{"id":125950,"date":"2024-11-18T10:30:13","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/?p=125950"},"modified":"2024-11-18T10:38:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T15:38:19","slug":"norda-one-giant-leap-for-trail-kind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/special-feature\/norda-one-giant-leap-for-trail-kind\/","title":{"rendered":"NORDA: One giant leap for trail kind"},"content":{"rendered":"

If trail running could be a brand, it would be norda. The beauty of a narrow trail opening into an alpine meadow. The pain of an uphill, snowy slog. The elation at the sight of a mountain vista. The gut-clenching realization that, 50 miles into a race, you’ve actually only just hit the halfway mark. The deep sense of accomplishment when you do cross the finish line. The absolute love and devotion\u2014the <\/span>everything<\/span><\/i>\u2014that you give to the sport. Trail running has a way of tearing us down to the bare essentials, opening us up and showing us who we are, deep inside. The same could be said of running a business\u2014which may explain why norda’s founders, Nick and Willa Martire<\/strong>, are still avid trail runners themselves. And it definitely explains norda’s unique approach to what a trail shoe should be.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Willa
Norda founders Willa and Nick Martire. Photo: norda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cEvery day, it feels like we run an ultramarathon,\u201d says Nick, sitting in the norda \u201cbunkie\u201d office in Quebec, nestled behind their home and near the trails. \u201cPeople ask if we\u2019re still racing, but I just say that every day here is an ultra. We do 12-hour days. My lunch break looks more like I\u2019m running through the aid station. We spend a lot of time in the pain cave. And like an ultra, it\u2019s all absolutely worth it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And like ultrarunning, once you\u2019ve done one race (or launched one shoe), you’re hooked. You need to keep running, keep innovating, keep training, keep creating. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Norda\"
Photo: Norda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Norda is the shoe that you’ve seen at trail races, but weren’t sure what it was. That’s intentional: the Canadian brand purposely isn’t ostentatious with its logos, and the shoe colours tend to be muted. But once the race starts, the shoes speak for themselves. The grippiness over roots and rocks is unparalleled. The shoes allow your feet to speak to the trail, to finesse your way over obstacles\u2014it’s not barefoot running, but it has almost the same sense of freedom, thanks to the shoe’s construction and materials. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a technical explanation, but I feel like other shoes add cushioning that softens the ground, but norda has reversed that to soften against your foot,\u201d says Frankfurt-based norda ambassador, trail runner and (seriously) former Olympic heptathlete Alena Pantis<\/strong>. \u201cThere’s just something that feels different with how they connect your foot to the ground.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alena
Alena Pantis (left). Photo: Norda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nordas can often be spotted on podiums\u2014but just as often are seen on the feet of mid-packers and those who are hiking more than they’re running. They’re shoes for everyone who loves to be out in nature on the trails. <\/span><\/p>\n

Combining durability and sustainability<\/h2>\n

How do you build a trail shoe that\u2019s long-lasting, that can stand up to any trail conditions and that grips any rocks or roots? You have to do something that no one else is doing. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were living in France, we’d be high up in the mountains in Chamonix, and I’d keep talking about how we could create a better trail shoe,\u201d says Willa. \u201cWe had the experience. We were extremely passionate about sport. And we weren\u2019t satisfied.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Born in Canada<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n