Earlier this year, PUMA announced the beginning of their Project3 initiative and they've now provided update on its progress following the Boston Marathon. PUMA's chosen runners spanned 12 countries, and 30 of the 90 Project3 participants raced to their new PBs. Of those, 15 runners broke their records by over three minutes, making them eligible for a taste of PUMA's massive cash prize, with the brand paying out over $54K in cash prizes.
Of the participating PUMA Project3 runners, the fastest times went to Joseph Whalen (2:12:16) who finished 20th in the men's race and Kylee Raftis (2:34:41) who beat her previous PB by over four minutes. Manuel Diaz Callejero (02:33:35) also smashed his previous record by a mindblowing 11 minutes and 41 seconds.
Runners took on the course wearing the new PUMA Fast-R NITRO Elite 3, with Whalen giving the shoe high praise. 'The Fast-R NITRO Elite 3 are amazing,' he said. 'They were super responsive; great on the ups and even better on the downs.'
As the dust settles in Boston, all eyes are on London for the next major marathon, where a further 96 Project3 runners will take to the start line. Stay tuned for updates as they come in!
Ever wondered what it’s like to be an elite runner? Thanks to PUMA’s latest initiative, you might just get the chance to find out. Project3 is a first-of-its-kind scheme, designed by the Big Cat to give participants of the 2025 London and Boston Marathons the opportunity to experience training like a pro runner, trial new race day-ready products, and win cash prizes.
Applications for the project begin way before the marathons themselves, as 100 lucky runners will be given the chance to prep for race day just as PUMA athletes do. This means they’ll be given a bunch of the brand’s most innovative running products, as well as access to PUMA’s Elite Running Team coaches, athletes, and innovation team in order to boost their training and send them well on their way to beating their PB. Those who manage to beat their current best time by three minutes or more can even win a cash prize of $3000.
PUMA will also award $3000 to the fastest finishing male and female Project3 runner of each race, and to those who beat their existing PB by the biggest margin. Six runners will also be rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to a PUMA-sponsored race later this year, as well as a year’s worth of training kit valued at $5000.
There’s plenty to be won, but in order to apply, you’ll need to hit the following criteria. One: You must hold a valid London or Boston Marathon 2025 race bib/entry. Two: Your current marathon PB must be 3:10 or less.
If you're ready to beat your own record, you can apply . Applications will close at 3pm (CET) on 27th January, 2025.