A LOOK AHEAD
Dear Tracksmith Community,
Welcome to one of my favorite weekends, which only comes along once every four years. On Saturday, over 300 of the best American marathoners will compete in Orlando for the chance to make the US Olympic Team. The US Olympic Trials represent a side of running that makes our sport so special. Lining up alongside a handful of true pros will be teachers, doctors, parents, nurses, students, first-time marathoners, long-time marathoners, and, I’m proud to say, over 80 Tracksmith-supported athletes and three of our own employees. All of these athletes have put in an incredible amount of work for the chance to test themselves against the best in the world.
In addition to being an Olympic year, 2024 also marks Tracksmith’s 10th Anniversary. Anniversaries that carry big round numbers tend to make one a bit more reflective than usual. Over the course of the year we will revisit some of the ideas, values and products that helped launch the brand in 2014, since we find them to be just as relevant today. The first of those is the concept of Amateur. When we first printed the word Amateur – “for the love” – on a Grayboy in 2015, it struck a chord with many of you because of your deep love for the sport.
Core to the amateur spirit, and what makes the journey as a runner particularly meaningful, is pushing ourselves to be the best we can. While the pros have their best efforts rewarded and acknowledged, the achievements of most runners go unrecognized. That's why I'm thrilled to announce the Tracksmith PR Bonus - a program to celebrate and reward any runner who achieves a personal best. We will reward any new personal record set between January 1st and April 30th, in any standard distance running or track & field event – from the 100m to the marathon, the triple jump to the shot put – with a $100 credit towards your next Tracksmith purchase. You can find more details here, including how we will determine age group PRs for those of you – like me – who are still competing as masters.
Throughout the year, we will continue innovating our product line to provide committed runners the tools they need to train and race at their highest level. On Saturday in Orlando, for example, our Trials competitors will be wearing the new Strata Kit. It uses our lightest and most advanced fabrics, designed to perform when results matter most. We’re also particularly excited about a game-changing product that a few of our athletes will be testing on race day. Hint: Pay attention to their feet (and the news tomorrow).
As we embark on our next 10 years, we intend to be even more focused on our mission to support committed runners around the world. So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being a part of our journey. We look forward to many more miles together.
Sincerely,
Matt Taylor
Founder & CEO