medial side forefoot
• PUMA Cat Logo at tongue and heel

PRESS RELEASE:

PUMA UNVEILS MOBIUM ELITE, LAUNCHING A NEW CLASS OF PERFORMANCE RUNNING FOOTWEAR –ADAPTIVE RUNNING™

Mobium Elite Features New Patent-Pending Technologies

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (SS 2013) – Global sportlifestyle brand PUMA launched a new-to-market category of performance running—Adaptive Running™—with the introduction of the Mobium Elite shoe.  

PUMA Mobium Elite is a performance trainer that expands and contracts as the foot moves. Rooted in anatomy and inspired by nature, PUMA Mobium Elite is the product of two years intense design and development based on how the foot moves.  Considering that the foot expands in three directions, longitudinally, laterally and vertically, PUMA’s innovative footwear adapts with the body in motion, encouraging a more natural and efficient mid-foot strike.

Louis Joseph, Director Strategy and Innovation discusses the technological innovation behind PUMA Mobium:  “PUMA’s sport innovations have always focused on provocative, risk-taking ideas aimed at enhancing the athlete experience.  In the case of the Mobium Elite, PUMA has combined performance research with imagination to produce an entirely new class of running footwear.  Developed with the vision of creating dynamic products that move with the human body in motion, the Mobium Elite represents the premier model within PUMA’s new Adaptive Running collection.  Designed to expand and contract with the foot’s changing shape during the gait cycle, the Mobium Elite is a first generation concept built to challenge the conventional standard of static footwear construction.  Incorporating a host of patent pending technologies, we are excited by the prospects of the Mobium Elite trainer and believe that Adaptive Running is a breakthrough proposition with transformational potential.”

PUMA Mobium Elite’s Mobium Band is constructed to enhance the foot’s natural spring.  Running through the outsole in a “figure eight” it’s designed to work dynamically like the tendons in the foot.  The more force applied, the more spring it returns.

mobium band

Meanwhile, the ‘Windlass Chassis’ is built to mimic the Windlass Effect of a foot’s expansion and contraction as it moves. This sculpted arch creates a platform for the foot in movement, helping the foot transition through the full running gait. Mobium’s upper and outsole works in unison with the Windlass Chassis, so that the entire shoe moves the way the foot naturally does.

windlass chassis

With stride efficiency a core value in performance running, PUMA’s designers took inspiration from the most efficient running machine on the planet; the cat. Similar to cats paws which compress together during its propulsion phase and expand during stance phase to provide cushioning, PUMA Mobium Elite’s ‘Expansion Pods’ on the outsole of the shoe expand and contract with the foot.  As a result, PUMA Mobium’s cushioning, protection and flexibility encourages a more efficient stride and offers runners a smoother transition.

expansion pods

The three-part system of PUMA Mobium Elite’s innovative design encourages runners to land on their mid-foot, rather than a hard heel strike, which can mean more efficiency and less “braking action.”   The shoe is the result of two years of intensive development and testing and sets a new benchmark for performance running.

“We believe PUMA Mobium will change the paradigm in the category of performance running,” said Mary Taylor, Global Head of Footwear for PUMA.  “With patent pending, break-through technologies that work together as a system, we’ve created a new class of footwear.  The marketplace is currently driven by shoes that are static – that do not move with your foot in motion. In Mobium Elite, we have designed adaptive footwear that actually expands and contracts with your foot in motion.  At PUMA, we are driven to look at performance through a different lens, to break with convention through true innovation. Mobium is the result of this and we feel strongly it will be a game-changer.”

Beginning May 2013, PUMA Mobium Elite will be available in Men’s and Women’s styles at select running specialty stores, PUMA Retail, select sporting good wholesalers all over the Philippines.  In subsequent seasons, additional Women’s specific styles will be introduced and the Mobium line will be expanded further in the Training and Fitness categories. 

 

Skechers Launches Skechers GOrun2

I missed attending this product’s launch last week. But then again, it is not a reason for me not to be able to share to all of you this good news from Skechers, which is the better sequel to the GO RUN. Read on for everything about the Skechers GO RUN 2. (P.S. It is SKECHERS without a “T”. teehee!)

PRESS RELEASE:

Skechers Launches Skechers GOrun2
Run Faster with a Mid-Foot Strike

Do you want to run faster, stronger, longer? If you’re a runner looking for ways to enhance your efficiency, speed and overall performance, try looking into your running technique and re-think your shoe choice.

Global footwear leader Skechers launched GOrun2, the sequel of the successful GOrun performance shoe. This updated shoe helps runners run faster with a mid-foot strike, allowing them to achieve their personal best time.

Skechers GOrun2:  Designed for Speed

Skechers has gone the extra mile by helping runners transition to more efficient mid-foot strike running rather than heel striking through its GOrun series. Skechers GOrun running shoes features the M-Strike Technology. Inspired by barefoot running, the principles of minimalism encourages runners to run more naturally by positioning the body for an efficient mid-foot strike in order to run faster, stronger, and longer.

Deemed to be the next generation of serious minimal running shoes, GOrun2 boasts of its GOimpulse sensors which are found underneath the soles. These make the wearer more responsive in running in any surface type. The shoe is made of breathable four-way stretch mesh toe panels and custom fit insole for comfort. The added Resalyte midsole absorbs the impact to prevent injuries.

Skechers GOrun2 features a minimal heel lift at 4mm to keep the foot in a nearly neutral position. The best part is its weight. GOrun2 is as lightweight as can be, allowing the wearer to run faster and more efficiently. Moreover, it comes in striking color combinations.

Accolades from the Elites

Skechers GOrun ambassador, Olympian marathoner and America’s fastest marathon runner Meb Keflezighi attributes his success to his trusty performance shoes of choice.

“Skechers’ new performance shoes change the way I run for the better,” said the number one marathon runner in the United States. “I’ve been a heel runner my entire life, but I am now wearing Skechers to maximize the efficiency of my foot strike. My shoes are my most essential piece of equipment and right now, Skechers has the footwear I need to succeed,” added Keflezighi.

Filipino top age grouper tri-athlete Martin Lorenzo believes that it is crucial to look for the right lightweight shoe that promotes a mid-foot strike to avoid or lessen injuries and improve on speed and efficiency. He recounted his search for the perfect pair of running shoes to accompany him in his races. The tedious task ended when he found Skechers GOrun 2.

“I bought myself different pairs of shoes and tested each one. What came on top is the Skechers GOrun 2. It is well-designed, lightweight, very comfortable, and well-ventilated for our tropical climate. It exceeded my expectations on every count,” shared Lorenzo, a consistent podium finisher in his age category and a passionate athlete who races in local and international triathlons and marathons.

Lorenzo added that “Skechers GOrun2 makes a great transitional shoe for runners who are still heel striking.  Adopting the mid-foot strike is important for runners who want to improve on their running technique and speed.   With Skechers GOrun2, no matter how you force yourself to run heel strike, it forces you to land mid-foot for easier transition.”

# # #

Available in the following Skechers’ stores: Glorietta 2, TriNoma, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, SM North Edsa-The Annex, Robinsons Place Manila, Lucky Chinatown, Market! Market!, Festival Mall, SM Fairview, SM Dasmarinas, Marquee Mall, SM Pampanga, Ayala Center Cebu – Active Zone, Abreeza Mall Davao, Gaisano Mall of Davao, SM City Davao, and Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro.

For more information, log onto www.skechers.com.ph, visit Facebook page SkechersPhilippines or follow SkechersPH on Twitter.

DOWLOADABLES:

GO RUN 2 Fact Sheet
GO RUN 2 Technical Sheet
 

MOVE Fitness Lifestyle Store NOW OPEN

Have you ever had that experience wherein you went to a sports shop, bought an equipment or an exercise/fitness tool then after bringing it home, realized that you have the slightest idea on how to use it?

How about buying a gear, hoping that it will produce the same results it did to a friend or to a celebrity but realizing soon after that it is not what you truly need for you to arrive to your desired goal or fitness level?

Oh and how about learning, through an online resource, that you are below the fitness level that you should be in but do not  know how to start getting back into shape?

Well, all of us, in some way or another may have been in any of the above situation. And sometimes experiencing any of this puts a dent in your desire to push through with achieving your fitness goals. Helplessness sometimes wins over firm resolve.

So how, you may ask, is these all connected to the opening of the MOVE Fitness Lifestyle Store? The answer everyone can be summarized to three simple words: EMPOWER, EDUCATE, MOTIVATE.

By offering a goal-based approach to its customers, the store already veers away from the old-style concept of selling which unfortunately for consumers, ends when they go out of the store, purchase in hand. With MOVE, customers, through a minimum purchase of Php1,500 will be entitled to avail of the “Move Body Project” which:

1. EMPOWERS - the first step is a free full-body composition analysis using a state-of-the art machine previously available only in hospitals. The results of this analysis is a free-consulting session with Move’s fitness consultants which aims to identifying the person’s state of health and help them mark the starting point of their journey to better fitness. Basically this is the goal-setting point. The customer is assisted on drawing up plans to help achieve his/her goals and at the same time find the appropriate gear or tool best-suited to the goal that was set.

2. EDUCATES – Whatever gear, tool or equipment the was purchased based on their goal, the Move store staff will make sure that every customer leaves their store knowing how to properly use each piece of equipment by prescribing basic workouts.

3. MOTIVATES – Moves makes sure that customers will surely keep to the achieving their goals by encouraging them to come back after 90 days to get tested again and rewarding them with prizes if they achieve their goal.

Cool huh? I actually had a sampling of the full-body composition analysis and I can just say that it is more detailed and customized as compared to the body composition analysis that we usually get from online resources, the gym or fitness centers. I am pretty really excited to the promise of being able to be shown/taught about the right manner of using an equipment or gear – the store has a mezzanine especially made available for this purpose.

Incidentally, apart from the store, a free sports, fitness and lifestyle magazine, also named MOVE was launched at the same time as the store. This magazine will serve as the official publication of the store offering the same experience that empowers, educates and motivates.

Visit the store and in the process get a copy of the magazine and see for yourself how it will put to good application their promise of changing the way people will approach health and fitness.

PRESS RELEASE:

The Quorum Group of Companies, responsible for the country’s premier sports retail stores Toby’s Sports, RUNNR and urbanAthletics is once again breaking new ground in the retail front with the launch of MOVE — the fitness lifestyle store. Located at the heart of Bonifacio Global City, deemed by many locals as the burgeoning Mecca of fitness, with running trails and parks aplenty, MOVE guarantees its customers a new shopping experience that will help them become fitter, healthier, and happier with its multifaceted approach to fitness.

Conceptualized by the same team responsible for the award-winning RUNNR specialty store chain, MOVE aims to change the way people approach health and fitness. Inspired by the quote from Aristotle, ”Life is Movement”, Quorum President Toby Claudio found himself with a burning desire to change lives by simply getting people to move to stay fit. To do that, MOVE fitness lifestyle store offers its customers a goal-based approach called the “MOVE BODY PROJECT” to their store experience.

The Move Body Project starts off with a free full-body composition analysis using a state-of-the art machine previously available only in hospitals. Then MOVE’s fitness consultants assist customers in identifying their state of health and help them mark the starting point of their journey to better fitness.  Following the analysis, MOVE then aids the customer in choosing the appropriate equipment from their wide selection of fitness gear to achieve one of four goals – Burn, Build, Active or Perform. Moreover, MOVE ensures that every customer leaves their store knowing how to properly use each piece of equipment by prescribing basic workouts.  To show how serious it is in helping its customers get fit, MOVE provides motivation by encouraging customers to come back after 90 days to get tested again and rewarding them with prizes if they achieve their goal.

Currently, MOVE carries equipment, accessories and apparel from some of the world’s leading fitness brands such as Startrac, Sole, Danskin, Proteus, JK, Go Fit, Biggest Loser, TRX, Polar, Theraband, CW-X Compression Wear, and so much more.

For more information, contacft (02) 403 1787 or visit MOVE Fitness Lifestyle Store at Two Parkade 30^th Street of Fort Bonifacio Global City or log on to

www.movefitness.com.ph

fACEBOOK: MoveFitnessPH
TWITTER: @movefitnessph
INSTAGRAM: @movefitnessph

The Nike Free 5.0 Trial Run (and Dance!)

A few weeks ago, I was honored to have been invited to participate in an all-female Nike Free 5.0 Trial session. It could have been just another one of those regular Nike trial sessions that we have become so familiar with but then again no. This time, there were separate sessions for the women and the men.

Nike Free dancers (errrr, trial runners): Jaymie (TBR), me, Bards (bananarunning), Sandra (Runner’s World) and Lara (Women’s Health)

Aside from trying out the shoes by running in it, the men’s group had a fulfilling circuit training session with Coach Chappy Callanta while us, the female group had a tiring, fun, fun hip-hop dancing session courtesy of former Philippine All-Star Dance Group member Madelle Enriquez.

Us with the guys from Nike and Ogilvy! Hey we should do this again (at least until I learn how to look good dancing, lol!)

The run was short as we only were asked to run one loop around the Bonifacio High Street area but we still got almost a complete workout for that day, thanks for the Hip-Hop dance experience! It was an entirely new and super fun experience for me!

Here are some of my initial impressions on the Nike Free 5.0 that were lent to us during that trial session

• the Nike Free 5.0 comes in impressive color ways – it is actually always a give for Nike to come up with eye-candy shoe colors!
• it’s Flywire of Nike that was applied to this shoe says that it wraps the midfoot and arch underneath the foot up through the laces for a glove-like fit – This is true. Well, at least for the short time that I was able to wear it because I was able to feel the support/cushioning making me feel comfy to run in it.
• it is a minimalist shoe but has enough cushioning to protect the feet
• it has a snug-fit almost like I am wearing a pair of socks – which got me to thinking, this one is probably okay to wear even without socks on. hmmm…

Basically, that’s about all that I could say about the shoes for now as the time given for us to try it wasn’t that much. However, I still feel that with the technology that was applied to the Nike Free shoes, it won’t hurt much to try and give it a try. After all, a runner will almost at times need to run with that barefoot running feel, aren’t we?

Learn more about the Nike Free shoe collection by reading the below Official Press Release and Technical Specs. The Nike Free shoes are already available in the market and retails at Php 5,295.

DOWNLOADS:

Nike Free A-Z

Nike Free 5.0 Men’s Technical Sheet
Nike Free 5.0 Women’s Technical Sheet
Nike Free 4.0 Men’s Technical Sheet
Nike Free 4.0 Women’s Technical Sheet
Nike Free 3.0 Men’s Technical Sheet
Nike Free 3.0 Women’s Technical Sheet

PRESS RELEASE:

NIKE FREE A-Z SHARES INSIDE STORY OF NATURAL MOTION

Interactive experience highlights new Nike Free collection and includes insights from athletes Allyson Felix and Dathan Ritzenhein, the innovation and design team, and the franchise’s history

Feet are the foundation of movement. When they’re able to flex, stretch and be themselves, the natural technology we were all born with does what it was meant to do. This is the insight that led to the creation of Nike Free shoes almost ten years ago and it continues to drive design enhancements today.

This season Nike Free presents five new styles across running and training – the Nike Free 5.0+, 4.0 and 3.0 in running; the Nike Free TR Breathe for women’s training; and the Nike Free Trainer 5.0 for men’s training.

The idea for Nike Free emerged in 2001, launching years of study, testing and design to make a shoe that delivered the benefits of natural motion while protecting the foot. More than a decade later, the 2013 running shoes retain the well-known flexibility of Nike Free’s articulated outsole, and introduce three new upper designs for enhanced natural motion:

Nike Free 5.0+: Dynamic Nike Flywire technology provides secure support without added weight.

Nike Free 4.0: Utilizes no-sew overlays and a tongue-wrap fit for stitch-free comfort.

Nike Free 3.0: Nike engineered mesh improves fit and breathability with looser patterns where ventilation and stretch are needed and tighter patterns in areas where support is key.

This is just the start of the story. To learn the past and glean the future of one of Nike’s key running franchises, explore Nike Free A-Z, an interactive experience that examines key moments behind this technology’s genesis, evolution and vast influence.

Through imagery, video, and interviews with innovators and athletes, Nike Free A-Z sheds light on the design process and illustrates Nike’s constant commitment to serving the athlete. From hot knifing to dynamic Nike Flywire technology, Nike Free A-Z takes you on the journey of how a coach’s insight about natural motion led to a new performance language. View Nike Free A-Z Here: http://nikeinc.com/news/nike-free-a-z#/inline/18765.

David Beckham cools the world in climacool® Revolution

Cool! My ultimate crush, David Beckham is in the new adidas Climacool running shoe ad! 

View the video below to see how David finds this shoe perfect for running in the summer heat or read the press release for more details about this new adidas running shoe model. Cheers!

FRIEND-VCOCO

adidas presents 360° ventilation running experience
with latest climacool® running shoe

April 2013 – adidas presents the climacool® Revolution running shoe, a 360° ventilation running experience for the coolest run. The latest edition of cool running, which provides ventilation from all sides for improved running performance, can be seen on the feet of sports superstar David Beckham in adidas’ latest TV commercial.

New ventilation channels across the outsole and the use of climacool^® material on the upper of the shoe help sweat to evaporate. In addition, the COOLEVER lining, a special clover-shaped yarn, keeps the foot cool, dry and comfortable during the run. The achieved performance benefit of 360° ventilation reduces thermal stress and discomfort during workouts and results in increased running performance.

The benefit of 360° ventilation is highlighted in the new climacool® launch film which shows David Beckham on a run in the summer heat. While the rest of the city is trying to get any bit of breeze with the help of hand-held fans and window-mounted air conditioners, Beckham enjoys a cool and ventilated run in his climacool® Revolution. Directed by Nathan Price and developed by 180LA, the film will launch in both a 15-second and a 30-second version in time for the shoe’s global retail launch.

The new climacool® Revolution running shoe is available as of April 2013 in adidas Sport Performance stores and other sports retailers nationwide with a recommended retail price of PHP 6895.