In keeping with their 15-year New York City Marathon partnership, ASICS and ING will team up again this year for the upcoming race.
(Check out STACK's ASICS Guide for everything ASICS!)
In addition to serving as principal sponsor, ASICS will provide official apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand will also operate the "Marathon Store by ASICS" at the Health and Fitness Expo; sell the event's licensed products; and work with New York Road Runners to equip officials, thousands of volunteers, and NYPD and NYFD teams in commemorative shirts.
Last year, the athletic footwear company introduced its new mantra, "Stop at Never," ahead of the marathon, then enlisted Olympic runner Ryan Hall to be the face of a multi-media advertising campaign. They also created both the "Support Your Marathoner" program—which let fans send motivational texts, pictures, and videos to their favorite athlete; and the "Share Your Glory" Facebook application—which allowed runners to update their social media profiles with information based on their position in the race. Both apps will be available again this year.
(Training for a marathon? Read up on the 10 Basic Guidelines For Marathon Training.)
The televised race, which has historically attracted more than 120,000 registrants, has become a U.S. highlight. Since its start in 1970, the marathon has grown considerably, with more than $800,000 in prize money and the opportunity to race in front of two million spectators and a worldwide television audience of 315 million people.
The race has garnered support from famous athletes, presenting them with a platform to leverage their fame to help specific charities. Participants in the past have included speed skater Apolo Ohno (Subway's Jared Fogle Challenges Apolo Ohno to Run a Marathon), hockey great Mark Messier, and softball pitcher Jennie Fitch.
The New York City Marathon weekend kicks off in Central Park on Friday, November 2, at 5:30 p.m., with the Parade of Nations—delegates from 75 countries and charity Team For Kids marching toward the Marathon's finish line.
Source: New York Road Runners
Photo: Social Media Playground
