These shoes, at 235 grams (Men’s model), are rather lightweight compared to other regular trainers, but definitely not amongst the lightest in its class given the recent boom of Minimalist-type shoes in the market and that almost every big shoe brand now has its own range of “less-is-good” shoes.

You’ve drank sufficient fluids before a race, stocked yourself on energy fuels during one, and yet the cramps set in once in a while. In some serious cases, spasms and muscle revolt can even cause complete impairment.

The Salomon XR Mission is specifically tailored to the morphology and motion of men and women, with the XR Mission Women being the first shoe in Salomon’s range to be outfitted with Women’s Specific Ride.

Trail running is a multi-sensory experience, and you’d be surprised how much more you enjoy your run. There’s a bit more effort required to haul your ass up to the top of each climb, but cruising down the other side is the perfect recovery.

New Balance’s latest N2 cushioning technology, nitrogen-injected heel, offers a cushy run. The ride was pretty decent, with a smooth heel to toe transition. The shoe’s low heel to toe ratio is great for mid-foot running and a natural foot strike.

There’s probably more misinformation on the subject of hydration than any other aspect of fuelling, which is really bad because over hydration also presents the most serious physiological consequences of any fuelling issue.