Somebody once showed me a tweet stating that a Taurus has a playlist for every life situation. That tweet did not lie. I have a playlist for...

- Running 

- Swimming 

- Yoga 

- Studying

- Driving 

- Falling Asleep

• x THE WMN 2020 this was the official playlist for Women's month in 2020 curated by my Fave Dj Scottthegirl
  
• Yoga Practice of... I can't Breathe in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement 
  
• Swimming Session To... Appreciate Open Water this is music that reminds me of swimming in the Open water
  

Going forward the aim is to have a playlist curated by somebody from this community every month. For the month of April 2021 Chana-Lee Preston was kind enough to share some of her favourite music selections. 

2020 was the film that the producers of 2012 wanted their film to be. As I am typing this I am watching a documentary on Netflix called "PANDEMIC: How to prevent an outbreak". A thesis needs to be published about this year because WOW! this was an experience for the history books. 

However, with every bad there is some good that comes out of it. With this pandemic I am happy that it has changed the usual way of working. All that time spent in traffic in our past lives, I used it to run, practice yoga and sometimes some laps in the pool. Lets not talk about December though because this month, was for rest and reset. My body and needed this, being a full time employee and a part time honours student really sucked everything out of me. The Gag is... I am already thinking about what I am going to study next year. 

- YOU CANT STOP THE RUN -

When I received these shoes in the mail, I must admit I was internally jumping from wall to wall. Running shoes make me happy, so you can imagine the smile on my face when I opened my orange box with my Mango orange shoes.

On November 1 2020, Caster Semenya with Nike challenged runners all over the world. To run like they never have before #RunWithCaster that was the hashtag. Check it out on Instagram, mileage is still being clocked. As I write about them now, I have clocked around 70 km's in them and I am scared that I am going to clock 800 km in them soon.

The Nike Air Zoom Tempo Next% Flyknit are dubbed the training companion to the Nike Alphafly NEXT%. The idea is that you train as you would with the Tempo Next% and then unleash the Alpha Fly Next% on race day. 

The Tempo Next% comprises of several technologies such as

• ZoomX foam in the forefoot
• React foam in the heel
• Zoom Airpods under the forefoot
• FlyKnit Upper
• Offset lacing 
• Carbon composite plate

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ThatIndieRunner (@thatindierunner)

Thoughts?

As mentioned above, I have clocked around 70 km in these shoes. I can say this. Whatever you know about running shoes, put that in the back of your mind and open yourself up to a new running experience. You can feel the technologies mentioned above even while standing still in these shoes. So my first run was not like my other runs, I really used it to get accustomed to these shoes. Before I went running in them I spent a few days walking around in them, at the mall and on the streets. I was breaking them in, this was needed because the upper is really a tight fit so I wanted to stretch out the upper. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ThatIndieRunner (@thatindierunner)

Every time I go running in these shoes, I like them a little more. They make it easier to forefoot strike, This is what I told Abelang in the IG DM's. I also like these shoes because they are dripping in aesthetics, can run in these with shorts shorts or tights.

REMEMBER

RUN... BUT MAKE IT FASHION. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ThatIndieRunner (@thatindierunner)

The Nike Air Zoom Tempo Next% FK is available on Nike.com & other retailers for a RRP of R3 599.95 (Get it in the white colourway with the blue/pink accents, I am obsessed!!!!!!)

#RunRevolution

Something good came to my doorstep during the Lockdown. I am typing this now, like lockdown is over. The Gag is, we are still living with the Coronavirus, trying to exist in this new uncertain reality. Personally, I do not have energy for a lot of things but Running, you don't have to ask me twice. You don't even have to finish your sentence & I am already lacing up my shoes, trying to make it fashion. 

In this case the new PUMA UltraRide. In perfect colours for Spring. 

View this post on Instagram

🏃🏾 THE DROP 🏃🏾 The Latest Innovation from @puma The PUMA UltraRide, has a outsole cutaways. The look completed with a running jacket I am obsessed! With! Cos you know RUN, make it fashion... Going to test this whip during my runs during August. I have never had white shoes in my life, any tips on how I can keep them in pristine condition? S/O to @pumasouthafrica for the drop 👌🏽 📸 : @thatindiesnap

A post shared by ThatIndieRunner (@thatindierunner) on Jul 31, 2020 at 9:30am PDT

One of the iconic features of this shoe, is how light it is. The objective by PUMA was to do away with bulky materials. Rather embracing the Reductionist theory, the focus here was cushioning and responsiveness. There's even a cutaway in the midsole, I think of it as the "bridge" feature in the shoe. Bridging the gap between the toe section and heel section of the shoe. Technologies such as ProFoam (For a cushioned and responsive run) and ProPlate (PUMA's propulsion plate for a reflex toe-off) are incorporated in this shoe. There's also a mesh upper, which is on brand with the light, airy feel which the design of this shoe is based on. 

             Thoughts?

Over the past few weeks I have done a few runs in these shoes. The colourway I received was the white - fizzy yellow edition. There are some parts of my route where I have to run on gravel and I am always worried about them getting dirty. There's a level of adulting that you have to reach to be able to keep white shoes white. I have not reached that level of adulting yet. If you are like me then you have to go for the darker colourway. 

I was also a bit skeptical about the "bridge" which I mentioned earlier. I have relatively flat feet and I am not the slimmest boy on the street. I am part of the thick squad. The soles help up well against my body also I could feel the cushiony sole. In fact you feel this, when you slide your foot in for the first time. Much like the PUMA HYBRID NX Ozone . 

I like these shoes for short runs capped at 10 km, I would also take them to the gym floor once I reactivate my membership. However, I also like them for UmSwenko, as shown above I received the whole outfit as worn by PUMA’s Norwegian athletes, two-time World Champion Karsten Warholm and hurdler, Amalie Iuel. I'm thinking of a YouTube video on how i am going to style the individual pieces. Should I? 

The PUMA UltraRide is avaliable on PUMA.COM and other retailers for a price of R1 999.99

#RunRevolution

Welcome to the Hotel California, in another life I really want to explore the world. I want to walk on the Hollywood walk of fame. I miss being in the air and looking over the clouds. By the way I really think that one of the airlines flies lower than the others. Can you guess which one? 

A while back I had the opportunity to host Eligia over IG Live. She has been part of the community for a very long time and a week doesn't go by without us chatting in the DM's. So this is actually the perfect way to close off x THE WMN 2020. Unfortunately technology happened so the interview has been split into the podcast on YouTube and text interview. Both which you can view below. 

THAT INDIE TALK PODCAST EPISODE 13 Pt. 1

THAT INDIE TALK PODCAST EPISODE 13 Pt. 2

- Other interesting reads for women's month feature the below WMN -

- Refilwe Mokgosi , A cyclist, runner and future iron man finisher from Johannesburg, South Africa

         

- Ncumisa Pongoma , A vegan chartered accountant and fitness influencer from Johannesburg South Africa. 

- Hasina Bharoochi , A teacher, mother and niqaabi runner from Johannesburg, South Africa. Who improved the condition of her autoimmune illness through consistent running and healthy eating.

- Roseline Eyenike , a yoga teacher and my sole mate from Lagos, Nigeria. Who recently ran 45km unprovoked during covid-19 times as part of a charity drive.