Global sports brand PUMA has announced that its groundbreaking Project3 marathon program will return for the 2026 Boston and London Marathons.
Project3 gives participants the opportunity to experience life as a professional athlete, trial PUMA’s best- in-class race day products including the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 and Deviate NITRO™ Elite 4, and the chance to bank huge performance-based cash bonuses.
Returning bigger and better than ever, PUMA will select 300 applicants competing at two pinnacle spring marathons – 100 for the Boston Marathon and 200 for the London Marathon – making this the largest intake for Project3 since the launch of the program.
“Last year, Project3 turned the run community on its head. We had three incredible race days in Boston, London and New York, where we brought the global run community together and put the science around Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 to the ultimate test. The results speak volumes and made the decision to run it back for 2026 a very easy one,“ said Lucas Maher, Senior Athlete Activation Manager at PUMA.
It was a momentous debut year for Project3, with 269 athletes from more than 13 countries toeing the line wearing the most talked about race-day shoe of the year, Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3.
Nearly one hundred runners set new PBs, with 48 of those breaking their PB by three-minutes or more to take home $3,000 in performance-based cash bonuses. In total, PUMA awarded more than $160,000 in prize money across the three races, making Project3 the most lucrative sub-elite marathon program in history.
What To Expect?
As a Project3 participant, you will receive unprecedented access to the PUMA Elite Running Team coaches, elite PUMA athletes, and PUMA innovation experts who will provide guidance on various aspects of your training cycle to ensure you’re ready to break records on race day.
Participants will also receive a bespoke collection of PUMA running products, including Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 and the soon to launch, Deviate NITRO™ Elite 4.
The eye-catching $3,000 performance bonus for breaking your previous PB by three-minutes or more remains, as does the $3,000 performance bonus to the fastest Project3 male and female finishers of each race, as well as the the runner who breaks their marathon PB by the biggest margin out of all Project3 runners.
How To Apply?
Prospective candidates must meet the minimum criteria to be considered for selection including:
Holding a valid 2026 Boston or London Marathon race bib/race entry
Existing marathon PB of 3:00 for male applicants or 3:15 for female applicants
To apply visit www.puma-project3.com. Applications open at 11:00 (EST) / 16:00 (GMT) on Monday 26th January and will close at midnight on Friday 30th January.
