Mince Pie 10 Mile Kit Test: Puma Fast Track Nitro, Coros Apex 2 and Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

Introduction

Some races turn out to be better gear tests than you planned. That was exactly the case with the Mince Pie 10 Mile, a well-known Christmas-season race held in Peacehaven on the English south coast. The course mixes roughly 6K of road with the rest on public footpaths and trail, with two brutally steep hills of around 80 to 100 metres of climb each. That blend of surfaces made it an ideal place to put a hybrid trail shoe and two GPS watches through a genuine race-day workout.

The short version: one shoe proved almost perfectly matched to this kind of mixed course, one watch felt great on the wrist but wandered slightly on distance and pacing, and an older watch quietly outperformed it where accuracy mattered.

The Race: Mince Pie 10 Mile

This is not a fast race, and that matters when you are choosing kit for it. With about 500 runners, a fun Christmas atmosphere, and front-runners clocking around 55 minutes for the 10 miles, it sits somewhere between a serious race and a festive outing. The course map shows plenty of road, but the trail sections over the Downs are where the hills bite. The first big climb is on trail, while the second is a relentless cliff-facing road ascent that took a full kilometre to recover from.

Conditions underfoot were muddier than ideal but not the sloppy, wet kind. There was enough grip to pick up the pace on the flats, though some gravely downhill sections demanded caution. Organisation was excellent throughout: clear signage, marshals at every tight turn, and no visible sign of anyone going off course. Finishers get a mince pie, a goodie bag, and a genuinely nice Christmas medal.

Puma Fast Track Nitro: A Hybrid Shoe That Earned Its Keep

The Puma Fast Track Nitro is essentially a road shoe that has been amped up with just enough trail capability for lighter off-road surfaces. That description turned out to be exactly right for this race. On the road sections it felt snappy and fast, and picking up the pace came easily.

On the trails, with loose gravel, steep declines and muddy inclines in the mix, the outsole handled everything without drama. Grip felt secure, control felt confident, and even on aggressive downhill pushes the shoe felt planted. The one caveat carried over from earlier use: on pure road, it is a little firm for anything much beyond about 5K at easy paces. At race effort, that was never a problem.

It is worth noting that the Salomon Speedcross 6 was the original plan for this race, and it would have been the wrong call. With around 6K of road, an aggressive trail shoe like that would have felt harsh and painful. The Fast Track Nitro is the better fit for runners splitting time between road and forgiving trails, such as public footpaths or canal paths, who want extra security without losing the feel of a faster road shoe.

Coros Apex 2: Comfortable On the Wrist, Slightly Off On the Numbers

The Coros Apex 2 has been in rotation alongside its bigger sibling, and the smaller size makes it noticeably more comfortable to wear. For most everyday use, that comfort advantage is the main reason to pick it over the Apex 2 Pro, especially given the price gap between the two.

Race day did surface two issues, though. The official distance was 16K, and the watch recorded 15.7. That is not a huge miss, but with no tall buildings around and clear sky conditions, there was nothing obvious interfering with the satellite signal. More noticeable was the pacing: during the first 5K, the displayed pace lagged behind what the effort clearly was, taking a while to catch up with actual speed.

If you run by feel, neither issue is likely to bother you. If you train and race closely off watch data, both are worth taking seriously before committing.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro: The Older Watch That Paced Better

Running the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro alongside the Apex 2 produced a clear comparison on one point. The Fenix 6 Pro’s real-time pacing was noticeably more accurate, staying much closer to the actual effort during those opening kilometres where the Apex 2 lagged.

It is not a flawless watch either. Its own GPS track has quirks, and this comparison is not a full head-to-head test. But for runners whose priority is trustworthy live pacing during races, an older but proven option like the Fenix 6 Pro still holds its own. If you find it at a good used or clearance price, it remains a sensible choice.

Buying Advice: Which of These Belongs On Your Wrist

Match the gear to the course, not to the category. For mixed road-and-light-trail races like this one, a hybrid shoe such as the Fast Track Nitro is the smarter pick over a dedicated aggressive trail shoe, purely because of the road mileage involved. Reserve something like the Speedcross 6 for courses that are genuinely trail-dominant.

On watches, decide what you actually need. If wrist comfort and everyday features matter most, the Apex 2 is the more pleasant daily wear, and it is impressive relative to the cost of the Apex 2 Pro. If precise live pacing is what you rely on mid-race, the Fenix 6 Pro earned its place on that count in this test.

Conclusion

The Mince Pie 10 Mile delivered a proper test: steep hills, mud, gravel and enough road to punish the wrong shoe. The Puma Fast Track Nitro came through as the standout, handling every surface on the course while staying fast and comfortable. The Coros Apex 2 impressed on comfort and value but showed small gaps in distance and pacing accuracy, while the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro proved that proven pacing performance still counts. For a festive, well-organised race that bridges road and trail, this event and this kit combination are well worth a look.