I wore the 'snazzy' new running shoes from this Manchester brand and I got nothing but compliments

As I enter the twilight of my 20s, I find myself succumbing to the allure of running which has gripped a generation. From the running clubs dodging trams and corn sellers in town, the Strava screenshots on Instagram, to the countless friends and family I had no idea were taking on the Great Manchester Run until last weekend, it’s no secret that the nation has gone running mad.

But as the saying goes, to be the part, you have to look the part and before I began beating the pavements and parks I must have the right equipment. My options are the usual suspects in, Nike, Under Armour, New Balance, Asics and Hoka.

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However, there is a new kid on the block who is looking to make a splash in the running scene, and they are local. SUDU is the new Manchester based sportswear brand that launched this week with a running shoe as their first major product.

SUDU, which translates to ‘speed’, ‘velocity’ and ‘tempo’, launched their first menswear collection on Wednesday (May 29) including its flagship sneaker, the SRM 01.Earlier this month the brand reached out and gave me the chance to test drive the new shoe ahead of its launch.

I spent a week putting the sneakers through their paces and this is what it was like.

I was given the option of choosing one colourway of the SRM 01 and two items from their inaugural 15-piece-apparel collection. I opted for the white and pink version as it immediately caught my eye.

We will get to how they perform later, but I’ll be very honest with you, I am not an athlete and am very much style over substance when it comes to my footwear. What really mattered to me is how many compliments would I