You can choose from a range of runs, including a 10k, half marathon and marathon trail run to put your determination and power to the test and all you have to do to be in with a chance of free entry is log on to the official SportsDirect.com Facebook and Twitter pages.

There are two different ways to enter the competition: if you’re a tweeter- SportsDirect.com are asking ‘In less than 140 characters- tell us what you love most about running ?’ and if you’re a fan on Facebook, you can tell them where in the World you would love to go running and why.  One entry will be chosen at random as the winner each week from both sites.

The challenge itself will take place in Fitz Park, Keswick, in the Lake District. The course will consist of a long scenic lap, taking in views of Keswick, Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite from the path below Skiddaw, with a slightly shorter lap to accommodate the 10k trail.  The half marathon runners will cover one large and one short lap, with the marathon runners tackling two large laps and two short laps.

So if you feel you’re ready for the challenge, step up and enter online today. You can also find full details on the event on the official Great Trail Challenge website.

The newly-engineered boot is lighter and more deadly than ever with specialist rubber technology integration to help with ball control. Not only that, but the new ‘zones’ serve different skill purposes so you can excel in every move. The ‘drive’ zone of the football boot creates a rebound effect, ideal for reaching longer distances with extra power behind the ball.

For greater control and ball contact, there are the ‘first touch’ and ‘dribble’ zones which are designed specifically to increase contact time to enhance passing, receiving and dribbling skills. Finally, there’s the ‘sweet sport’ zone, designed to gain a faster pace whilst you’re on the ball. All this and the boot still only weigh in at 225 grams!

These fantastic football boots are also available with the Adidas miCoach integration. The intelligent speed cell fits perfectly in to the boot so you can then record and share your personal game stats, ideal if you’re training for a big match!

You can also personalise your boots at SportsDirect.com with the MYiD technology, simply choose a number, initials or slogan and add them to your basket. You can pre-order the boots now online at www.sportsdirect.com! Keep up with the latest offers and product releases on the official Facebook and Twitter pages too!

After conducting an online survey, the UK’s travellers decided that overall, folding was the most popular packing method with a huge 64% of the vote- allowing holiday goers to organise travel items into neat piles.

Whilst folding maybe the neatest and most organised packing method, some argued that it wasn’t the most space savvy; 29% of those asked favoured to roll their clothes up before packing to make the most of suitcase space and the help avoid the dreaded creases once arriving at their destination.

Other methods were suggested, including packing all items in to vacuum bags to save space and unnecessary ironing. A small percentage of those who took the survey (6.9%) even decided that packing was not a priority and it was much easier to ‘Throw it all in and hope for the best’!

If you are travelling abroad or around the UK this year, don’t forget you can get web exclusive deals on selected suitcases and luggage items, including family sets over at www.sportsdirect.com. You can also join the conversation and let us know how you pack your suitcase on the official Facebook and Twitter pages.

PUMA supported RugbyRocks London in 2011, and has now taken on the lead sponsorship role across all three festivals in London (26th – 27th May), Yorkshire (15th – 17th June) and Edinburgh (14th – 15th July) as well as promotional night club events during the build-up.

RugbyRocks festivals see thousands of sportsmen and women compete in Rugby 7s, 10s, Touch rugby and netball tournaments at all levels.

The London festival features 12 live acts and is headlined this May by Zane Lowe. There will also be a special DJ set by PUMA athlete and Bath Rugby star, Olly Barkley. RugbyRocks Yorkshire will be headlined by The Dub Pistols and Goldie Lookin’ Chain, who are among 14 live acts over the three day event.

PUMA will use the festivals to continue to bring to life its PUMA Social campaign which pays tribute to the ‘After-Hours Athlete’. Each RugbyRocks festival will host its own chill out area where fans will be able to relax in the ‘PUMA Social’ where they can rub shoulders with leading Aviva Premiership and England International rugby stars. The lounge will feature bar games, such as table football and table tennis.

Teams entering RugbyRocks will be entitled to a 15% discount on PUMA rugby kits. PUMA will also be creating the first RugbyRocks merchandise range which will be on sale throughout the year online at www.rugbyrocks7s.com and at the festivals.

Rob Westworth, Director at RugbyRocks, said: “RugbyRocks is about competitive sport and the social aspect that follows a tough game, so the fit with PUMA and the after-hours athlete is ideal. We are proud to be working with PUMA and to building on last year’s success.”

Roger Harrison, Marketing Director at PUMA UK continues: “We’re delighted to be extending our partnership with RugbyRocks further to a great festival in London last year. The festivals give us a prime opportunity to engage with our core consumers in true PUMA style – through the enjoyment of performance and after hours socialising.”

For more information: www.rugbyrocks7s.com @rugbyrocks7s and www.puma.com @pumarugby

-Ends-

Media Contacts:

Rugby Rocks
Ed Kemp
Westworth Kemp Events
Email: ed@rugbyrocks7s.com
Tel: 07796 215642

PUMA
Mercieca Ltd
Gemma Oakes
Email: puma@mercieca.co.uk
Tel: 020 7485 0100

Taking up a new hobby or sport can be quite a challenge, not only physically but on the wallet too! SportsDirect.com’s range of running gear including trainers, clothing and accessories will not only get you looking the part but will save you money on top brands. Right now you can get up to 80% off selected running gear for both men and women.

If you’re training in the evenings, hi-vis running clothing is essential to stay safe on the roads; SportsDirect.com’s hi-vis range starts from just £4.99 online and you can choose from shirts, coats and reflective accessories to be seen.

If you’re just starting out as a runner, jogger or power walker; finding your own pace and rhythm can take time. Avoid over heating during your exercise routines with the right base layer clothing. Starting from just £2, the SportsDirect.com base layer collection includes shirts and running tights to help regulate your body temperature for a more comfortable, sustainable exercise routine.

It’s not just the right clothing that can help improve your fitness regime, finding running shoes that fit well and prove their stability against the elements is another step in perfecting your training. SportsDirect.com offers a wide variety of running shoes for men and women from trusted, quality running brands such as New Balance and Karrimor. The online sportswear giants also stock speciality trail running shoes if you plan to take on a tough terrain throughout your training.

Wherever you run and however you run, SportsDirect.com’s selection of equipment and clothing will suit your ability, style and performance without breaking the bank. Log on today to find the latest deals at www.sportsdirect.com or stay up to date socially via the official Facebook and Twitter pages.

SportsDirect.com, one of the UK’s leading luggage retailers, has recently reduced its range of suitcases and luggage sets to help cut the cost of travelling. Many of the suitcases, including full suitcase sets from trusted brands such as Dunlop and No Fear now have up to 60% discount on the reference price across a variety of styles.

For families, travelling on the cheap is now even cheaper with the SportsDirect.com discount on suitcase sets, available in sets of three through to six, everyone gets their own suitcase as well as a range of hand luggage options. Suitcase sets start from just £45 online and are available for 24 hour delivery.

Solo travellers, or holiday makers who prefer to travel light can take advantage of these amazing discounts too; the No Fear four wheeled suitcase is available for just £15 and can be used as hand luggage on major British airlines including British Airways, Ryanair, BMI Baby and Virgin*.

Wherever the skies take you, packing for the trip has never been easier or cheaper thanks to the SportsDirect.com deals. Log on at www.sportsdirect.com now to find the latest deals on all luggage and travel clothing. You can also keep up to date on all the SportsDirect.com news on the official Facebook and Twitter pages.

*All information correct at time of publishing. Please check allowance regulations direct with the airline before flying.

After finishing the New York marathon in 2006, seven time Tour De France champion cyclist Lance Armstrong described it as “the hardest physical thing” he had ever done. According to Runners World, approximately forty percent of marathon entrants in 2011 were first timer marathoners. First time runners need to do long-term planning, stick to a rigorous training schedule and eat a balanced diet for at least four months before a marathon. Based on 23 years worth of data, Peak Performance, an information website for athletes and coaches, reported one in six runners came in to contact with St John’s ambulance, one in 800 visit a hospital accident and emergency department and one in 10,000 were admitted to hospital. In 2006, reality television celebrity Jade Goody was hospitalised while attempting the London marathon without adequate training. Leave your footprint in your marathon by training properly with our running shoes.

Sports Direct, the UK’s leading sportswear retailer has a wide range of running shoes. From Adidas to Sketchers, we have running shoes to suit everyone’s tastes. You can also pre-order the super naturally flexible Nike Flex running shoes available online now in different colours.

Plant your foot in our running shoes on SportsDirect.com. Check out our latest offers and deals on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The gig, which featured local bands Dirty Beard, Crimson Circle, Without Our Crowns and Suckerpunch raised an amazing total of £751. Raffle prizes included donations from local Mansfield businesses Brown’s bar and restaurant and William James barber shop.  Emma Parker, who helped organise the event said “The night was a great success, we had a fantastic line up of local bands who put on a superb show for us. We want to say a big thank you to Alan and the team at Shirebrook Miners Welfare who hosted the event as well as William James barbers and Browns for donating raffle prizes for the cause- we couldn’t have done it without their help. It was great to see everyone supporting Sport Relief”.  The web and buying team also held several eBay auctions for signed Football shirts, Rugby shirts and Football boots to contribute to the huge Sport Relief fundraising total.

The fun didn’t stop there! On Sunday 25^th March, in addition to the Shirebrook Sport Relief mile, SportsDirect.com organised a family fun day on Shirebrook Market Square. The event included; fair rides for the kids, visits from TV’s Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy, a raffle plus various fundraising activities from Shirebrook Rangers football team, Button Bashers and more. Organiser Chris Dean said “It was fantastic to see everyone get involved, special thanks go out to Proctor and Son’s fair, Jump for Joy inflatables, the Shirebrook Co-op and Ex-servicemen’s club for donating their services and raffle prizes for the day”.

Many of Shirebrook’s local businesses based on the Market Square got involved with the event, as well as SportsDirect.com team members from both head office and the Shirebrook store. The fun day raised £3147 in total for Sport Relief, adding to the one million plus total already raised by SportsDirect.com. You can still get involved this year by buying the official Sport Relief t-shirt from www.sportsdirect.com as well as logging on to the official Facebook and Twitter pages to show how you raised money this year!

Results found in studies from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PSNAS) show that running can rescue brain cells, improve our memories, sharpen our decision making and Japanese research shows that running can even help us juggle mental tasks such as organising and decision making.

So if you want to help increase your brain power as well as your muscle tone, hop on the treadmill or down the local park with a great range of budget friendly running gear from SportsDirect.com. The UK’s number one sportswear retailer stocks big running brands such as New Balance, Asics and Nike; including the popular Nike+ range, which can help monitor your running progress.

The online catalogue offers up a selection of running shoes, whatever your type. If you plan on hitting the treadmill, basic running shoes start from only £9. However if you’re more of the adventure type, you can grab durable trail running shoes from just £24.99.

Shoes aren’t the only thing that can get you on your way, running shorts, socks and shirts are available to order, including the Karrimor run t-shirts- which can help inspire should you lose any motivation!

If you planning on being a smart shopper as well as a smart runner, log onto www.sportsdirect.com today and kit yourself out so you can shape up, save up and swat up! Find the latest deals, news and tips too on the official SportsDirect.com Facebook and Twitter pages.