MASSESZINE NO. 6 : THE RUNNING ISSUE by massesmy

VAN S. C O M

Â© D IS N E Y

SIX

Editor BRYAN CHIN @bryanbotakchin

Special Thanks BRYAN LIM @bryzoid

Contributing Editor

ETHAN CURZON @ethancurzon

AARON LEE

SHAIFUL AYISY @shaifulayisy

@inthefold

EVELYN ANG LOO @missyblurkit AZFAR ALFARABI @azfaralfarabi

Assistant Editor LIM JING RUN @jrforeal

ELAINE CHIAM @chiamelaine LADY SEVEN @ladysavoon NICHOLAS MAK @itsnicholasmak

Writers TUNWAY YEOH

JEM OF CROSSOVER @jem_crossover SAUCONY ORIGINALS MY @sauconyoriginalsmy

@tunway_futuremade

HOH KAH LOONG @kah_loong

KHALISS KHAIR

JAMES CHOR @dryhard

@muhamadkhaliss

MAJOR DROP STORE @majordropofficial

RAMESH WESTON

ADIDAS MALAYSIA

@_meshman

NUR AISHAH YAHYA

Contributors

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@shaunloy

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CO NT ENTS

p.9 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note p.10 The Oldest Sport In The World p.20 A Beautiful Sole p.28 A Breathe of Fresh Air p.36 The Evolution Of Running Shoes p.46 Saucony p.54 A Dark Affair p.60 Breaking The Rules p.68 How To Choose A Running Shoe p.76 The Ultra Experience p.86 Under Armour p.94 How To Train p.124 Directory

EDITO R ’ S NOT E

For our 6th edition of the MASSESzine, we set out to explore the fast moving world of the oldest and biggest sport in the world, RUNNING. From a personal point, I wanted to explore running because it is something pretty close to my heart. I have been running regularly for the past 4 years and have grown very fond of the sport. Not just because of how much healthier running has made me, but because of the simplicity of it, the minimalistic requirements needed to go for a run, and the fact that your only opponent is your own self. Some may argue the fact that football is the biggest sport in the world, but in actual fact it is running. Statistically, the number of joggers in the United States alone amounts up to 60million odd joggers as of 2015, and some experts say the numbers go up to the billions if you add up the rest of the world. Anyone with an abled body can run. You don’t need team mates, you don’t need a court, you don’t need proper weather (kinda), and you definitely don’t need a ton of

equipment to go for a run. Just strap on a good pair of running shoes and off you go. It’s that simple. In this issue, we explore a wide spectrum of the running world. We explored the history of running (pg.10), the different individuals who play a role in the running community (pg.94), the different brands who have made a huge impact on the running world (pg.20 & 28 & 46 & 60 & 76 & 86), the different ways to prepare for a marathon (page 95) and the evolution of the running shoe (pg.36). Whether you are someone who have never ran a single KM in your life, or you are someone who compete in ultra-marathons, we hope this issue of MASSESzine will offer you the support and motivation to go out there and push yourself to achieve more, not just in running and covering long distances, but to conquer the distance in life.

Bryan ‘Botak’ Chin, Editor.

THE OLDEST SPORT IN THE WORLD. Words By Aaron Lee

The act of running has long been around since the dawn of time. From the days of the cavemen hunting down animals for food, to escaping from problems or predators and till today where we compete on the track for fame and glory. It is known as the most accessible sport in the world and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder since no one needs to teach you how to run although you will have to learn how to walk first. In fact, there are scientists who theorized from a purely evolutionary perspective, it is the ability to run distances that makes humans, well, human.

12 The Science and History of Running

Their theory is supported by the human anatomy. Our short toes were designed for a better push off whereas our big butts are there so that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall over upright (now we know why girls with big booties donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall over despite their *ahem* other assets). The abundance of sweat glands and knee joints also contribute to our body being perfectly designed for running. Today, we see running in nearly every aspect of sports you can think of, which will include basketball, soccer, American football, tennis etc.

“Jogging” also became more popular as a form of running at a more leisurely pace. The term “jogging” was used in the 16th century in the United Kingdom whereas the Americans would call it “roadwork”. Around this time, swordsmen and boxers in the states were integrating running and jogging into their training and this was very much in the realms of the upper class and the nobility. The discussion of this activity itself would later be published into a book, which we will get back to in a bit. The earliest records of running as a sport is from 1829 B.C. although some have disputed that it began around 776 B.C. when the first Olympics Games were held in Greece. The name of the games was inspired by the host city, Olympia, which in turn was named after Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece (the mythical home of the Greek Gods) and to honor the God Zeus. The Games were celebrated every four years for almost twelve centuries.

The late 19th century was the time that gave rise to the popularity of recreational running. In the 1920s, track and field’s scope widened. The first NCAA national championships were held for men in 1921 whereas the women’s track and field became part of

By the end of that time, there were five total events, three of which were foot races - by far the most popular and highly regarded feat for the ancient Greeks. Back then, the winner of each event was given an olive wreath, large sums of money and vats of olive oil as opposed to the bronze, silver and gold medals athletes get now (of course, money and endorsements are prizes as well). The first modern marathon was held at

the Olympic Games in 1928. In 1952, the now defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) sent its first Olympic team ever to the Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland, where the squad captured several track-andfield medals.

the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Over the next 30 years, the U.S. and Soviet teams battled in one of the sport’s longest and most competitive rivalries. It was the “Cold War” era so it was a time of uncertainty and winning in sports would only give more credibility to the respective ideologies. So many people were tuning in, listening and desperately hoping the opposing side would lose.

In 1962 an American named Bill Bowerman went running with Lydiard in New Zealand. Sneakerheads should be familiar with the name Bill Bowerman as heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the co-founder of Nike. 4 years later after his running tour in New Zealand, Bill went on to publish a book, aptly titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Joggingâ&#x20AC;?. This book proved to be very popular and went on to spark the running craze in the United States of America. It is recorded that approximately 25 million people took up social and fitness running in the USA during the 70s and Jimmy Carter (ex-American president) along with actor Clint Eastwood were among them. Today, running is one of the longest chapters in our civilization. There are running events held globally and annually for athletes who compete to be the best or for raising funds to help the less fortunate. Of course, running is still a sport held at the Olympics with sub categories that include the short distance and long distance events. Running has become so big that big brand names like Asics, Nike, Puma and adidas even compete among themselves to sponsor these runners! The branding and corporate sponsorship for these running events are further testament to the popularity of the sport.

15 Running Events Held Annually Around the World

The Boston Run (USA) On April 19, 1897, the first Boston Marathon is run in Boston, Massachusetts. John J. McDermott of New York ran the 24.5-mile course of the all-male event in a winning time of 2:55:10. Today, it has become one of the most prestigious races in the world and the record to beat now is 2:03:02 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 who hails from Kenya. Known as the oldest annual marathon, the Boston Marathon has roughly 500,000 spectators and 30,000 participants to date.

Nakukymppi Run (Naked Run of Finland) For the true exhibitionists, this is the race for you. Nude Run of Finland is an event for all open-minded people who are interested in walking or runningâ&#x20AC;Ś but only in your birthday suit. In this race, you are allowed to wear only shoes, socks and something on your head. For the women, they are allowed to wear a top. The route goes along the quiet forest roads with the beautiful, natural scenery of Finnish nature. After the run, all participants are invited for free sauna sessions and swimming at the Telaranta camping area nearby. Imagine if a race like this was done in Malaysiaâ&#x20AC;Ś hmmm.

Spartan Race (Participating Cities Around The World) Currently billed as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best obstacle course race. Do not expect this to be all about running as you will have to run, climb, push, pull, crawl and throw things to get to the finish line. With obstacles such as walls, hills, trees and even barbed wire, this race isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just fun but also challenging. In fact, the next race will be held here in KL next year on March 20 and is open to runners who are aged 14 and above.

Marathon du Medoc (Bordeoux, France) Dubbed as the world’s longest, booziest race, the Marathon du Medoc is a running event that combines wine, sports, fun, health and some delicious treats. Spanning 26.2 miles through scenic vineyards, runners get to indulge in wine tasting along with samplings of local specialties such as foie gras, oysters, steak and ice cream. With a whopping figure of 10,000+ participants annually, Marathon du Medoc is also a race known for fun so don’t expect to come out sober from this one.

The Empire State Building Run-Up (New York, USA) This is race only goes 1 way; up. An extraordinary run of one of the world’s most famous skyscrapers; 1,576 steps lead to the top of the Empire State Building, New York City. A 1-minute elevator ride takes visitors to the top whereas the fastest runners have achieved this feat in an incredible ten minutes. Maybe one day there will be a race for the KL Twin Towers? Keep your fingers crossed.

The Color Run (Participating Cities Around The World) Founded in March 2011, The Color Run has gone to become the single largest series in the world! Hosting more than 300+ events and over 50 countries since 2014 is no small feat and in fact, Malaysia is one of those participating countries. The race from start to finish is a mere 5 kilometer run, which is nothing a seasoned runner can’t handle but that’s the point; you are there to have fun and be “colored” up while you are at it. After all, the tagline for the race is “The Happiest 5k on the Planet”.

A BEAUTIFUL SOLE. Words By BRYAN CHIN

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

The 1990s wasn’t just about long hair, distressed jeans and plaid shirts. It wasn’t just about Beavies & Butthead, The Simpsons and Southpark. And it certainly wasn’t just about dial-up modems, Napster, and the Y2K scare. The 1990s was a historic time for the running world as it was a peak moment in time for product innovation in performance sports, and a time where it was a norm for shoes to show off their features and goodies. The 1990s was the era of the “visual-technology” boom and one of the brands leading the charge is PUMA with its Trinomic technology.

The Trinomic Cushioning System was first introduced to the world in 1989 and was heralded as PUMA’s most advanced technology yet. It soon found favour amongst runners who were searching for something stylish, technologically advanced and sophisticated

looking all while maintaining a good comfortable ride. Soon the word “Trinomic” became synonymous with the visible hexagonal-design cells at the bottom of the sole that collapse and expands while the wearer runs to provide ample cushioning.

How the Trinomic technology works is actually pretty simple. A hexoganal - cell rubber unit is embedded into the sole of the shoe and is usually found on the forefoot and heel. These cells are designed to compress and expand according to the pressure applied by the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foot. The compressing and expanding is how the Trinomic absorbs impact caused by the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements. Although the Trinomic has been around for almost 30 years, it is

still alive and well in our modern day and age, and kicking-ass big time too! PUMA implemented the Trinomic on a wide range of shoes, and majority have stood up to the test of time to become more than just a running shoe, it has become a staple diet for sneakerheads around the world. Here in this article, we would like to dive into the depths of the Trinomic Technology to explore the different silhouettes that still carry the Trinomic Technology even until this day.

1. XT2 PLUS (1991) One of the first few models to ever feature the Trinomic Tech is the XT2 Plus. Launched together with 3 other siblings, the pair features the tech on the forefoot section and the heel section of the sole making it one of the most comfortable, stable and flexible pair around at that time.

2. XT1 PLUS (1991) We would like to think of the XT1 Plus as the younger and less sophisticated brother to the XT2 it has almost the same good looks as his older brother, but minus some features making it slightly more lightweight. The XT1 Plus has the Trinomic Tech fitted at the heel section of the sole, while it also has a few lesser panels on the upper.

3. PUMA Disc (1991) A shining example of PUMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to go above and beyond when it comes to sneaker innovation came in the form of the PUMA DISC. It was the first ever laceless sports shoe that features a system of internal wires that tighten the upper for a perfect fit. The ground-breaking DISC technology was paired with the Trinomic Technology. Although PUMA does not produce the PUMA Disc today, we can still see the DISC Technology with an updated DISC Blaze silhouette.

4. Blaze Of Glory (1993) This is one of those pairs where the pair featured a design that was too good till it was too ahead of its time. When PUMA launched it back in 1993, it was a really risky move because of how minimal it looked. The stripped down upper did not feature much PUMA branding and the thing that takes all the attention is the plastic cage that features a unique lacing system. The socks-like feel of the upper is also something very different from anything PUMA has ever produced before. Today, the PUMA Blaze Of Glory is one of the most sought after silhouette from the PUMA Trinomic family.

5. R698 (1993) The R698 made a huge impact back when it was released wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t because of its futuristic name, but because it featured one of the best looking outsole the world had ever seen at that time. A translucent bolt cutting across the bottom of the outsole which doubles as the window into the guts of the honeycomb-like cushioning system called Trinomic.

A BREATHE OF FRESH AIR. Words & Interview By BRYAN CHIN

In late 1980s to 1990, Reebok was dominating in the basketball shoe game. They introduced the revolutionary Reebok Pump, and the shoe changed the game for good. People just went crazy about the little squishy rubber pump at the tongue of the shoe and it flew off the shelves. With that said, Reebok soon begin to set their eyes on the running category, hoping to change the game and dominate the same way they did in the basketball arena.

30 Reebok already have a few promising running models under their wing like the Pump Running, Racer-X and the Sole Trainer, but when they first launched the Ventilator in 1990, it became an instant hit with an athletic market that was both health and style conscious. The shoe prided itself of having an array of technology fitted into it yet still being able to remain good looking. In a time where everyone else was going the “bigger and better” route, the Ventilator was a (pun fully intended) breathe of fresh air. It was nothing like its competitors as it spots a simplistic and classic look while still being able to show off some of the technological features of the shoe. This year, in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ventilator, Reebok engages some of the best sneaker retailers from around the world to rework the Ventilator. One of it is none other than Malaysia’s very own Crossover Concept Store. We had a conversation with Jem, the founder and creative director of the store to talk all things Ventilator, and about the process and design of their “Nam Pack” Ventilator pair.

Everyone in the Malaysian sneaker scene knows Crossover Concept Store as one of the premier sneaker destination in Malaysia, but can you explain what is the vision and direction behind the whole concept of the store? From day one, we have always been happy to share our passion for sneakers, fashion and the creative scene with all. And from this passion, the idea to create Crossover started. In the 10 years of our journey in the industry, we have continuously given our best from time to time, always pushing the envelope and evolving with the trends. Our latest projects; “Cover by Crossover” & “DYSP” are some of our efforts to bring something new and different to the market. With “Cover by Crossover”, we concentrate more on the higher tier goods while “DYSP” focuses more on the ladies.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the Reebok Ventilator, how do you think the reception of the Ventilator have been so far in terms of the sneakerheads here in Malaysia? Turning back to a few years ago, prior to the Pump Fury 25th Anniversary project, we found that the demand for this model was less than desirable. A few models that we got in our stores were stuck on the shelves for quite a while, but now the Pump Fury models are getting a healthy attention from the market and they are selling fast in our stores. We can see the same going for the Reebok Ventilator. With the marketing strategy planned since early this year, we bet the Ventilator will make a big comeback.

What does the Reebok Ventilator mean to you and what were your first memories of the Ventilator? I don’t have a particular first memory of the Ventilator. But I was led to discovering the Reebok Ventilator from my passion for music. In the early 90’s, I was very into heavy rock music and a lot of these heavy metal and trash metal bands such as Anthrax & Sepultura were seen spotting hi-top sneaker. My curiosity led me to dig deeper and from there I was introduced to many Reebok hi-top models with the likes of the Pump, Pump Omni Zone, Twilight Zone, BB4600 and from there I stumbled upon the Ventilator and a few more legendary Reebok models such as Club C, NPC & other Court series.

Being the first Malaysian store to be collaborating with Reebok, and not once, but three times now, how does it feel? Sounds like a dream come true. The opportunity to cooperate with them has been a great experience for our team and we highly appreciate the trust and support they have given to us. We also see every collaborative chance with Reebok as our motivation to deliver the best every time. And in a way, it is a very enjoyable process as it challenges our team in terms of timeline, creativity, measuring the commercial value & also ensuring that we won’t steer away from the brand’s objective & direction. That is quite a hard thing to balance.

We know the whole collab is based off the US oneman jet fighter, the A-1 Skyraider that is used in the various wars, especially in the Vietnam war. Can you break down which part of the shoe is inspired from which part of the plane? and what are the other parts which is inspired by other factors. We chose the A-1 Skyraider as our reference because it was known for its stability and performance, similar to the Ventilator. It is the preferred fighter jet during the WWII and the Korean War. If you look at the insole of our Ventilator, you will get a good idea of the inspiration behind the whole design. Our inspiration is specially detailed on the insole.

We know you are a big fan of the colour Black, and anything monochrome, but did you try exploring any other colour concepts for this collab? or was it just straight up Black and white from the beginning? Black has always been the signature color for Crossover’s image since day one. There were no guidelines given to us or rules that restrict us from using any colors, but we admit that we are very comfortable with the color black and we very often go back to it. Usually for our collaboration projects, we will always look at the best suitable concept before proceeding with the first sketch. To answer your question, this project is the last piece in our trilogy concept project, previously is the Pump Fury “Apocalyse”, Pump “Redux” and now the Ventilator “NamPack”, which from the very 1st part was in black & punk pink.

Being based in JB all this while, and just a few years ago opening up shop in KL, can you let us know how the sneaker scene differs from this two cities?

As it is the 10th year anniversary of Crossover Concept Store, what can we expect from you and the team for the rest of the year? A few more collabs? A few more stores?

There is something about a city between borders that is very intriguing. I’ve always felt that a city located near border with another country have a great mix of element, culture & subculture.When you live at the border, you tend to get the best of both sides. That’s what makes Johor Bahru interesting to me, not only in the sneaker scene, but also in the fashion & music scene. Always a step ahead and plenty of surprises. Explore the city when you have the chance, and you will get what I mean...(laughs)

It’s a decade for Crossover this year, so it’s a huge milestone for us and our team. We have been working closely with selected partners and hoping to do something that symbolizes and celebrates our philosophies & direction. As such, you will see a few more collaborations from us these coming months and early 2016. As mentioned earlier, we just recently open the 1st all-women sneaker store in Malaysia; DYSP aka Die Young Stay Pretty which is operating in City Square Johor Bahru.

Any last words?

“BE REASONABLE DEMAND THE IMPOSSIBLE”

THE EVOLUTION OF RUNNING SHOES. 1950

First Marathon Tabi

The After Runner Shoe

Magic Runner

Asics

1953

1956

1959

California

Marathon Trainer

Limbermont

RunSpark All Season

Asics

adidas

Asics

1978

1977

1976

1973

Tailwind

1980

Air Mariah PR

Skysensor

Nike

Asics

1979

1980

1981

(1953-2015)

1960

1970

First Marathon Tabi

Asics

1964

1966

Waffle Racer

SL 72

Nike Cortez

Country

Nike

adidas

Nike

adidas

1973

1972

1970

Marathon Sortie

Saucony Jazz

Limber Up Asian

New Balance 990

Asics

Saucony

Asics

New Balance

1981

1982

Oregon

Puma Easy Rider

Pegasus

Brooks Chariot

adidas

Puma

Asics

1982

1983

Marathon Sortie UL 100

Adidas APS

ZX 800

TX 3

Asics

1986

1985

Air Max 1

Marathon Sortie A

Rote Airraid

Asics

Nike

Asics

1986

1987

Reebok GL 600

Nike Air Max Light

New Balance 577

Marathon Sortie EX

ZX 8000

Nike

New Balance

Asics

adidas

1989

Micro Pacer

ZX 500

L.A Trainer

Reebok Victory GTI

adidas

Reebok

1984

Shadow Original

Epic

New Balance 1300

New Balance 670

Saucony

Nike

New Balance

1985

1984

Air Stab

ZX 5000

Adidas ZX 930

Shadow 5000

Asics

adidas

Saucony

1988

Nike Air Span

New Balance 1500

New Balance 996

New Balance 574

Nike

New Balance

1989

1988

1990

New Balance 580

XT 1

New Balance

Puma

Air Max 90 Nike

1990

New Balance 997

Marathon Sortie Japan

Adidas EQT Running Support

New Balance

Asics

adidas

Nike

1992

1985

New Balance 998

Disc Blaze

Blaze of Glory

Huarache Light

Asics

Puma

Nike

1993

Zoom Citizen

Terra Humara

Air Max 97

Trinomic Veinto

Nike Air Pegasus 92

Nike

Puma

1998

1997

1996

Tarther 195 A

Asics Gel Lyte III

Reebok Ventilator

XT 2

Asics

1990

1991

Air Huarache

Air 180

R698

Nike

Puma

1991

Air Max 93

Torsion Allegra

New Balance 1400

Nike Air Rift

Nike

adidas

New Balance

Nike

1993

1994

1995

New Balance 999

T3 Triathlon Shoes

Tarther Wide

New Balance

Asics

Nike

1996

1995

Air max 95

Air Max Plus

Wave Rider

Wave Rider 2

Tarther Speva

Nike

Asics

1998

1999

GEL Kinsei

Marathon Sortie Japan

Nike Sock Dart

GEL Kayano 10

Asics

Nike

Asics

2006

2004

New Balance 992

Wave Rider 9

Lunar Racer

New Balance 993

New Balance

Asics

Nike

New Balance

2006

2008

Musha 4

Wave Inspire 9

Asics 33

Adidas Adios

Asics

Puma

2012

2011

New Balance 991 New Balance

2000

1999

Wave Rider 3

Shox R4

Asics

Nike

2000

Presto

Tarther IGS

Prestige Lyte OC

GEL Kayano 7

Asics

Nike

2002

2001

2000

Lunar Glide

2010

Wave Prophecy

Pure Cadence

Nike

adidas

Nike

2009

2010

HTM2 Run Boot

Pure Connect

Racer ST5

T7 Racer

Nikew

New Balance

Asics

Nike

2011

Wave Elixir 7

Ghost 5

Vapor 9 Tour

Nike

Asics

Nike

Flyknit Trainer Nike

2012

2013

2012

Flyknit lunar

Air Zoom Pegasus

New Balance 990

GT 2000 New York

Nike

New Balance

Asics

2013

2012

Adistar Boost

Energy Boost

Kinvara 4

Kinvara 5

adidas

Asics

2013

2014

Adidas UltraBoost

Free Socfly

Launch 2

Fresh Foam Zante

adidas

Nike

Asics

New Balance

2015

Roshe Run

Spring Blade

AdiZero Feather 2.0

Adizero Primeknit

Nike

adidas

2012

Saucony Cortana 2

Saucony Triumph 10

Kinvara 3

Adipure 360

Asics

adidas

2012

Saucony Triumph ISO

Saucony Ride 7

Saucony Mirage 4

Adidas Prime Knit Pure Boost

Saucony

adidas

2014

Saucony Zealot

Kinvara 6

SL Loop Runner

Adidas ZX flux

Saucony

adidas

2015

2014

SAUCONY. Words By AARON LEE

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. From GRID to our latest technology Everun, our R&D is critical for the successful introduction and commercialization of our new technologies. We always are trying to make runners better and give runners a better experience. So we are constantly trying to improve our technologies and the Research and Development department drives this process,â&#x20AC;? Dan Sullivan Vice President of Product, Research and Development.

48 Over the past few years, we have seen a resurgence of Saucony in this part of the world. Having only established their presence in the Asia Pacific for the past 3 years, Saucony has seen fast growth and has future plans to strengthen their foothold. If you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already know, Saucony happens to be one of the oldest running shoe companies that have long been specializing in running shoes ever since its inception. Founded 2 years after the very first Olympic and a year after the 1st Boston Marathon, the brand has an impressive rich history of 117 years now. Known among runners on the track for the performance their models bring, Saucony has remained one of the go-to brands when it comes to running.

50 But unlike its competitors, Saucony has not been doing any major marketing eg. celebrity endorsements/partnerships, relying instead on their technical expertise when it comes to comfort and performance on their running shoe models. In fact, Saucony’s Grid Technology has the distinction of being the FIRST ever running shoe with a midsole that has both stability and cushioning. According to Dan Sullivan, who is Vice President of Product, research

and development plays a very core role in Saucony’s running technology.

“Saucony always think we should get a balance between our Technical (Performance) and Originals (Lifestyle) lines. Since 1898, performance has been our core concept and we (Saucony) have always been leading in the running market with innovation and technology. Together with the worldwide fashion/ lifestyle trend over the past few years, as a brand with over 100 years of heritage, our Originals (lifestyle) line has had fast growth. Therefore, we will continue to develop and innovate new running shoes, together with the trendy lifestyles shoes,” says Dan.

rounds, as we have seen in a few collaborations over the past few years. Fans of retro sneakers will love the recently released Grid 8000 (from 1991), which released earlier this year in September. Featuring a 90s look and the midsole designed to reduce shock, Saucony has positioned themselves strongly to appeal to not only buyers looking for performance but also to the casual sneakerhead.

Speaking of their Originals line, it has had a very warm reception from runners and sneakerheads alike with their models such as the DXN Trainer and Jazz models. The Grid SD has also been making the

These days however, sneakers aficionados come from 2 different categories: lifestyle and performance. Some companies mix these 2 elements together and have gotten mixed results. Saucony on the other hand, thinks it’s important not to mix them, but to bridge these 2 categories.

Saucony has always been focused on running, specifically Specialty Run. In the US and Europe and in other regions of the world, Specialty Run is a channel of distribution that focuses full customer service in a small retailer environment that only sells products for runners and running. The US has approx. 1,000 doors in the channel that cater to the runner with footwear, apparel and training programs.

“This channel is our priority. We have great relationships with the owners and staff and we look to help them grow as well as driving more market share for the Saucony brand. This channel helps us get close to the runner and helps us innovate and live the culture of running,” quips Dan.

With a century old portfolio, there is still more from Saucony’s running archive that we have yet to see which includes some shoe models that date before 1980, the year Saucony “Originals” was incorporated. But according to Dan, Saucony has not only been focused solely on running and occasionally has made shoes for other purposes.

“Saucony has been a brand that has made shoes for Astronauts to walk on the moon, to military shoes to where we are today focused on creating the best running shoes on the planet. We’ve always been a brand that has been about footwear and as consumer needs have evolved and changed so has our brand,” he says.

be releasing in Japan next year according to Mike Hughes, Category Business Director.

In fact, there was even a time when Saucony was also involved in basketball, back in the late 1980s. Known as the Hangtime, Saucony recently did collaborations with Packer Shoes (United States of America) and White Mountaineering (Japan) on their basketball model. A rare release from the running-focused company, the unique takes on the Hangtime was well received among sneaker collectors. In fact, a Hangtime Lo will

Having said that, throughout the years, other shoe manufacturers have branched out from running to other shoes for different sports while Saucony has rarely ventured out of running. But Saucony doesn’t see it as a threat and instead they are happy about it. “No we have not been threatened by other brands branching out into other sports. If anything we have benefited from those brands focusing less on the premier sport footwear category. Our commitment and focus has brought more growth to our brand. The opportunity in running is so great and we are so much more focused to grow our brand globally,” says Dan.

53 While basketball and soccer make up arguably one of the biggest sectors in sports footwear, so does running and this is where Saucony sticks to their guns. “Running is the #1 athletic shoe category. It represents where the latest innovation is launched with most brands. People are picking up running every day – either as a sport or physical fitness activity. Most people are not picking up soccer or American football later in life. Other sports represent a different game where you need to sign high profile athletes to help market and sell your brand and products. We exist for runners and want to become the premier brand for runners. We believe that this focus on running shoes and apparel will allow us to utilize our resources to the fullest and become world wide choice for runners,” says Dan. Collaborations have been all the rage now among sneakerheads and Saucony has also taken advantage of this opportunity with a number of solid collaborations themselves. The ‘Epitome’ and ‘Kushwhacker’ that were recently released not too long ago sold out in Malaysia instantly. In fact, Mike believes that collaborations are important for the brand awareness of Saucony. “Collaborations have created an elevated image of the Saucony brand. We have been able to tell stories and have a lot of fun working with elite accounts around the Globe on various projects that has created a demand for Originals! We feel that we have built relationships with our consumer through collaborations. They have come to expect great story telling and high end executions from our Collaborations.” There are certain shoe companies that hold a very tight leash when it comes to collaborations. According to Mike, Saucony gives their collaborators a free hand when it comes to their ideas but when it comes to executing the idea, communication is constant with the designer or sneaker store to ensure that everything that they designed is on the prototype. Saucony also believes in giving their partners a free hand when doing collaboration pairs so that the incredible ideas that transpire are not blocked in any way by them (Saucony). Take Sneaker Freaker’s Kushwhacker for example. Openly declaring that the creative idea came from weed, which can be questionable to some, Saucony still went ahead

despite the inspiration behind it resulting in a well executed color way. While most, if not all, shoe companies have made countries such as China, Vietnam and Indonesia to name a few, it’s main home for production, there was a time when Saucony used to be made proudly in the United States of America. Good news for the Saucony purists, it is likely production will be back where it started. “We are working on creating Made in USA shoes as part of our relationship with parent company Wolverine WorldWide, which has a factory in Michigan. We are targeting a performance running shoe for introduction in 2017,” says Dan. This should keep the Saucony aficionados happy, knowing the ‘Made in USA’ and ‘Made in Maine’ tags will be coming back. With an established market in the United States of America, Saucony has their eyes set on the South East Asia market with a regional office established in Hong Kong to closely connect with the nearby Asian countries. According to Dan there was a 102% growth in the Philippines whereas Singapore and Malaysia have an increased growth of 24%. “In 2013, we had a great launch of both the Technical and Originals lines in Japan and Korea and earlier this year in China and Hong Kong. This will definitely help to strengthen our leading Running Performance position within the APAC region,” he adds. We are expecting to see more of Saucony’s Technical and Originals lines within the region, specifically India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. So, will we be seeing more of Saucony in Malaysia? According to Dan and Mike, it’s a solid yes. “Saucony exists for runners and we will continue to innovate and evolve as a leader in this space. Globally running is the biggest participation sport with more runners and events coming on every year. It’s a sport/ activity that people can do at all ages whether to compete or to live a healthy lifestyle. We strive to be the global leaders in the running category.” We believe you, Saucony. Afterall, their mission tagline is “To empower the human spirit through running” and we can’t wait to see more of Saucony’s innovations in the running world. Get ready to see Saucony shake things up here in the Asia region, especially Malaysia.

A DARK AFFAIR. Words By KHALISS KHAIR

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

It is an unspoken truth that most runners would prefer to use the streets as their personal treadmill. However, the privilege of running while the sun is still up is a luxury that not many can enjoy due to the hectic schedule between life and work that often get in our way. This has force us to shift our thirst to pound the urban pavement with limited visibility during the night hours. But, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the nonexistence of daylight and the dangers of running at night deter you from shredding some kilos. It is because we have found just the right remedy for you to run safely and in style too.

Eye See New York or ICNY in short is a sportswear brand known for its superb combination of form meets function. The brand started out when Mike Cherman (who used to work with Nike as a designer at that time) was lying in the cold dark street of Brooklyn figuring out ways he could have avoided the incoming car that failed to hit the brakes and ended up throwing him off his bike. Although he suffered no serious injuries, Cherman opt to find ways to avoid the same situation from ever happening again in the future so he can still continue being an avid cyclist and commute from Manhattan to Brooklyn in one piece.

The man came up with the most simplest, yet brilliant idea, by adapting 3M reflective fabrics to a piece of his wardrobe in order to make himself more visible and safe while he pushes the paddle at night. So on the following day at work, he took a roll of reflective material that he found at his office and decided to take the full privilege of access that a designer have to a whole bunch of machines at Nike Bowery Stadium. Next, he started working around with the reflective material using laser and embroidery machines then began hand-pressing a polka-dot pattern on a pair of socks that he was wearing right there and then.

As a result of his newly found solution, the reflectiveness from the socks gave the effects of a strobe light as his foot moves up and down while paddling the bike. He knew his first invention was successful when a lot of other road users pulled over next to him at a stoplight and literally told him that they can spot the light bouncing back from a hundred feet away. However, what initiated as an individual side project turned into a life changing career for Cherman due to the growing number of people who were constantly asking him to make them the same 3M reflective treatment he did on his pair of socks. Eventually the requests and demands were too much to handle that he decided to turn it into a business.

He then expanded his idea to the next level by implementing 3M materials onto different sportswear outfits specifically targeted to people who are active like commuters, cyclists and most importantly runners. Nonetheless, what makes ICNY really unique is that Cherman creatively places the 3M reflective materials effortlessly into the designs of the outfit without making it look like the awful looking visibility jacket that we often see the construction workers wear at the side of the road. Thus, making the wearer feel like they are wearing a normal piece of outfit except with bonus protection that can only be seen when the lights hit you.

It is through this simple implementation that the brand had revolutionized running in a way where people can simply go with something that they can wear on a daily basis without having the need to put on extra pieces of clothing such as a vest or a head torch when they are working out at night. This offers the added advantage to the wearer, as they are now able to go straight for a run whenever they are done with their chaotic schedule. Therefore, when the evenings start drawing in, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay in. Go out for a run and embrace your dark affair.

BREAKING THE RULES. Words By TUNWAY YEOH

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

“The first concept review for the Air Max 95 wasn’t a success across the board, some people thought it was good and others didn’t like it at all.” - Sergio Lozano

The Air

It has been 36 years since Nike first presented its Air Cushioning technology by debuting the Nike Air Tailwind in 1979. Back in the 1970s, an aerospace engineer, Frank Rudy came across the Air Cushioning idea and enthusiastically brought it up to some companies but only to find rejection from all of them.

Despite the drawbacks, Frank Rudy was determined that the idea had tremendous potential and boldly approached Nike later in April 1977. He passed a pair of Nike shoe that was modified with one of his air cushion underneath the sock liner to one of the staff at the Nike head quarters.

Equipped with the results from their extensive R&D on its running shoes, Nike soon implemented the technology into shoes from other sports sectors; the Air Force 1 was the big step for Nike Basketball as it was debuted as the first basketball shoe with Air cushion technology.

It eventually fell into the hands of Nike’s then President, Phil Knight, who then put them on, and straightaway went for a quick jog. He came back 15 minutes later and said, “Rudy, you don’t know a damn thing about shoes, they are killing my feet! However, I felt something totally different that I like.” Merging with Rudy’s idea, Nike researched on it further and manufactured the Nike Tailwind in 1979 which garnered a lot of praise from running community and the general public a like.

Subsequently, Nike legendary designer Tinker Hatfield blew the game away by exposing their Air technology in the Air Max 1 so people could see it, which nearly cost Tinker his career, because everyone at Nike thought he was crazy. Nevertheless, Nike took a gamble on Tinker and his design and it paid off. Ever since the Air Max 1, we have witnessed the evolution of the Air Max line through the Air Max 90, Air Max 180, Air Max 93, Air Max 95 and so on.

Sergio Lozano

In the 90s, Nike was dominating the footwear market, and they were expanding at a very rapid rate thanks to the popularity of their shoes. In order to stay ahead of the game, Nike realized that they needed new and fresh ideas and in order for them to achieve that they needed young talented people; hence they launched a recruiting campaign to hire talented undergraduates from colleges and universities across the country. That was how Nike found Sergio Lozano, a young design undergraduate from the California State University.

According to Sergio, he wasn’t expecting to work with a performance Sportswear Company because designing shoes isn’t really his thing. Despite the uncertainty, he went ahead and applied for the job because he thought it would be a good experience. Of course, the job was offered to him and got him working on various Nike projects namely tennis, training and the ACG project. After that, Nike brought Sergio on board the team that was developing the Air Max 95. Nike’s main goal for Sergio is they wanted someone who has never designed a running shoe before to give a fresh new perspective on what a running shoe should look like. Sergio broke all the rules when it came to designing the AM95. At a time when footwear companies were going for large and noticeable branding on their

products, he went with minimal branding. The initial sketch of the AM95 did not even include a single Swoosh logo on it. He eventually added a small one at the back of the shoe just to please his other team members and the bosses. Even the color grey was a taboo in designing footwear at that time because shoes with grey did not sell well. But Sergio took it as a challenge and went ahead with it anyways. He met resistance when he showed everyone the sketch of the shoe with the Neon colorway, getting a comment like “We will never do that colorway!” Back then, running shoes were mostly treated with bright traditional colors like Red and Blue, but Neon Yellow was too bright for most of the board members to handle. But luckily Nike still went ahead with it after all the fuss.

66 The Air Max 95

Everyone knows well enough that the Air Max 95 was inspired by the anatomy of the human body, but one hard truth many die hard AM95 fans find it hard to swallow is that it is not a 100% inspired by the human body. Sergio was sitting at the Nike headquarters’ in Beaverton, Oregon and an inspiration came to him when he was looking out across the lake and into the forest. It was a rainy day. “I began picturing the process of rain rodding the earth and thought it would interesting if the perfect product was unearthed by erosion,” he said. He drew a quick sketch with a scheme similar to the texture of the Grand Canyon’s walls. He got his first step right, but it wasn’t enough. Sergio also recalls something Tinker Hatfield would always bring up while working on other designs, he would say, “Okay, so that’s a great design, but what’s your story?” He took further influences in a few anatomy files stored in the Nike design library. The final form of the shoe had a layered panel upper that represents muscle

fiber, a midsole as a symbol of a spine and the neon nylon eyelets took after the ribs. Minimal branding and the first ever use of visible forefoot Air cushion became Air Max 95’s gimmick, but do you know it was the first Air Max model to have black midsole? The black color actually plays an important functional role, it wasn’t cited just to facilitate the fading scheme. At Nike’s headquarters in Oregon, it rains a lot and the design team for the AM95 noticed that the shoes worn by the staff and visitors all had white midsoles and most of them would be dirty. They thought to themselves, “What if we use the color to kind of disguise some of the dirt that was created?” So black became the color of the midsole and the dark grey wavy scheme would start where dirt will most likely hold.

Here are some fun facts about The Air Max 95 (that) you should know:

1. Air Max 95 was actually first named as “Air Max” when Nike first debuted. It was until late 90s they add in a “95” behind. 2. It took top spot as the number one footwear choice of criminals in the UK. 3. The original “Neon” colorway has been retro over ten times until today. 4. The first debuted “Neon” colorway is slightly different with the original sketch, the tongue is suppose to be black color.

HOW TO CHOOSE A RUNNING SHOE. Words By RAMESH WESTON

Ilustration By RAMESH WESTON

We humans come in all different shapes and sizes, different colours and shades – and this also means one more thing, we all have different feet shape. Not all of us are born lucky with the ideal foot shape and size – but it seems that not many people know that when it comes to buying a pair of running shoes. There is more to it than whether you’re a size 9 or a size 10. So, here we have compiled for you a complete guide on what type of running shoes are best for those things that carry you from destination A to B. First off, before we tell you what shoes we recommend for what foot structure – there are a couple things you should know about your own feet before you dive in too deep.

70 Wide / Narrow Feet

Now when most people buy a shoe, it’s usually a rather nice fit and they don’t have any troubles after that. But for some people, once they buy a shoe, they take it home, try it on the next day and then they find out that it fits somewhat a little too tight. Now when this happens, the individual thinks that they now need to go a size up – however what people don’t really know is that will just make the shoe longer, the width will stay the same. Think about it, if there was no need for companies to create wide shoes, why would companies create them in the first place? Use them to your advantage if you need them; now this goes the same for narrow feet. Especially when it comes to your foot shape, whether you’re wide or narrow, make sure you’re purchasing running shoes made to fit you the best. We highly recommend you get your feet properly measured for size and width before you make your purchase.

Women’s Narrow (AA) / Men’s Narrow (C): AA or C classing, is typically your narrow foot shape. Asking for narrow shoes will accommodate feet that are thin, and feet that usually have high arches, and more than likely have narrow heels too.

whereby people with flat feet tend to have a more spread out foot in terms of measurement. And for those of you with foot problems such as bunions and hammertoes, wide fitting shoes got you covered in that department too.

Women’s Average (B) / Men’s Average (D): B and D classing are usually always in stock – as they are the most common and your average shape of feet out there – basically your stock standard shoes you can find/buy; unless the brand of shoe you are looking to purchase is associated with having narrow or wide constructions.

Women’s Extra-wide (E) / Men’s Extra-wide (EE): Tip number 1 for extra –wide fitting shoes – they are perfect for people that tend to have wider feet or swollen feet due to seasonal weather change or for medical conditions such as diabetes or edema. Even some females experience this when going through pregnancy. These types of shoes tend to cater to people with feet problems, so in saying this, these shoes usually have more depth to accommodate for insoles that can be removed at any time.

Women’s Wide (C/D) / Men’s Wide (E): Wide shoes are often ideal for those with flat feet,

72 Arches / Pronation

Arches and pronation’s go hand in hand, however we are not going to lie – at lot of this information is not common knowledge – but, luckily you got us. Prepare yourselves for a lesson in arches (the ones on your feet, not the golden arches called McDonalds).

Flat Arch

High Arch

Normal Arch

Now, feet can be broken down into three distinct categories; high, low, and neutral – if you have feet, you’re in one of these categories. Arches and pronation’s go hand in hand, because what type of arch you have determines what type of pronation you have – easy right? Exercise time people – please kindly stand up and distribute your weight evenly across both of your feet – now look at the inner side of your foot. Does your arch seem to nearly touch the floor? Or is your arch rather high that you can almost feel like you’re flying? Or by some miracle, is your arch in-between these two? Time to pay attention…

Supinaters

Neutral

Overpronators

If your arch is close to, or is entirely touching the ground – you my friend are flat footed. There is a high chance that along with your flat feet, your ankle or foot tilts inwards; you probably have issues with stability too – therefore, your feet are classed as ‘Over Pronation’. But fret not; you are actually a part of the majority of runners out there. Overpronators need

stability and/or motion control shoes. Motion control shoes contain stiffer heel construction, or the design of the shoe itself is built to combat the runner’s overpronation – your shoes are doing the job your foot should technically be doing – basically they are your new best friend!

If your arch is super high and you feel like you’re about to float off the ground – you are therefore in the category of ‘Supinates’; basically the complete opposite problem of overpronators. Supinaters have a foot that rolls to the outside rather than in, making it very easy to roll an ankle every now and then! The answer to your prayers comes in two words –

cushioning shoes! Cushioned designed running shoes accentuate the shock dispersion around the midsole and outsole of your shoe. Many companies nowadays are already doing this for normal running shoes such as adidas with their latest Ultra Boost technology (pg. 7). Cushioned running shoes, they will save your ankles life!

If you have examined your feet, and you’ve found that you’re part of the extremely lucky batch, this therefore means you are a Neutral Pronator (and thus making me very jealous of you!) Fortunately, neutral footed people have the easiest life when it comes to the fit of their running shoes; this is assuming you have no other structural problems – you essentially can run with comfort in just about any model. However we do have a couple of tips just to make sure your run is

as heavenly as possible – tip number 1: if you want something specifically designed to help you, look for stability based shoes, they will help with arch support and make your run as smooth as possible – and tip number 2: try to steer clear of Motion control Shoes, these shoes are built to stiffen and guide the ankle and heel, so since you don’t have this issue, these types of shoes will be counterproductive to your running experience.

If you’ve made it this far into the article, welcome and congratulations – and this also means that you are now rather well informed on your next running shoe purchase! Please do keep in mind that just because there are countless shoes out there in the world, that doesn’t mean they are all perfect for the things on the end of your legs. Also ladies and gentlemen, please do keep in mind, the design of your running shoe isn’t entirely important this time around - the safety and comfort of your run is crucial; if your running shoes made for your foot is a little ugly do not fret, chances are you don’t look too pretty when sweating all over the place either (however, sneakers is a different ball game – beauty is everything baby!) We here at Masses highly recommend your feet get properly measured before buying your new running shoes – make sure your choice is the correct one for you. You and your best friend like the same things – work the same way – are comfortable with each other; that is why you and your best friend are compatible. Your running shoe is no exception, they are your best friend – if you’re not comfortable, something is wrong – compatibility is key. You work for your running shoe and it works for you – make sure you pick your right best friend, because it will treat you with undeniable love.

THE ULTRA EXPERIENCE. Words By AARON LEE

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

These past few years have been an intense few years in the footwear industry (then again when was it ever not?). With the help of social media and the Internet, all major footwear companies have been on an allout battle with each other. Each of them launching their own product and backed by marketing campaigns with a budget size big enough to keep some of us comfortable for a few generations to come with the sole purpose of a bigger market share, the consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; loyalty and most importantly, the consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wallets.

78 For the longest time, Nike and adidas have been in countless boxing matches together. Each throwing jabs at each other with products that would outdo the other. In the US market, the Swoosh camp still takes the top spot followed by Under Armour who just recently took over the number 2 spot from adidas, although in the international market the Three Stripes still remains the biggest competitor to Nike.

Lately, adidas have been on the aggressive and it seems as though they are growing tired of playing second fiddle and have their eyes set on the top spot. Recruiting renowned ex-Nike designers, Yeezy Season 1 & 2, the revival of the Originals line through the Spezial (collection of vintage adidas models), the ZX series and the Tubular models to name a few and of course, the numerous collaborations with Pharrell Williams. It seems like adidas have really been getting the combinations right, but is that enough to get them a win?

Adidas didn’t want another “Apple-Samsung” scenario where each one of them tries to outdo one another with slight upgrades here and there. Jabs are not going to provide substantial damage. They needed something that would tip the scales in their favor. They needed a product that was superior to everything else available. They needed a knockout and every knockout combination needs a knockout punch. That knockout punch came in the form of the Ultra Boost.

79 The Skepticism

Adidas launched the Ultra Boost at the beginning of this year with the tagline “Best Running Shoe Ever”. A pretty bold claim especially when the word “best” is mixed in together with “ever”, which virtually ignores all other running shoes made before the Ultra Boost. Well you must be reading this and going “Sure ah? Got so power or not?” in typical Malaysian fashion. Heck, I too asked myself that question when I first saw the tagline. The typical reaction would be to assume that this is just another marketing gimmick to another gimmicky product. I mean c’mon, isn’t this just another Boost shoe? So that’s what we’re here to find out whether the “best ever” has what it takes to pull off this knockout.

The Boost Technology was first launched back in 2013, but it was only the last year and a half that the Boost’s popularity has rocketed. For the sake of fair and unbiased journalism, I will put it out there and say that I do own a pair of Pure Boost. I liked it so much that I went out and bought another pair for my girlfriend. I was also extremely delighted when Complex named it the Best Sneaker of 2014. To me, the Pure Boost was considered the best adidas sneaker of 2014. So when they announced the Ultra Boost, I was honestly skeptical and thought it was another marketing campaign. To be honest, the Pure Boost is good for walking but isn’t very good for running due to poor ankle support hence my skepticism. “What did they change this time?” and other cynical thoughts crossed my mind when I heard about the release of the Ultra Boost.

After all, as most serious runners can attest to, there is no such thing as the “Best Running Shoe” to them. So when I was assigned to do this article on the Ultra Boost, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to personally find out for myself whether or not the Ultra Boost can live up to its claim. Forget about everything the marketing campaign said, forget what they wrote in the reviews and forget the fact that Yeezus wore it, the best way to experience something is to try it out yourself. So, for the pursuit of unbiased and fair journalism, I took out my wallet once again and bought myself a pair of Ultra Boost (adidas peeps, if you are reading this, I hope you can hook a brother up in the future).

I brought it home, slipped it on and immediately knew that I was wearing, what could be, the greatest running shoe ever.

80 The Impression

Let us start by judging this book by its cover, and then move on to its contents. At first glance, the general shape of the pair is sleek and sharp looking. When you get up close, the weaving pattern of the Primeknit construction on the upper catches the eye. About roughly ¾ of the upper on the Ultra Boost comprises of adidas’ Primeknit Technology, which in a more layman’s term means that ¾ of the upper comprises of a one-piece knitted fabric. We will get into the performance aspects of the Primeknit, but for now, aesthetically the weave pattern gives it a winning look.

Like its namesake, the Boost on this pair is chunky and generous. There is no doubt that one of the first things you will notice on a pair of Ultra Boost is that white, foam-like sole which may need some getting used to, due to its appearance (some went as far as to

this caliber with all the technological advantages, but what I did not expect, was for The Three Stripes to put it in a package that was sleek enough for marathoners and street kids alike to beast over.

call it Styrofoam).

The combination of sleek Primeknit and the Boost sole made it so eye-catching and appealing that I almost forgot about my Pure Boost pair. You may have seen jogging enthusiasts lace up in a pair for their daily runs or you may have seen Kanye himself wearing a pair or two in different colorways online, but it looks a LOT better when you have it in hand and on your feet.

A single layer of windowed rubber with pointy nubs encases the bottom of the Boost sole that provides more traction. The design of the outsole is that of a spider web, which is supposedly to help with flexibility when turning and striking in different directions. It is pretty expected of adidas to produce a shoe of

82 The Experience

Exploring the comfort aspect of the shoe, we now dive deeper into the Ultra Boost’s content starting with the Primeknit. Although it is made out of one piece of knitted fabric, adidas has developed a way to add in more support to certain areas of the knit. This is done by applying heat to a specific spot on the Primeknit and melting extra fibers into it. This method produces a fuse-like texture that is dubbed elastic-knit.

The forefoot and midfoot section features this elasticknit, which makes it stretchable and conformable to most foot types for long hours of wear ensuring that your feet doesn’t get….fits. In fact, there is almost no break-in time for the Ultra Boost. I took the shoe out for a few jogging sessions and each time I put it back on, the shoe feels exactly the same as it did the first time I laced it up. Due to the elasticity of the upper and also because of how well the Primeknit wraps your feet, adidas did not have to design the opening too snug, which helps you get in and out of the shoe with ease while not sacrificing the overall hold of the shoe on your feet. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t like wearing socks, you might be delighted to know that the ventilation points on the Ultra Boost are ample and are based on a zonal system. For example, the forefoot top is more porous and breathable which also makes it more accommodating to stretching while the back is the opposite. But if you have a foot that sweats a lot, please do us all a favor and put on some socks. Adidas claims that the sole of the pair is made up of 3,000 individual energy capsules that have energy returning properties to give you an extra bounce in your step which results with you going longer and further, sometimes even faster. After putting it to the test, this claim is in fact true. I clocked a faster time

compared to my usual and covered more distance than usual too. The results could be because of many factors, but I would admit that maybe the biggest factor could be psychological knowing that the “best ever” running shoe was on my feet and working to my advantage. While running, I noticed the plastic cage surrounding the upper provides a secure lock on your foot when doing more rigorous activities. The detached design of the cage will move according to your foot’s movement and I think that it is a smart design move by adidas. In fact, you probably wouldn’t want to tie your laces too tight on this one, as it can be quite the choker. After a few jogging sessions and long days spent with the shoe, I am happy to report that I experienced little to no foot fatigue. Only thing is when wearing it, you always feel like you’re compelled to just… go. What I mean here is that the overall construction or design of the shoe is such that it seems to propel you forward all the time, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. Adidas has a worthy successor to the Pure Boost and Energy Boost. But if casual walking is more your thing, it’s also been extremely comfortable to take on trips. After hours of walking with the pair, it has proven one thing: it may possibly be, the Best Walking Shoe as well.

84 The Verdict

As you can tell from the above, I had a really good time with the Ultra Boost. It goes without saying that it is a very good pair of running shoes, and it looks terribly good as well. The Ultra Boost has managed to go beyond just being a running shoe. It has managed to bridge the gap between performance running and being stylish - it performs well as a running shoe at the same time you can wear them to the mall and still get looks.

But how does that qualify it as being the “Best Ever”? Is it because the Ultra Boost is more technologically advanced compared to its rivals? Is it because it helps you go further and longer with every step you take? Is it because Yeezus wore it? Is it because it has a decent resell price? Or is it because it looks good? I guess the answer to that is all of the above.

To me, a great pair of shoe isn’t just about whether it looks good, because judging base on looks alone is extremely subjective. It also isn’t just about how well it performs, because it may not perform the same way on someone else. To me, a great shoe is judged by how much of an impact the shoe has made in the scene and how much change it has brought along with it – and from the big splash the Ultra Boost has made so far, it’s crystal clear to see why this pair of shoes has been named the ‘best ever’!

UNDER ARMOUR. Words By BRYAN CHIN

Photographs By LIM JING RUN

Athletic footwear has been around for many years, some even as early as the 18th century. Some brands have come and gone, some are still around, and some just starting out. Under Armour is a relatively new brand to the athletic industry when in comparison to some of its rivals, but have managed to make a big impact in the industry given its approach in meeting a need.

It all started in 1995, where Kevin noticed that the cotton t-shirts he and his teammates of the University of Maryland football team wore underneath their jersey and pads were always soaked and heavy with sweat. Kevin was also dubbed as the “sweatiest guy on the football field” by his teammates and the t-shirts’ inability to keep him dry and comfortable meant that Kevin would have to change out 3 to 4 t-shirts per training session.

Frustrated by this, Kevin thought to himself, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There has to be something betterâ&#x20AC;?.

Through that simple statement, he set out to find an alternative. Right after he graduated in 1996, Kevin went on a “road-trip” to New York’s famous garment district and other fabric houses from various cities across the country collecting samples, and proceeded to create his first ever prototype. He then sends out the prototypes to his former teammates who had moved on to play in major teams on the NFL and with their feedback he perfected it. He registered the company name Under Armour, setup the company in the basement of his grandmother’s house, maxed out his credit card to produce his t-shirts, and, cliché enough, the rest is history. Just because of meeting a personal need and eventually sharing it with the world, Kevin and Under Armour have grown exponentially over the years to

stamp their dominance in the world of sports through performance apparel in almost every major sporting industry. Basketball, American and normal Football, Rugby, Racing, Mixed Martial Arts, you name it, they’re there. Heck even Golf is not spared. But, although Under Armour has been around for 19 years, it was not only in the past 8 years that they ventured out into footwear making. In January 2008, Under Armour launched their first ever line of running shoes, and followed by their basketball line in 2010, sending a big message to their biggest rivals that they were serious about being the “Athletic brand of this Generation” as stated by Kevin during an interview.

93 But the footwear industry would prove to be a tough wall to break through for a relatively new comer like Under Armour. First off, the footwear industry is already over populated not just with brands, but with an insane amount of models and products each brands are churning out to over saturate the market and to fight for market share. Secondly, their footwear line was getting drowned in the vast ocean of shoes as it seems like just another line of footwear from another brand. It lacked personality, it lacked character, and it lacked an identity. It would seem like a daunting task for Under Armour, the brand that got famous for their performance t-shirts to compete with the big boys in the footwear industry.

It was the start of 2013 when Under Armour decided to change things up, starting with their running footwear. They decided to approach footwear the best way they know how, which is to approach shoe making from a t-shirt making stand point. They first started by constructing a shoe from the fabric first. Using the same fabrics they use for their t-shirts, they made an almost seamless, lightweight and glove-like fit shoe in a bra factory. The results of this approach paid off big time as the running world welcomed their futuristic SpeedForm® shoe with open arms, giving it “two thumbs up” reviews on running magazines, websites, and blogs. Not forgetting the general population that jumped in on the hype thanks to its slick design and bright colors.

This year, Under Armour released their latest running silhouette, the SpeedForm® Fortis, which is the new and improved version of its predecessors. Boasting an upper that is made out of ArmourVent™ mesh which is used on some of their training t-shirts and gear, the upper delivers great breathability, stretchiness, durability and a fast drying jacquard knitted fabric which helps your feet maintain dryness throughout your run, while still maintaining its lightweight factor. But can a shoe that was made in a bra factory compete with the rest? And how much of an impact has it made on the company and the industry? Although Under Armour is one of the youngest sportswear brand in the industry, it has managed to overtake adidas to become the number 2 brand in the

States, and currently sits as the 5th most valuable sports brand in the world. And by going back to its t-shirt making roots, it has been extremely rewarding for the brand as sales for their footwear have grown tremendously over the years. It is reported that there is a 41% increase in their footwear sales from last year, and currently footwear makes up 20% of the company’s total net sales. We expect to see exciting times ahead not just for the brand Under Armour, but as an industry as a whole. How they will continue to look back at their small beginnings of meeting a need of one man, innovating from there, and how much of an impact will be done to the industry moving forward.

HOW TO TRAIN FOR: Words By BRYAN CHIN

Photographs By LIM JING RUN BRYZOID

A 10KM RUN with Ethan Curzon (@ethancurzon)

A 21KM RUN with Bryan Lim (@bryzoid)

A Full Marathon with Shaiful Ayisy (@shaifulayisy)

An Ultra Marathon with Evelyn Ang Loo (@missyblurkit)

97 A 10KM RUN with Ethan Curzon (@ethancurzon)

Besides being ½ of DJ duo group BATE, Ethan is also co-founder of local athletic inspired streetwear brand OBSCR. But what many don’t know is that Ethan use to be a professional sprinter who ran for the federal state of Wilayah Persekutuan. He represented the state for the 100M, 200M, 4 x 100M and 4 x 400M sprints in SUKMA back in 2009. Since then, although no longer running professionally, Ethan continues his fitness regime by weekly jogs in the parks, 2 weekly futsal sessions and many regular sweat sessions

while he spins on the DJ decks every weekend as he jumps up and down to the beats. In his regular jogs, Ethan often cover a distance of 10KM, and sometimes switching things up to go further if he is planning to join a 21KM marathon. But being from a sprinting background, Ethan’s favorite distance is still the 10KM. Here in this article, he shares with us some pointers on how to train for a 10KM run.

“For someone who has never done any long distance running, a 10km run may seem like a very big hurdle to cross. It isn’t something very hard to achieve physically, but for someone who doesn’t run at all, the problem is the mental state. To overcome that, do regular 2km-3km runs to kick things off. Better to start small then not starting at all. From there you build the momentum and go further. After you feel comfortable doing 3km, then increase it to 5km. Once you reach 5km, the momentum will make it easy for you to gradually increase the distance till you reach 10km.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once you have reached the 10km goal, the next goal is to work on your pace. In a long distance run, pace is very important. Achieving a 10km distance is very easy, but the challenge is how fast can you do it? For me, whenever I go for a competitive 10km run, I will set a goal for myself. Example, my goal is to finish the 10km distance under 50 minutes. And in order to achieve that you need training that is more than just regular runs. You need to work on your explosiveness and your stamina and below are a few exercises you can do to achieve that:â&#x20AC;?

1. Running up the stairs. - For added challenge, you can plan a trip to Batu Caves. - Take note to watch the impact on your knees while going down the stairs as it might affect your running if your knees are hurt.

2. Frog squats. - For added challenge, you can squat jump up the stairs, or up any objects like a ramp or a bench.

100

3. Front kicks.

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4. High-Knee Kick Exercise. - Stretch your knee up above your waist. - Kick out. - And do the same for the other leg.

102

103 A 21KM RUN with Bryan Lim (@bryzoid)

He is not just any photographer, but a fine-art photographer. Going by the alias @BRYZOID, Bryan has had his artwork featured on album covers, magazines and even a cover of a local magazine. His passion as a visual artist has brought him from being behind the camera to being in front of it as he is one of the faces for a brand new reality show on 8TV called FOUR by FOUR. And when Bryan isn’t behind or in front of the camera, he is also busy managing his passion project called 1972FC (www.1972fc.com) which is a website that covers anything football related, be it locally or around the world.

Fun fact about Bryan is that he used to be a pretty big sized dude with a weight of 85kg. And then one fine day, he decided he wanted to shed some pounds. So he started going to the gym, watched his diet and picked up running. The result of that combination is that he managed to shed a whopping 25kgs and went down 6 pant sizes. After achieving his weight lose goal, he wanted to continue to keep his weight in check and to also see how far he can push himself so he started participating in marathons and races. With a few 21km runs under his belt, Bryan shares with us a few tips and tricks on how he prepares for a 21km race:

“If you have completed a 10km run before, the biggest challenge to achieving a 21km run would be the mental obstacles you will face. Many a times, after you pass the 10km mark, your mind starts telling you “OMG you have another 11km to go? After all that time and pain, you still have another 11km to go? Just give up!” Best way to overcome that is to mentally prepare yourself by training your physical body. Train till your mind is confident in your body. “ “For me, how I prepare for my race is to follow a running schedule leading up to the race. The typical schedule would be a 10 weeks program. There are many simple schedules readily available online, so research on it and follow it religiously.” “Second thing to work on is your stamina. As I mentioned earlier, you need to prepare your body till your mind is confident in you making that 21km distance. For me, I do something called HIT (High Intensive Training) which is cardio exercises that will help build your stamina. Here are a few of my personal favourites:-“

104 1. Running on the spot. This simple exercise may seem easy, but if done right with proper posture, can be quite a challenge. - Make sure your back is straight. - When running, make sure to keep your knees high. Try to keep them around your waist level. - Do these for a few minutes until you start sweating then move on to the next exercise.

2. Jumping Jacks. This is pretty straight forward.

105 3. High Knee Jumps. - Jump up and try to use your knees to touch your elbows. - One thing to note is not to cheat by bringing your elbows down to meet your knees. Instead your knees should extend up to meet your elbows.

4. The Heisman - Basically this exercise is almost like running on the spot, instead you are hopping from left to right. - Make sure that you are properly warmed up before doing this exercise. - This is a great workout for not just your leg muscles, but also your core muscles too.

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5. Mummy Kicks - Put your hands straight out and alternate each hand from left to right while your legs are kicking outwards simultaneously.

“Usually when you are just starting out with HIT Training, don’t over exert yourself by doing it for too long. It may injure you and might make you miss out your run days and eventually mess up your schedule. Start short first and move on to longer training times. For those of you who are over achievers and think you can pull this off, I challenge you to open up YouTube and search “Shaun T Insanity Workout” and follow the full video. If you can pull off the whole 30 minutes, then I guess you are somewhat prepared for a 21km run. Good Luck!”

108

109 A Full Marathon with Shaiful Ayisy (@shaifulayisy)

He started running when he was at the tender age of 13. He fell in love with the sport and quickly became part of the athletics team for his school. He won his school’s annual cross country race for 5 years in a row and eventually because of his passion and dedication towards running; he became the captain for his athletics team. In 2004, he was nominated as the Under-15 State Sportsmen of the Year. Presently, Shaiful works as an Art Director in a creative agency and no longer runs professionally. But even with his crazy work load and with a hectic agency schedule, Shaiful still manages to fit in regular

runs with his running crew, Kyserun Krew, a Kuala Lumpur based running crew which he founded. Together with his running crew, Shaiful organizes weekly recreational runs and also running events. A mainstay name in our running scene here in KL for his involvement in building the scene and for participating in many major races, we managed to catch up with him and asked him about some of his advice in preparing for a full marathon. Here’s what he got to say:-

“Personally, 10km and 21km runs are all about speed. My favorite distance is actually 10km as I am more of a sprinting kinda guy, but I have completed quite a number of full marathons for experience sake and to also see how far I can push myself. My pace for a 10km run is around 4’50” and I usually finish the run below 47mins. For a 21km my pace is averagely 5’10” and finish around 1hour 48minutes. But all these numbers doesn’t necessarily mean it will translate to the same results when I run a full marathon. Consistency is key to achieving a good pace during a full marathon.“ “If you are a beginner and want to straight away go for a full marathon, the most basic you will need a running schedule. Most running schedules will be around 16 weeks long for a full marathon. With a 42km training regime, you will need at least one LSD (Long Slow Distance) run in a week. Increase the distance gradually till you reach 30km tops, or at least 25km to get you used to the distance.”

110 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will split my training into 2 parts, one is running, and another is cross training. 70% of my training time will be focused on running while the other 30% would be focused on cross-training which consist of gym sessions, condition training, biking and swimming. Gym sessions are necessary for strength training and building muscle mass; swimming is a good full body non-impact exercise to do to work on your breathing while you recuperate from running the long distance. Biking is good to train your thighs, specifically quadriceps and hamstrings and cross training helps you to build strength, work on good posture, and to help you avoid your body from shutting down during the long distance.â&#x20AC;?

Extra tips while prepping for your race: - A full marathon is a mind game, so in order to - Start your preparation early. Although there are

overcome it, break it down into parts. 10km /

some people who say you can prepare for a

10km / 10km / 10km / 2km. Finish one part and

marathon within just 1 and a half month, but for

go for the next part instead of looking at it as a

me I would strongly suggest to start preparing at

whole 42km.

least 3 months. - Set your pace for each part, and gradually - Start resting one week before your race. Make

increase the pace according to the parts. Also

sure you have a very good sleep the night before

break down your fuel (power gel, power bar etc) into

the race.

parts as well.

- Stay hydrated. Maintaining or gaining muscle

- Powergels or any energy source takes time to

strength is important when training, and in order

dilute and kick in. Usually 1-2KM, so take it at

to achieve that in your training, you must stay

every 8km mark of each part so that by the time

constantly hydrated.

you reach the 10km, you will have energy to go for the next 8km till you take the next powegel.

Extra tips during race day:

- Stay hydrated. Dehydration causes your blood volume levels to drop which leads to dizziness

- Start slow, and finish fast. Many times, people

and fatigue.

tend to get overly excited and run at a faster pace in the beginning of the race, which in the end tire

- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take big gulps when drinking water to avoid

themselves a lot faster. Go slow at first and build

side stitch ( also called side ache/side cramp, is an

your momentum, and let your muscles warm up

intense stabbing pain under the lower edge of the ribcage

and get use to the motions.

that occurs while exercising).

111

Joget Lambak - This exercise is suppose to help with your coordination and joint strengthening. - Do like you are running on the spot but don't run too fast as you might not be able to do the tapping. - Take your right hand and tap the inside of your left foot, and then the left hand taps the inside of your right foot. - The next step is to use your left hand to tap the outside back heel of your left foot and vice versa with your right hand and outside back heel of your right foot. - You're doing all this while still maintaining a jogging-on-the-spot rhythm. It might take awhile to get use to it, but after some practice you will get the hang of it.

112

Side Stitching Push Ups - Get into a push up position - Do one push up, and after the first push up, lift your right knee towards your right shoulder. - Repeat the procedure while changing from right to left knee.

113

114 Walking Lunges - Start off by lifting your right knee up high while your left foot stays put on the ground. make sure that your knee is in an almost 90 degrees position.

- From the 90 degrees position, stretch out your right foot so that your knee is no longer bended. Make sure to keep your leg completely straight so that you stretch out your muscles.

115

- After the extended stretch, land your right foot on the ground, while your knee is banded to a 90 degree position again. Make sure your right foot lands far away from your initial starting point.

- While maintaining the original footing point of your left foot, your left hamstring muscles will be stretched out in this position. Make sure to not let your left foot stray away from its original position. - Repeat process for about 4 - 5 times per leg.

Lastly, a word of motivation from my high school running coach: “The medal is already there in the palm of your hands, it’s up to you to grab it.”

116

117 An Ultra Marathon with Evelyn Ang Loo (@missyblurkit)

Evelyn Ang Loo might seem like a normal 42 year old lady, but she is far from normal. Besides running a boutique advertising agency with her husband, she is also a very active with her blog (www.missyblurkit.com), covering mostly food, traveling, lifestyle topics and most importantly her journey as a runner. She first picked up running about 5 years ago when she wanted to raise funds for a charity. It was during the Nike City 10KM Run back in 2010 where she and her friends got together and got their other friends to pledge money for every kilometre that they ran and from that money, donate it to a charity of their choice. Since then, she hasn’t stopped running. In fact, she loves running so much that she is now an Ultra Marathoner. For those of you who don’t know what is an Ultra Marathoner, it’s a term we normal people use to call

crazy people, who run races that cover an insane amount of distances. Some even as far as 3000KM! (The longest footrace in the world is 4989km long). Well jokes aside, as long as the distance of the footrace is above 42km, it is considered an ultra-marathon, and for Evelyn, the furthest she has completed is a 73km run, and she has done a 144km walkathon. During our short chat with her, she has shared with us that she has committed herself to run in the Big Red Run 2016, which is an ultra-marathon held at the Simpson Desert, Australia and will be covering a total distance of 250KM over 6 days. We also got Evelyn to share with us on how she prepares for her ultra-marathons and also some of the tips and advices she can give to you guys who might want to follow in Evelyn’s ways and challenge themselves to complete an ultra-marathon.

“No matter the distance, be it 4km, 42km, or 400km, running long distance is a test of both your mental and physical strength. Running for a very long distance can be very taxing on the body so preparation is very, very important. Besides these two factors, you will also need to prepare the equipment you will be running in. For example a certain pair of shoe may be very comfy for a short 5km run, but might start to give you blisters after 15km. Or certain powergels might not sit well with your tummy. Or certain compression socks might cause you to cramp up. So always test out the gear you will be using. “ “I try to divide my training into two parts, one is for the physical, and the other is for my mental strength. Many a times, mental training involves physical training too, because you need your mind to get over the physical strain.”

118 Physical: - Work on your core. Strong legs are a must for runners, but to become a more resilient athlete, having strong core muscles is key:

1. Side Planks

2. Half Superman Plank

119

3. Fire Hydrant Plank

4. Calf Raise

120

- Besides the usual gym sessions, cross training

- I also do Aqua Jogging or some call it Deep Water

and running, I like to try out other alternative

Running. A lot of people view this technique as

forms of exercise. For me I do yoga regularly

something for old people to do, but it is a great

which is very good for agility and flexibility.

way to work out and practice good running form. Basically you strap on a buoyancy belt which keeps you afloat and you run in the water. The water gives you drag which makes it harder for you to run, so in return help you build muscles and gives you a good work out. This can be a form of rehab if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sustained an injury because there is no impact at all to your joints, or can also be considered cross-training.

- Eat right and eat clean. Best to prepare your own meals so you know what you are putting into your own body.

- Go to the gym and build some muscles. Running long distances, especially when you are running ultra-marathons, the distance will not only burn fat, but will also burn muscles. So it is important for you to go to the gym to build.

121 Mentally: - Run in the rain, hot sun, or at night. Because you

- Run without music. Similar to running in a

will be running for long hours, and sometimes

group, music can help motivate you while you

the weather can be really harsh on you, so best

run. So in order to train my mind, I run alone,

be prepared for it. Running in different weather

and without music. Also, one of the good things

will help condition your mind and body to be

about running without music is that you will be

used to it.

able to concentrate on your breathing.

- Run for long hours, alone. When you run with

- Try to smile while you run, and keep yourself

running buddy or with a group, you will be more

positive and happy. Running sad will make you

motivated to go further or faster. But running

very demotivated to cover the distance.

alone can help sharpen your mind to motivate yourself or to push yourself.

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123

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