Podium Festival Takes Leicester by Storm - Salomon POV

The Sportsshoes Podium Festival, renowned for hosting the UK's fastest 5Km running races, did not disappoint. On March 16th, the city of Leicester welcomed athletes and enthusiasts alike to witness the pinnacle of speed and determination.

As racing enthusiasts gathered, the atmosphere was electric with excitement and anticipation, as the festival's reputation drew competitors from far and wide (as far as Ethiopia), eager to test their mettle on one of the UK's fastest track.

Amidst the adrenaline-fueled races and thunderous ringing of cowbells, the Sportsshoes Podium Festival showcased the epitome of sporting excellence. Participants pushed their limits, and PB's were broken.

For the first time, the best road running brands were invited to the festival and showcase their fastest product. Having recently launched our new super shoe - the S/Lab Phantasm 2 - it was the perfect stage for us to connect with a road running core audience.

Meet two of the UK athletes who ran under the Salomon banners for this events, both breaking their PB's

Abbey Brooke

Hey I’m Abbey, currently a Management MSc Student at Loughborough University. I studied Economics and Management BSc (Honours) attaining a 2.1 and because of the great atmosphere at Loughborough with Bill Foster’s training group I decided to stay another year. I’m originally from Wakefield in the North and I’ve been running since I was 12 at Wakefield Harriers. I currently work part time for Red Bull UK in their marketing department and attend various events across the UK promoting Red Bull which is a lot of fun!

Jack Woods

Hey my name is Jack Woods - I’m 26 years old and currently living in West Sussex on the South Coast of the UK. I have recently worked in the business services sector - however I’ve recently taken a short career break to further pursuer my athletic and running endeavors!

How did you start running?

Abbey:

I have a wide background in sports having swam for my local club, represented West Yorkshire for Netball and my team came 2nd in the country at the National Hockey finals all whilst training at Wakefield Harriers. Ultimately, because of my academic ambitions it became challenging to balance all these sports at a high level and because I came 1st at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships I decided to focus on running. At Wakefield Harriers, I was supported by my coach Christ Mitchell and the environment at the club.

Jack:

I’ve always enjoyed being involved in the sport environment from a young age and decided to join my local running club (Worthing Harriers) when I was 13 years old. I love both the physical and mental benefits that you gain from running - being able to de-stress and become at one with your surroundings. I’ve also met some great people along the way that have gone on to becoming life long friends!

What’s your favorite distance?

Abbey:

Currently, my favourite distance is 5Km because of the endurance and challenge this discipline requires. I come from a cross country background and this has given me the strength and stamina to move up into the longer distances. My current PB for 5Km is 16 minutes and 34 seconds which I gained at the Podium 5Km Event 2024 representing Salomon and 34 minutes and 23 seconds for 10Km at Trafford 10Km 2024 representing The North of England. My favourite place to run is either Haw Park Woods in Walton or Beacon Hill Country Park near Loughborough.

Jack:

I enjoy racing over 5k which is best suited for my training at the moment - running along the south coast is lovely, although you do have to factor in the occasional strong winds when incorporating your training sessions!

A fun fact about you?

Abbey:

I had lunch with Paul Radcliffe in Monaco last year!

Jack:

I am the course record holder of my local Parkrun’s down in Worthing and Littlehampton! I was very pleased to break these course records as they were originally held by Jake Wightman, the 2022 1500m world champion!

Could you tell us about your Podium Festival experience?

Abbey:

The Podium 5Km Events are always a great opportunity to compete against elite athletes across the UK who are all striving to gain PB’s therefore it was a great chance to push my limits. The Podium 5Km Event in Leicester held in March was a high energy event with the Red Bull East-Midland team being present to give everyone wiiings for their races and with the opportunity to represent Salomon this was an event I wasn’t going to miss!

Jack:

I ran at the Podium 5k event in Leicester with the aim of being competitive as well as the possibility of running a fast time. I felt that my training leading up to this race went very smoothly with some consistent weeks of mileage and gym work alongside.

The race itself started off fast, but I was able to tuck-in and hold onto the initial quick pace. As the race went on, I was able to move through the pack and utilise this to combat the unsettled weather on the day. Moving into the final stages, I was positioned well to finish quickly over the final straight to which I finished in 2nd in the Men’s Elite B race with a new Personal Best of 14:21 over the 5k distance😊

How was it to run for Salomon / with Salomon kit? Any feedback?

Abbey:

It was an honour to represent Salomon. It’s a brand I admire due to the high quality and prestigious reputation. The S/Lab Phantasm shoes provided the comfort and cushioning that contributed to gaining my new PB of 16 minutes and 34 seconds which is 61 seconds than my previous so it’s fair to say these are the fastest shoes on the scene! The Overall experience representing Salomon, wearing the high performance kit, gaining a remarkable PB and seeing some of my fellow training partners who also represented Salomon gain PB’s is a memory I will never forget.

Jack:

I was delighted to be asked to run this race in the Salomon kit - I felt that the S/LAB Phantasm 2 shoes were fantastic in providing a quick and snappy feel, as well as having enough support to racing on the road. I now even use these shoes for my training sessions in the build up to races and feel that these shoes have great traction for running over longer distances. I would more than happily use these shoes for future races on the road!

When was the last time you beat your PB?

Abbey:

In the last few years I’ve struggled with injury’s and it’s only within the last 6 months that I’ve been able to put together a consistent training block. I knew I was in PB shape because I gained a PB of 34 minutes and 23 seconds at the Trafford 10Km a few weeks prior to Podium. This gave me the confidence that I could PB at the Podium 5Km Event especially wearing the S/Lan Phantasm shoes.

What’s next for you?

Abbey:

I’m heading to undertake warm weather training in Portugal along with the high level athletes at Loughborough University. I open the season at the Birmingham Open for the 3,000m race to test my fitness before I debut on the track for 10,000m at The Night of the 10Km at Highgate. I’d love to break my current PB over 1,500m and 3,000m along with gaining some fast times over 5,000m and 10,000m before I end the track season and start some road races in later September.

Jack:

I’m set to do some 1500 meters and 5k races on the track this summer, with the aim to being competitive and lowering my PB’s this year. I also endeavour to do some 10k and half marathon races for my future development into road racing and potentially towards the Marathon in a few years time!