Until the Sir Jog A Lot blog takes off and we can afford to employ writers with different running styles, I’m afraid that we’re only going to be able to review trainers designed for over-pronators (runners who land on the outside of the foot). The PUMA Complete Velosis range are exactly that.

The Complete Velosis (PUMA’s flagship running shoe of 2009) technically fall into the neutral runner category (runners that land flat-footed) but the extra soft rubber padding on the outside of the heel and across the sole to the little toe would suit an over-pronating style well. I’ve never worn a shoe quite like it. The padding around the ankles is half an inch thick, leaving hardly any room for wiggle or the dreaded (and embarrassing) ankle roll. It takes some getting used to, but the sensation is that your foot is locked securely in position.

The trainers are pretty striking when you open the box. I’m fairly picky when choosing trainers. Being superficial (and proud of it), I tend to pick trainers off the shelf based solely on how they look and I’m seldom blown away by most designs. But I have to say I absolutely love the design. The trainers look like a high-tech gadget rather than a running shoe; made up of loads of tiny parts that look as though they’ve been assembled with a soldering iron! The Puma stripe was so reflective that I practically blinded a family member after they caught a glimpse of the sun.

After a few road tests, however, a few flaws began to shine through. I took the trainers on holiday to Spain, where I ran on a mixture of concrete and dirt tracks. The cushioning works well on concrete, giving a good bounce. But when running off road I was made to work a bit harder; the soft cushioning around the heel seemed to be slightly too much. It’s a big shoe and you might feel weighed down in them.

Also, Puma boasts that the trainers have a wide platform to boost stability. But this leaves a lot of room around the toes and if you have thin feet (like me) then your feet can spin on the heel, leaving your toes slipping from right to left. After about 10k or so, I found that my big toe was hanging over the edge of the sole and trying to push out of the material on the side. This left me with blisters.

There’s no doubt thought that these trainers will last you a long time, which might justify the £90 price tag. If you can, try and find an outlet that will allow you to test the PUMA Complete Velosis out on a treadmill before you buy them. Make sure that you’re comfortable with the gripping sensation around the ankle and rock your feet on your heel to check that there’s not too much width around your toes.

Sir Win A Lot

You can be in with a chance of winning a pair of PUMA Complete Velosis.

You can enter in one of two ways. Either…

1. Post a message on Twitter by clicking this link or…
2. Answer the following question:

What type of animal is a PUMA?

A. Bat

B. Rat

C. Cat

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

*Winners will be contacted either by email or Twitter and announced on 25th September. Your email address will in no way be distributed to third parties.

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