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Matt Halfhill

@matthalfhill

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👟 Founder + CEO of @nicekicks
🏃‍♂️ 4 x HYROX World Champs Qualifier
⚖️ 320lbs -> 178lbs
🏠 Austin, TX

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I promise you this is one crazy story.

This has been one of the most unforgettable weeks of my life - eight years in the making.

I’ve spent this week in Stockholm, Sweden competing at HYROX World Championships, but the worlds of my career in sneakers/media and my pursuit of fitness collided in an unbelievable full circle moment. taken in Stockholm, Sweden by @matthalfhill

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a month ago

Is the Adidas Adios Pro 4 the best shoe for HYROX?

The Adios Pro 4 is one of the best running shoes on the market and has made a few notable appearances on the HYROX course. In fact it was worn by @colelearn during his near WR time (53:37) and Elite 15 win in March.

Adidas has since released a couple of shoes designed for hybrid racing, but how does this shoe perform for HYROX?

Run: 8.5/10. This shoe is a fantastic runner. The Lightstrike Pro foam gives a nice cushion to compliment the carbon Energy Rods. If there was one knock on this shoe, its that it might be a little too soft on the impact absorption for such a short race as HYROX.

Sleds: 7/10. The softer rubber compound in the Lightraxxion outsole is a positive for the turns on the run, but the traction pattern isn’t optimal for gripping the turf. Continental rubber is a better compound as well for grip and we saw Adidas use this instead on their made for hybrid shoes.

BBJ: 8/10. Energy Rods are great for this as well as the rocker shape of the outsole provides a nice launch under the toes. The snug fit is a similar feel to what I loved so much on the Dropset Elite and is crucial for translating the motion through the floor and not slipping inside the shoe on the landing.

Lunges: 7/10. Once again, a softer Lightstrike Pro foam doesn’t come to aid on this. There is a big give/take in the firmness of foam between a shoe built for distance running like the Adios Pro 4 and the firmness and stability one would like to have with a 30kg sandbag sitting on their shoulders.

Wall Balls: 7.5/10. This shoe was built to run and not to stand flat.

The adidas Adios Pro 4 is a great choice for a half-marathon or marathon effort, but not adidas’ best shoe for HYROX. Go for the Dropset Elite for race day and Dropset Pro if you’re a fan of die marke mit den 3 streifen. taken in East Austin Athletic Club by @matthalfhill

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9 days ago

ANTA may be a name that many outside of China aren’t familiar with, but they’re no stranger to footwear - especially elite level running shoes.

The C202 line hosts the best of their best road shoes and the C202 6 Pro was their first elite raceday shoe - but how do they do for HYROX?

Run: these shoes are FAST. VERY FAST. These might be the second fastest shoes I’ve tried to the Alphafly. Nitrogen foam + stiff plate and extremely breathable and lightweight upper.

But how do they do on the stations?

Sleds: Unfortunately I had a challenge getting grip on the sled push. Pulls were manageable, but I would hate to think of how much energy I’d lose in a race fighting through the push with so little grip.

BBJ: liftoff was like a rocket.

Lunges: the shoes are a true north-south runner and not designed for balance in compound type motions. Wobbly up front and the heel.

Wallballs: once again, the shoes are so well designed for running and not designed for heel stability or a flat bottom to push through the floor.

I have made the prediction in a few interviews that hybrid racing footwear will be coming from one of the major Chinese brands within a year and I predict ANTA will be the first. If they can make a runner this good, I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do with a shoe designed for hybrid racing.

@antasportsofficial is the largest shareholder of PUMA (29%) - the official footwear and apparel partner of HYROX by @matthalfhill

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24 days ago

adidas Dropset Pro vs. Dropset Elite — what’s actually different? 👟

Same DNA, two very different jobs.

The Dropset Elite is the HYROX race-day shoe. The Dropset Pro is the version built to get you ready to PR your next HYROX.

💰 Price  Elite: $275  Pro: $150

⚡ENERGYRIM vs. Energy Rods
Elite utilizes ENERGYRIM - the same tech in record breaking marathon shoes
Pro utilizes Energy Rods - the same tech you see in a number of adi’s top running shoes
Both tech push you forward on the run and both are designed with stability in mind. ENERGYRIM has incorporated heel cup and Energy Rods in the Dropset Pro have a Y shape similar to what you see use with adi Torsion bars.

🧬 Shared tech
Both run Lightstrike Pro foam and a Continental rubber outsole. (Pro also has part Lighttraxion outsole)

📏 Stack + drop (the real difference)
Elite: 44mm heel / ~32mm forefoot — 12mm drop
Pro: 29mm heel / 22mm forefoot — 7mm drop

That taller Elite heel nudges you forward for the run, wall balls, and lunges. The Pro sits lower and flatter — more grounded for pushing through the sleds.

🏁 Bottom line
Elite = sharper, race-day end of the range.
Pro = the daily trainer that get hybrid athletes ready for race-day.

Which one’s going in your bag? 👇

🎥 @sterlinggrinnell by @matthalfhill

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a month ago

The adidas Dropset Pro might be the best training shoe for HYROX - and one you can race in too.

Run: Despite being a training shoe, the Lightstrike Pro cushioning paired with Energy Rods surprised me with way more energy return than I expected.

But a HYROX shoe lives and dies on the stations too.

Sleds: The diamond traction is nearly flawless for going forwards (push) and backwards (pull). The forefoot has Continental rubber and heal sports Lightraxxion - a softer/lighterweight and grippier compound. The foot sits pretty low in the shoe as well giving you a great feel of the ground beneath your feet.

BBJ: the upper has more structure than I expected which keeps the feel in place for the push-off and landing. Once again, the energy response helps with the jump and the ground feel comes through for a firm landing.

Lunges: I went 100m without a break or pause doing lunges in this shoe in Stockholm. Super stable up front and the heel cup created by the midsole adds even more stability.

Wallballs: good feel for the ground and once again the heel stability is a winner  As I mentioned prior, I wore the Dropset Pro in Stockholm for my second race at World Champs. The Dropset Elite will remain my go-to race shoe, but the Dropset Pro will be used heavily in training.  If you’re just getting started in HYROX, the Dropset Pro is a fantastic option to train and race in as you start to get familiar and comfortable with the whole process. Take it from someone who trained in one shoe and then raced in another - don’t. :-)

#adizerodropsetpro #adidastraining

🎥 @sterlinggrinnell by @matthalfhill

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a month ago

The adidas Dropset Elite might be the most complete HYROX shoe out right now. ⚡

Run: adidas skipped the plate and went with ENERGYRIM - what you find in their marathon record setting shoe. Combine this with Lightstrike Pro foam and the combo is fast. Like, fastest-shoe-for-running-in-a-hybrid-race fast. That’s the part that surprised me most.

But a HYROX shoe lives and dies on the stations too.

Sleds: Continental rubber on the outsole = grip for days on the sleds. Only issue was grip on wet turf, so sweat droplets of other racers could be a concern.

BBJ: the Dropset Elite has a snug fit in the forefoot so there is practically no slack or slippage in the lift-off or landing.

Lunges: this was the only station I was a little iffy on. The high stack foam helps a ton on the run, but I was a little wobbly on this station.

Wallballs: the elevated heel and flat bottom comes in clutch for the station where you are struggling the most. Had my longest unbroken set testing these out.

adidas is hosting some of the sport’s best athletes at the Hybrid Hotel in Stockholm. Will we see them on top of the podium? by @matthalfhill

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a month ago

These photos make it look like I smiled the whole race. Trust me…there was plenty of suffering too. 🤪 But looking back these photos tell a pretty funny story. They also remind me what makes mixed doubles so special.

Every mixed doubles team has a strategy. Ours was pretty simple…have fun and cross the finish line.

I’ll never be one to take credit for someone else’s work. The photos might say it all, but the truth is @matthalfhill carried more of the load so I could simply race. When you can’t race at 100%, the right teammate reminds you that you don’t have to.

Thanks for carrying a lot more so I could focus less on proving something and more on enjoying the race, finding my confidence again, and remembering why I love this sport.

I’m incredibly grateful for the teammate you were that day, but even more grateful for the friend you’ve become.

Thank you @lskd @mattkirbyyy @elitephoto.co for capturing these photos and documenting our fun journey 🤍🫶🏼

Wearing all LSKD, DC: KIM15

Till next season ✌🏻

#hyrox #hyroxtraining #strength #fun #mindset by @matthalfhill

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24 days ago

So much attention for this sport focuses on the physical strength and endurance of the body, but not nearly enough is said about the strength and endurance of the mind - especially when injuries come into the equation. Kim held it together through five months of that, and I know if it were me, I’d have been spiraling. Watching her stay steady through it all is the part I’m proudest of.

HYROX World Championships almost didn’t happen for us. So in Sweden, I had one goal: get us both across the line. No watch, no heart rate strap, no stats, no splits to chase. Just finishing what was started in Boston when we qualified (of course while both of us were injured).

Sometimes it takes these setbacks to bring clarity of what actually matters - getting to do what you love with a great friend while cheered on by even more of your friends you met through this sport.

I look forward to the next time we race — until then, I’ll be training while in bubble wrap to ensure my safety.

📷 @elitephoto.co taken in Strawberry Arena by @matthalfhill

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25 days ago

Is the PUMA x HYROX Deviate NITRO Elite 4 the best shoe for HYROX?

I put the shoe to the test on the track and in the gym to find out.

Run: I loved, LOVED running in the Deviate Elite 3, but these just didn’t have the same amount of go to them. Still a fast shoe, but I could feel my legs having to work harder than in other shoes.

Sleds: this is where this shoe really wins. The grip is fantastic for the push and pull. The widened outsole and stable heel make the pull lightyears better than the prior model.

BBJ: grip was good for landing, but the widened forefoot made for a little slippage when I would take off and land.

Lunges: HUGE improvement from the prior model with a wider outsole and greater stability in forefoot and heel.

Wallballs: another big improvement from the road running Elite models

A new colorway of the PUMA x HYROX Deviate NITRO Elite 4 will be available exclusively at the HYROX World Championships next week in Stockholm, Sweden ahead of a wider launch on July 1st. @pumatraining has a number of activations and events planned around the city and race. Link in bio to register.

🎥 @sterlinggrinnell by @matthalfhill

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a month ago

PUMA wants to see you PR your next HYROX race and created the Activate NITRO TR to get you ready.

Run: Though the shoe uses NITRO foam, it is stiffened up for training work and doesn’t have the bounce you get from the race shoes.

But this shoe is built so you can get stronger on your stations.

Sled: The grip on these is next level. The combination of a lower stack and the PUMAGRIP outsole means incredible traction for both the push and pull of the sleds.

BBJ: once again, sitting lower in the shoes and the solid grip makes it easy to stick the landing

Lunges: flat and stable. You can really feel the ground as you push through each rep.

Wall Balls: this is the point in the race where most of us fully lose it. Get your reps in wearing these, save yourself a couple breaks on station 8, and celebrate that PR.

All in all, this is a shoe built for training and more specifically training the stations of HYROX. You’ll want to make sure you have another shoe in your bag like the Deviate Pure for run work this offseason.

The HYROX x PUMA Activate NITRO TR is available for purchase July 1st for $140. by @matthalfhill

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