I’ve now run two PBs in these shoes, which I bought on a bit of an impulse in South Africa. So I thought it was worth digging in a little bit to find out why they seem to work so well for me, and whether they might do the same for you.

As you know, I’m no speed goat. In fact, I’ve built a business around the idea that I run slowly. But with time, consistency, strength training and volume I’ve found that I’ve accidentally gained a little speed (being a relative term, naturally) along the way. 

On a club run in South Africa last month, Puma let us run in their shoes and then offered them for sale at R750 (around $70) if we bought them on the day. So that was a hard deal to turn down. I liked them on the trial run, and enjoyed the different pressure on my feet and the cushioning that seemed to be just what my budding PF was looking for. So I bought them, and have since used them in two races, a 10k and a half marathon.

I’ve never owned Puma’s before. You wouldn’t think that cushioning and performance could go together, and not something that a slow runner would ever need, but this is what Puma is trying to do here. They’ve developed NITROFOAM™ Elite for improved responsiveness, a reworked collar to reduce heel slip and a lighter, asymmetrical base that works better with your body across all distances.

It's a fairly neutral shoe, which I love, (it’s no secret that I’m obsessed with Brooks Ghost), and Puma don’t offer anything extra in terms of lateral support. It’s a secure fit, maybe a bit too secure if that’s a thing, with the area over the laces being quite narrow and requiring me to loosen and fasten laces quite a lot when putting and taking off. It feels snug but in a good way. The upper is strong, and the lace bed is soft and comfortable. The outsole has relatively grippy traction, which made running in the rain at the Hoka Runaway Sydney Half Marathon feel safe and secure. So it’s not a shoe made for stability, but it is just secure enough to find confidence in your legs and speed.

There’s no real heel tab, which made it a bit slippy on my first run but once I put the lace through the heel tab it was perfect. There is just enough cushioning to make it comfortable, given its main purpose as a speed shoe.

The most notable thing about this shoe is the carbon plate. As a slow runner, it is exactly the right ‘point of entry’ to racing shoes with enough weight and sponge to make them comfortable and familiar and yet still a bit of extra ping to fire you a bit closer to that race finish time. Its cushion is minimal but well-balanced with the firmness of the plate, and it’s comfortable, friendly and does what it says on the box. 

I’m not sure if I’d last a full marathon in these, but they were perfect for the half, and I look forward to a few more races in them! Highly recommended.

Disclaimer – I pay for all the shoes I run in, including these ones, and will always tell the truth about any discounts I receive.