The PUMA Quad, a pop-up store and entertainment venue, is built from four 40 feet containers, with three creating a ground level and one on the top. It is located near the Amphitheatre at the V&A Waterfront. It will be open from 9am to 9pm from Friday 25 November to Sunday 11 December. The ground floor will host a PUMA shop selling official Volvo Ocean Race merchandise as well as PUMA Sailing products.

An entertainment area, which opens up onto a wooden deck, will house Bar Mostro where PUMA will host events and keep PUMA fans entertained in true PUMA style.

PUMA Quad activities include Grinding Competitions, Spinnaker Sessions – sunset music sessions with cool local DJs, a photobooth and an extraordinary shopping experience.

We are confined to keeping it in its own area, which I am sure you have become accustomed to. Let’s reflect on this area, often known as the Drawer of Death or the Man Drawer (kudos to TheHousemate for sending this along):

Excellent way to set the tone for the rest of this article. It is indeed extremely important for a man to have toys. If you do not believe me, please attend an Ironman race or a Geek conference. Worlds apart, they have 1 common fact: He with the most toys, wins.

So it is in this vain that I am doing a toys research program for O till O. A reminder of what that is…

54km of running.
11km of swimming.

Continuously.

Here are some images:

Really, equipment choice is going to make or break this day. Having the right wetsuit to be able to swim and run in, the right nutrition, the right shoes, the right paddles, pull buoy, socks, base layer, goggles, etc etc can all potentially ruin what is one of the toughest days in the world, anywhere. This is why I am researching and testing products already, possibly having custom stuff made and going about making it as easy as possible for my partner and myself.

Equipment plays a huge part in that. During Cape Epic 2009, we had ZERO issues with our Morewood bikes. In a race where mechanical issues can break you, our bikes held out perfectly. The 1 mechanical we had was human error, but there is no cure for that.

I have recently started riding a new bike and can honestly say that it’s a completely new animal. The work that has gone into every element of it’s design is incredible. I had years ago ridden it’s “older brother” for a season. It was considered the worlds fastest time trial bike for 10 years. This new, younger, more virile version has absolutely knocked my socks off. Want to guess what is it?

Testing equipment and making sure you have the best at your disposal nowadays is not that tough. Bike shops will try organize a ride for you. Running stores have demo shoes for you to take around a few blocks. Take your time. It’s possibly a big money decision, one which could affect you for years to come.

While I am nursing this knee of mine back to optimal health, it’s been fun to think of all the gear that makes getting from session to session just a little easier and analyse what I need to keep and what needs to be adapted. We should never stop innovating, testing and playing with gear. It’s an essential part of our nature.

A more inspirational post coming tomorrow…

Cape Town, South Africa, April 2011 – Visitors to the Two Oceans Marathon Expo between 20 and 22 April will be able to pit their speed against world record speedster Usain Bolt, and stand to win lucrative running sponsorships.

Technical supplier to the race PUMA will operate their Usain Bolt FAAS Test mini-track – an electronically timed speed trap – where the public can test their running speed against Bolt’s, with the fastest man and woman during the three days of the expo each winning a 1 year PUMA product sponsorship worth R10 000.

PUMA is also bringing their FAAS lab, a pop-up PUMA store transformed to celebrate the Jamaican Athletic Federation, to the Expo – look out for the dreadlocks, Jamaican rhythms and sugar cane.

Expert runners including Elana Meyer, Dan Hugo, Jacques van Rensburg and Leanne Juul will be on hand to introduce visitors to PUMA’s latest footwear – the award winning FAAS 500 and 300 minimalist, lightweight running shoes. Faas is the Jamaican word for fast, and the name fits.

There will also be loads of Two Oceans Memorabilia on sale and runners who present their race numbers qualify for a 25% discount.

Visit www.puma.com/running for more information.

Give it to Puma, this is a fun ad. I have been running in the FAAS 500 now for a few weeks and it’s been a revolution of sorts. The FAAS range is not going to be for every runner, but if you are looking for a fun shoe to run anything up to 21km in and you have a neutral or mild (very) stability need, then the FAAS could be the perfect shoe for you. Head into a Puma Concept Store to try them on.

Quite a bit is going on this time of the year in terms of product innovation and new toys being delivered. I always attempt to be progressive and find simple ways to improve my performances without necessarily training more. Some people like to call this “free speed” but really, its hardly ever free. These things cost money. I am fortunate enough to be able to work with some amazing companies to play with the newest, latest and greatest and test them out to see what works.

I like sharing this information. In the last 3 months I have played with a variety of new toys. Many of them didn’t work and some were really fun and worked. Here is a short list of the stuff which has been great to play with:

The Morewood Kwela 29er (I currently have the only one in the world) has been a fun experience. 29ers are all the rage and it has been quite a learning curve as to where this rage is best located. There are times when my Zula is simply better and times when the 29er is the obvious choice. Tight single track – Zula. Open, flowing stuff, Kwela.

This weekend I am taking both bikes out to Grabouw to test ride the Xterra course on them both and will make the call then which one to use for that specific course. Either way, I am ridiculously spoilt to have the options.

I started running in Puma FAAS500 shoes this week and so far they have been a revelation. I have not felt a shoe that feels so different in the last 10 years. That is my honest opinion and I will stand by it. The Bioride technologies in the shoe are simple and work. They are very well cushioned, they force you to run with a natural motion (i.e. slightly more forward with a fast toe roll off) and they sit super snug on your feet. They are not for heavy overpronators but if you are a neutral runner or need limited stability, looking for anything from 5 to 21km running shoes, these would be my bet for this year. After only 3 runs in them, I am going to be doing almost all my running (ex trail) in these for the year.

Whilst that is not my arm, I am highly excited by this product from Garmin, which I have ordered here. The older versions of the quick release were nice, but the reviews on this one are the bomb diggity. Racing triathlons just got that bit easier if you own a 310XT, as this strap is secure and fast so that you don’t have to raise your arms off the aerobars to check heart rate, power, etc.

There are a few new items I am playing with which I cannot give a comprehensive review on just yet, as the test period is not quite over yet but I will report on these soon. They include energy drinks, foam rollers, socks, tyres and awaiting my new kit to arrive any day now. It’s all so exciting.

Boys and their toys. In this case, I am in heaven….

Victory doesn’t always come in the form of a winning drop goal or hitting a six. Sometimes, victory is just as simple as getting a phone number after a long night out on the town.  This December, sportlifestyle brand, PUMA^®, salutes these after-hours athletes with the launch of The PUMA Social Club, a place for the social games we play off the field with friends when the sun goes down.

From Wednesday 1 December to Saturday 4 December, PUMA is bringing the party to 120 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, for a weekend of late night competition and celebration. The launch night will be invite-only, but the public can attend PUMA Social Club from 2 Decemeber onwards.

Are you a master at darts?  Or a table tennis sensation?  If you prefer 5am taxis over 5am runs, then the PUMA Social Club was made for you. PUMA Social Club is a pop-up retail and nightlife venue that will bring the concept of “vintage” social sports to life.  Celebrating the notion of being social, not just online but in everyday life, the PUMA Social concept is about having fun and hanging out with friends.

PUMA Social Club Cape Town is modeled on the PUMA Social Clubs launched in Los Angeles, Berlin and London earlier this year. The Cape Town edition will host a variety of live entertainment each night, including surprise music acts. Guests can also enjoy pies, boerewors rolls and other late night snacks.

To better help these after hour athletes keep score, PUMA created Life Scoreboard, an online and mobile software application allowing you to keep a running score on any rivalry or contest you fancy. Whether it’s ping pong against your brother, a pizza-eating contest against your roommate or guessing which socialite will go to jail next, life’s always more fun when you’re keeping score. To get involved in your own challenge or to simply enjoy anyone else’s grudge match, players can sign up at www.lifescoreboard.com.

For more information about The PUMA Social Club, visit www.puma.com/social.  Become a fan on http://www.facebook.com/puma or follow the happenings via twitter at @thepumastore and use #pumasocial for any Tweets about PUMA Social.