TRAIL
Running in Balance
At the beginning of 2023 , Brandon signed up to run for New Balance as a sponsored athlete , and he says he has been blown away both by the quality of the brand , and the incredible generosity of the New Balance team , which has contributed largely to his success on the trails , including his win at MaxiRace . We asked him a few questions about this .
MA : Tell us how you linked up with New Balance , please . BH : I ’ m good friends with Travis Warwick Oliver , as we went to school together , and he ’ s also with New Balance . He had his leg amputated and is now involved with a lot of charities , and he has gotten into trail running , so he ’ s doing great things and inspiring a lot of people . He reached out to me after my second place at MUT last year to say that he is going to chat to Angie from New Balance and see if I can possibly get involved with them , too . I then spoke to Angie , she asked for my CV , but said they only recruit at the end of the year , so I didn ’ t hear from them again and basically forgot about it . Then on the 10th of November , the day my daughter was born , I received an email from her to offer me a contract with New Balance . It was a very nice surprise on an already special day !
It was actually a tricky question for me , as I was opening the new business and the little one had just arrived . I wasn ’ t going to stop trail running , but to be competitive for the 100km and 100-mile distances , you have to put the miles on the legs and spend time in the mountains . I was going to prioritise family and business a lot more this year , and do a bit less running , but then this offer popped up , so I spoke to my wife and said , it ’ s not every day that you get an opportunity like this , and she said go for it . So , I signed the contract . It ’ s such a great brand , Angie is awesome , like a friend , and New Balance really looks after its athletes . I ’ ve got friends that are involved with other brands , and I can tell you that compared to the rest , we are very well looked after by New Balance .
MA : So which shoes are you running in now ? BH : It depends on the run , because I ’ ve got the whole range of the New Balance
shoes . The FuelCell Summit Unknown is their shorter distance shoe , so I use those in training and for shorter distance races , but for the longer stuff , I alternate between the Fresh Foam Hierro v7 , and the new Fresh Foam X More Trail v3 . I also have the FuelCell Propel for speedwork on the road . My go-to shoe is the Hierro , as it is extremely comfortable and the most durable , and you can basically run anywhere with it . It ’ s got the Vibram Megagrip underneath , which is great . The More Trail also has the Vibram outsole , and a thicker sole , so they are obviously more cushioned , but I prefer the Hierro on the more technical trails .
I actually mix the shoes during races . For example , at MUT I ran the first 75 kays or so in the Hierro , because the first section was very technical , very wet and muddy , and we were going through waist-deep rivers , so our feet were always wet , but the shoe worked brilliantly . Then I put on the Mores when the trail became a lot more runnable , and they were a perfect match for that part of the route . By that stage I was pretty tired , and struggling with the ITB , so just putting my feet into a fresh pair of socks and then into those Mores gave me a huge mental boost !
MA : I take it you ’ re quite a big fan of the fresh foam midsoles ? BH : Definitely ! I ’ ve been through a lot of shoes through the years , and I don ’ t think anything comes close to the comfort of the New Balance shoes . They make your running easier and super comfortable , especially those longer runs on the road .
MA : And your thoughts on the New Balance kit ? BH : They have everything you can think of , a massive variety , and they ’ ve come out now with their new All Terrain Range , which is specifically for trail . I ’ ve always battled to find a decent pair of shorts , because I chafe quite a bit , but I ’ ve never had any issues with the New Balance kit . A lot of the pants have built-in tights , which really helps with that . I like the New Balance casual wear as well . Overall , the quality is great , and I ’ ve received so much , so I can ’ t complain at all .
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