In 1975 at the Boston Marathon, Marilyn Bevans became the first American-born Black woman to run a marathon in under three hours. Her breakthrough performance paved the way for a generation of Black marathoners. Today, fifty years after her historic run, 31 other women have joined her on The List. In April, we celebrated Marilyn's legacy and were lucky to spend time with her across a few days in Boston – capturing anecdotes of effort, reflections on life-changing challenges, and her mindset as she conquered the sub-three-hour-marathon. In honor of her enduring spirit, I’d like to kick off this month’s edition of Tailored Performance with a short film, presenting Marilyn’s point of view on that pivotal performance. | | THE ELIOT RUNNER I've found myself travelling a bit more than usual this past month: off to Martha’s Vineyard for a photoshoot, down to New York for meetings, up to Vermont for our annual team retreat... Being on the road reminded me how much I appreciate the Eliot Runner. It's the ultimate runner's travel shoe – a versatile trainer for easy miles or tempo runs that doubles as a casual option to carry you through the day. No need to pack a separate bag just for shoes! Grab a pair in core colors or look for new summer styles dropping mid-June. | | THE FOUNDER'S SHORT A sneak peak at something coming very soon. The Founder’s Short is a new personal favorite of mine – they are technical enough for training, but tailored enough to take you through the rest of your day. For those who have been here a while, this style brings back the best parts of the now-retired Longfellow and Falmouth Shorts – no liner, two hand pockets, incredible fabric, and refined details make it a running short that doesn't look like a running short. Similar to the Runners, the Founder's Shorts can give you a lot of versatility heading into the summer. | | BIG WEEKEND IN BROOKLYN We just wrapped up a whirlwind weekend in New York City. Last Thursday at the Trackhouse, we hosted a cocktail hour to celebrate our brand new collaboration with Rowing Blazers – inspired by the enduring spirit shared by runners and rowers. Then on Friday, we were once again joined by Marilyn Bevans, where she sat on a panel with other impactful women in the running industry to discuss her empowering perspectives on racing, coaching and more. Finally on Saturday, we witnessed Bevans in action as she raced the Women’s Mini 10K, presented by the New York Road Runners. The entire weekend was immersive and unforgettable – an ongoing example of runners inspiring other runners. We’ve got a lot going on at our Brooklyn Trackhouse, so the next time you’re in the city be sure to stop by 147 Wythe Ave. | | SAY HELLO TO SUMMER We’re entering summer in full stride. Long, sunny days, summer road races, getaways - it’s the perfect time to just get out there and get after it. Next week, we drop the season’s essentials – a warm-weather wardrobe including new colors in a refreshed Run Cannonball Run Collection. It’s amazing what a long weekend on Martha’s Vineyard offers for a change of scenery. We ran along the course of the oldest road race on the island. Ran, Cannonball’ed, then Ran some more – doing exactly what this traditional Tracksmith collection calls for. | | TWILIGHT 5000 IS ON Our signature summer racing series has begun. The Twilight 5000 gives runners the chance to race beneath the floodlights in a low-stakes, high-energy 5k fueled by camaraderie and—let’s be honest—a bit of healthy competition. We still have capacity at a few races, so secure your spot on the starting line by signing up below. | | FROM THE RUNNING WORLD Quick Splits | | It's OK to Skip Stuart McMillan is one of the best sprint coaches in the world. Even though I’m not a sprinter, I perked up when I saw him making the podcast rounds, first appearing on Huberman Lab and then Rich Roll. They’re both long and interesting conversations, and Stuart has a fascinating story and approach to peak performance, but what you really take away from the episodes is the potential impact of skipping on sprint performance, biomechanics and potentially just better health. You’ll have to take a listen to fully understand it, but I will admit that I’ve incorporated a bit more skipping into my weekly routine (just don’t tell my kids; they’ll be too embarrassed). Victorious Speedsuits Grand Slam Track is three slams deep and there’s been plenty of highlights, controversies and blistering last laps. But for our team, two moments have been extra special. In Miami, Jacory Patterson stormed to victory in the 400m wearing the Strata Speedsuit. In Philadelphia, it was Jamal Britt winning the 110m hurdles clad in our pinnacle bodywear. (Jamal finished 2nd in the 100m wearing the Strata Singlet, earning him $100k for winning the Short Hurdles event grouping. Congrats, Jamal.) I’d be willing to bet both athletes skip in practice… The Road to Trials USA Track & Field just announced the marathon qualifying times for the 2028 Olympic Trials. Keep an eye out in the weeks ahead as we announce our continued support through our ASP (Amateur Support Program), including a new marathon mentorship project that we’ll lead with 8-time Trials qualifier Stephanie Bruce. | | | | |
