adidas and the BAA Team Up to Open First RunBase in U.S.

Sources: adidas, Boston Athletic Association

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.