Running Revolution:
Romain Girard explains the
Science behind the Fast-R 3
"Running economy is the KPI in the running industry – and we’re setting the new gold standard."
April 25, 2025"Running economy is the KPI in the running industry – and we’re setting the new gold standard."
April 25, 2025At the Boston Marathon Weekend, we have unveiled our most advanced race-day gear yet: the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3. Called our fastest running shoe ever, the FAST-R 3 is set to turn heads – and break records. We caught up with Romain Girard, PUMA’s VP of Innovation, to dig into the tech, the testing, and what makes this shoe a true game-changer.
Romain, for this year’s Marathon Season, PUMA launches the FAST-R 3. The FAST-R is our performance silo built to chase personal bests – can you quickly summarize what has been improved for this shoe?
Romain: We’ve really taken running seriously for years now, building on our NITRO™ Foam technology. The first FAST-R was promising—lightweight with great energy return. The second iteration did very well, but we still saw room for improvement. So, we hit reset. We gathered feedback from thousands of runners – weight, stability, rebound, grip, overall feel – and one thing stood out: weight really matters.
For the next generation, we needed to focus on the development process as well as the technological upgrade. Leveraging over 20 years of motorsport history at PUMA, we used insights from teams like Mercedes and Ferrari, which use digital technology and software to predict car performance. We applied that same thinking to footwear, using digital engineering to speed up development. What used to take years, we did in one.
The result is a lighter, faster, more innovative FAST-R 3 with upgrades in three key areas: weight, performance, and precision-engineering across components like NITRO™ foam, the PWRPLATE™, and Ultraweave™. All of this leads to outstanding results in running economy, the key performance indicator in the running industry!
What exactly is it that makes the FAST-R 3 so unique?
Romain: We used simulation software not just for the design but to test how the shoe behaves under real conditions – compression, propulsion, stability. It let us cut out long prototyping cycles and dial in performance down to the last millimeter.
After 20 years in the industry, I’ve seen most improvements happen in small steps. FAST-R 3 is different. It’s revolutionary. Innovations like this normally take 3–5 years. We did it in one. And the first prototype? Almost perfect. Minimal tweaks needed.
We’ve recorded a 3.15% improvement in running economy compared to the FAST-R 2, providing runners with a new efficiency that can possibly shave minutes off of their PBs. This was also confirmed in a research study by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
What elements did you improve to the FAST-R 3?
Romain: It’s like cooking – every ingredient matters. Our NITROFOAM™ gets lighter and bouncier every year. The PWRPLATE™ channels and amplifies that energy.
We zoom in on each element, tweak it, then zoom out to see how it affects the whole shoe. The ability to zoom in and out quickly, ingredient by ingredient, is where the magic happens.
Digital tools sped up that process and made it more precise. For instance, our carbon plate has seven engineered layers – each shaped for peak performance. We didn’t trial and error. We calculated.
That precision let us cut a third of the shoe’s weight – 95 grams – without sacrificing performance. Think: more horsepower, lighter chassis. Now we’re in Motorsport again 😉.
What improvements have athletes noticed most?
Romain: We always put athletes first. We begin testing with high-level runners and only move to elites once we’re confident. By the time FAST-R 3 hit elite feet, we’d already seen outstanding results.
Top athletes can feel tiny shifts in pace or stride without tools – and their feedback matched what we saw in the lab. We were testing the FAST-R 3 with athletes for the Boston and London Marathons, and feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Our athletes instantly felt improvements in pace, stride, and efficiency, and around 90% have reported significant performance gains.
You mentioned a research study. What were the findings about our FAST-R 3?
Romain: Since relaunching our performance running in 2021, we’ve been focusing on one thing: catching up to the top and leading the pack. Those years of investment are now paying off. To evaluate the FAST-R 3 performance, an independent study led by Wouter Hoogkamer at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst tested various race-day models under the same conditions. Same runners. Same conditions. Different shoes. The study concluded that Fast-R 3 provides 3.15% improved running economy. For a 3-hour marathon runner this could translate to an unprecedented potential marathon time saving of more than 4 minutes and 30 seconds. For every participant in the study the numbers showed that running was easiest in FAST-R 3.
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Is the FAST-R 3 only for elite athletes or can everyday runners experience the benefits of this shoe as well?
Romain: It’s like jumping from a road car into an F1 machine. You might not break a world record right away, but you’ll feel the difference.
Even mid-level runners will notice the improvement, the sensation, the ride – it’s fast, responsive, and unique. That said, it’s not for everyone, it’s a high-performance tool. It won’t be for everyone out of the gate, but anyone can grow into it. The benefits are real.
If FAST-R 3 is the “super shoe,” do we still need other models?
Romain: The future isn’t about one “super shoe.” Biomechanics vary—everyone has different genetics, which
affects our running patterns. So, everyone has a different running gait, which calls for different running shoe architecture.
That’s why we’ve built a family of products. The FAST-R 3 is lightning fast, but models like the Deviate Elite use similar tech tuned for different runners. So, we really cater to all runners with shoes tailored for your stride, your style, your goal.
Education is key here. Making great products isn’t enough – we want people to understand what makes each shoe special – and why they might need more than one, depending on training, race day, or recovery. We want them to join a journey, not just buy a shoe. That’s how we move from just making products to building relationships with runners.
What excites you most about the upcoming running season?
Romain: I would say that we’re at a breakthrough moment. I see PUMA as an athlete who’s been training hard behind the scenes – watching diet, refining strategy, investing, learning, falling, get back up. Now, with races like London and Boston, we’re stepping onto the big stage, not just participating anymore, but providing our athletes with the tools to shape running history. That’s what’s exciting. With FAST-R 3, we’ve reached a new performance peak. Races like Boston and London will show the world that we’re not just in the race – we’re ready to lead it. We are expecting a wave of PBs.
But it’s not just about who wins the race. In running, it’s about more than that. We’re here for every runner chasing their true best. Because why celebrate one win when you can be part of many?
