Heatwave in Europe, New Gels, and Running Icons

Despite the stellar lineup, Sydney's course is considered challenging. According to Carlos Gueiros, one of the show's hosts, it's the "worst of the majors" in terms of elevation, which could influence final times. The expectation is that an athlete with Sisay Lema's Valencia time would finish the Australian race in approximately 2h04 or 2h05.

Lactate 60: The Gel That Could Change Sports Nutrition

After the London Marathon, the buzz behind the scenes wasn't just about an athlete's performance, but also the gel they used during the race. The Spanish company Santa Madre announced the commercial launch of Lactate 60, an innovative product combining 40g of carbohydrates (in a 1:1 glucose and fructose ratio) with 60 millimoles of lactate.

Historically associated with muscle fatigue, lactate is now understood by science as a potential fuel source for the body during intense efforts. The launch, initially planned for 2027, was moved up due to the impact of the athlete's marathon debut. The nutritional strategy, which includes Lactate 60 as a supplement (not a substitute) for traditional carbohydrate intake, is part of the athlete's protocol.

While Santa Madre presents the gel's proposition on its website, no independent studies have yet been published to prove performance gains in competition. However, Lactate 60 raises a crucial question: after the race for high-carbohydrate gels, will lactate be the next big chapter in sports nutrition? The discussion about the origin and efficacy of lactate as a supplement still requires validation from nutritionists and sports doctors.

European Heatwave Forces Race Cancellations

The intense heatwave sweeping across Europe has impacted the sports calendar. In France, the Paris Diamond League leg reinforced safety protocols. More drastically, the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Nice were postponed by local authorities due to temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. In Germany, the Hamburg Half Marathon was canceled, and other outdoor events also saw changes.

Researcher Daniele Melo, an exercise physiology specialist, emphasized the importance of sporting events being prepared for extreme environmental conditions. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommends constant monitoring of thermal risk, hydration and cooling plans, medical teams capable of acting quickly, and clear protocols for adapting or canceling events. The case of Portuguese marathon runner Francisco Lázaro, who suffered heatstroke at the 1912 Stockholm Games, serves as a historical reminder of the seriousness of the risk.

The postponement in Nice caused frustration for athletes like Paulo Visacchi, who was in peak physical condition after nine months of preparation, only to see the race canceled two days prior. The situation is reminiscent of the Ironman Cape Town the previous year, canceled just three hours before the start, after athletes were already in their pre-race phase.

Mizuno Wave Prophecy: The Return of an Iconic Shoe

Before becoming a streetwear phenomenon and a symbol of ostentation, the Mizuno Wave Prophecy was born in 2011 as a high-performance running shoe. With its Infinity Wave technology (plastic plates acting like springs), it promised impact absorption and energy return. Its price, which at the time was around R$1000, earned it the nickname "Mizuno de 1000" or "Milzuno."

What was intended as a running shoe, however, transcended the tracks. The Prophecy hit the streets, was cited in over 100 Brazilian songs, and became a cultural icon. The shoe, often paired with Oakley Juliet sunglasses, symbolized ostentation, to the point where some flaunters would wear one shoe of each color to show they owned two pairs. There were even reports of store robberies to steal the model.

Initially, Mizuno faced a dilemma: the shoe, expensive and technologically advanced for its time, began to be seen by runners as an outdated model for performance, while the lifestyle audience embraced it. Repositioning it for the lifestyle and sneakerhead universe was the solution. Today, relaunched as Wave Prophecy 1 with the same look and for R$2499.99, it remains one of the biggest symbols of sneaker culture in Brazil, quickly selling out and collaborating with cool artists and brands.

SP City Marathon T-Shirts Spark Debate

Nike unveiled the t-shirts for the 10th-anniversary edition of the SP City Marathon. The 42 km marathon will feature a white shirt, the half marathon a blue one, and the traditional finisher shirt will be green, given only to those who complete the race. The organization also confirmed live broadcast by SBT Sports and YouTube on July 26.

An important warning was issued by Iguana Sports: due to sold-out registrations, offers for illegal transfers have emerged. The organizer stresses that there is no official process for title transfer and advises extreme caution before making any payments to third parties.

On social media, the choice of t-shirt colors generated significant backlash, with many negative comments. The simplicity of the designs was criticized as "basic and uninspired," and some users compared the items to "state school uniforms." Although some hosts, like Fábio Bessa, liked them, public expectation, accustomed to Nike's bolder designs, seemed to have been frustrated.

On Running Establishes Strong Presence in Brazil with Own Stores

The Swiss brand On Running continues its expansion in Brazil, opening its first two standalone stores in the country, both in São Paulo. The first was at JK Iguatemi and the second at Morumbi Shopping. Until now, On operated through partners such as Track & Field, Centauro, Bayard, and Authentic Feet, in addition to its website and app.

The stores follow an architectural concept inspired by the capital of São Paulo: the JK Iguatemi unit (205 m²) evokes SESC Pompeia, while the Morumbi Shopping unit (305 m²) is inspired by Oscar Niemeyer's Copan building. They will offer the complete line of running, training, apparel, and accessories, also serving as meeting points for the running community. There are plans to open a third store in Shopping Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, by the end of the year.

The entry of major brands' own stores into the market raises debate about their relationship with retail partners. While competition can be a point of friction, opening exclusive retail points is an inevitable market strategy for brands seeking to strengthen their identity and expand directly to consumers.

Saucony Plants Flag in Hong Kong and China

Saucony opened its first standalone store in Hong Kong, located in Art Mall, one of the city's main commercial centers. This initiative is part of Xtep's strategy (responsible for the brand in Greater China) to position Saucony as a premium running brand in the region.

The brand already has over 170 stores in mainland China and plans to open between 20 and 30 new units this year, prioritizing strategic locations over rapid expansion. The new store in Hong Kong offers exclusive colors, foot scanning to help choose the ideal shoe, and will be part of a series of activations, including the temporary "Run Is One Hub" space and a 10 km race in October.

Asics Nova Blast 6 Arrives in the Brazilian Market

Asics chose a live broadcast to officially introduce the Nova Blast 6 to the Brazilian market. The event featured actor and brand ambassador Nicholas Prattes, marathon runner and influencer Júlia Sette, and Flávio Riger, Asics product manager for Latin America, who detailed the model's innovations.

The sixth generation of the shoe incorporates FF Turbo Squared foam in the forefoot, combined with the already known FF Blast Max, promising an even softer, more elastic, and responsive ride. The Nova Blast 6 maintains its reputation as one of the most popular training models among Strava users, retailing for R$999.99.

Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 and Kipchoge at NB 42K Porto Alegre

The New Balance 42k Porto Alegre, scheduled for July 12, will have an official watch: the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2. Developed in partnership with Eliud Kipchoge, two-time Olympic champion and widely considered the greatest marathon runner in history, the smartwatch will be one of the event's highlights.

The Stemma Sports team will provide full coverage of the race, with a studio at the NB 42k Expo, starting Thursday. In addition to podcasts and athlete interviews, there will be events featuring Kipchoge, who, despite a predominantly plant-based diet, is not a vegetarian. The watch, noted for its design and competitive price (around R$1,500 to R$1,600), is expected to sell out quickly with the presence of the athletics icon.

Races That Qualify Most for the Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association released the top five races that qualified the most runners for the 2026 Boston Marathon. The Boston Marathon itself leads, with 2,981 accepted qualifiers, followed by Chicago (1,804), Berlin (1,127), New York (832), and the California International Marathon (CIM), with 675. In Brazil, races like Porto Alegre and Buenos Aires are known for enabling runners to achieve the qualifying standard.

The explanation for the high qualification rates from races like Chicago and Berlin lies in their fast courses. New York, despite a challenging route, attracts so many high-level runners that it continues to produce hundreds of Boston qualifiers annually. It's worth noting that the 2025 World Championships in New York may have temporarily inflated the number of qualifiers from that race.

Honoring the New York Marathon's "Trailblazers"

The New York Marathon celebrates 50 years of its current course with the "The Trailblazers" campaign. Until 1975, the race took place entirely within Central Park, over multiple laps. The transformation to the iconic route that crosses the city's five boroughs, starting on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, is a landmark in the history of road running.

The tribute is directed at five men crucial to this change: Fred Lebow, race director and central figure in popularizing the marathon; Ted Corbitt, a pioneer who proposed taking the race to the streets; George Spitz, an activist; politician Percy Sutton; and journalist George Hirsch. Together, they secured the political support, resources, and international projection needed to transform a local race into one of the world's largest sporting events.

Juggling for a World Record in Ultramarathon

Canadian Michael Capral broke his own world record by completing a backyard ultra while juggling. In a race consisting of running 6.7 km loops every hour, Capral covered 120.7 km in nearly 18 hours, keeping three balls in the air for almost the entire duration. The backyard ultra is a challenging format where athletes run successive loops until they can no longer complete the course within the time limit.

Capral, who had previously set the earlier record of 115 km in 2024, also holds the fastest marathon world record while juggling (2h55m25s in Chicago, 2016). In total, he has amassed 11 world records in this unusual discipline, reiterating after the race that he "will never repeat the experience" — the same promise he made after his previous record.