FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adidas, Boston Athletic Association and Marathon Sports Team Up to Open
First RunBase in U.S.
Partnership Celebrates Iconic Boston Marathon; Offers Epicenter for Runners
BOSTON, Mass., April 2, 2015 - Boston, host to the greatest road race in
the world, is a runner's town. Until now, there's been no place to buy your
gear, learn from elite athletes, lace up for a run and clean up afterwards.
Today adidas and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), organizer of the
Boston Marathon, announce the launch of the Boston Marathon® RunBase in
partnership with Marathon Sports, Inc. The adidas exclusive community
experience will open mid-April just steps from the finish line. The
initiative is the first of its kind in the U.S. and will be the center of
running in Boston, located at the 26-mile mark of the legendary course on
Boylston Street.
Set in a unique state-of-the-art hub for runners, Boston Marathon® RunBase
celebrates the world's oldest annual marathon 52 weeks a year with
inspirational displays curated by the B.A.A. and drawn from the
organization's archives. Boston Marathon® RunBase will be complete with a
changing room with lockers, as runners will use the facility as a base for
informal runs. Showers also will be available.
"RunBase is a one-of-a-kind resource for runners based in and traveling to
Boston," said Mikal Peveto, global director of running innovation at
adidas. "adidas is taking its partnership with the Boston Athletic
Association to the next level with the help of Marathon Sports to let
runners experience the best of our brand and the spirit of the greatest
race year-round."
Offerings could include community runs, expert speakers, visits from elite
athletes, training plan assistance and nutrition education. The 2,000
square foot space will exclusively sell premium adidas footwear (including
favorites from the Boost family including Ultra Boost, Energy Boost,
adizero Adios, Supernova Glide and Sequence), seasonal and official
marathon apparel and accessories. A calendar of events, workshops, seminars
and clinics separates a runner's experience at Boston Marathon® RunBase
from any other in the sport.
The space will be filled with exhibits and historic photos from the past
119 years of the Boston Marathon, including race bibs, medals, trophies and
jackets. The stories of the marathon's history will be displayed in living
color and will rotate seasonally. There will always be something new to do
and see at the location. A large cast of a unicorn, an iconic symbol of the
marathon, and a 10-foot 3D topographic animated race map made of reclaimed
wood will greet customers. Four interactive screens across the space, known
as RunBase Central, will feature key moments in race history along with an
archive featuring every participant since the marathon's inception.
Interactive 3D gear cases with transparent touch screens will feature the
latest adidas footwear.
"We've already cultivated a community of like-minded runners through our
heritage," said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. executive director. "The experience
expands the way we serve and interact with runners while providing world
class product in an environment that celebrates the Boston Marathon's past
and present."
Grilk continued, "This is a natural extension of our long-standing
partnership with adidas, which we have enjoyed since 1988. The Boston
Marathon, our club and our community events will come to life at Boston
Marathon® RunBase year-round for all to see and experience."
Customers and visitors can run any part of the 26.2 miles of the race route
with visuals and terrain that simulates every step of the course on the
official treadmill. For the first time, all race results of every single
person who has run the Boston Marathon will be digitalized and combined
into a single database for search and interaction with RunBase Central.
Boston is the first of several RunBase locations in the U.S. in the works.
As part of adidas' 2020 strategic business plan, RunBase will play an
important role in increasing adidas presence in key U.S. cities. There are
currently six RunBase locations in Tokyo, Moscow, London, São Paulo, Prague
and the Nordics with several other locations planned around the world in
the next year.
Boston Marathon® RunBase will be located at 855 Boylston Street and open
daily from 10 a.m. (9 a.m. during race weekend) to 8 p.m. Visit
www.bostonrunbase.com for more information.
About the Boston Athletic Association
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through
sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John
Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon
Majors, along with the international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin,
Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in
B.A.A. events in 2015. The 119th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday,
April 20, 2015. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit
www.baa.org.
Media can visit news.adidas.com/US for more information.
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