Brooks Running is launching a new initiative to foster the athletes of tomorrow.
On Friday, the Seattle-based performance brand unveiled “Future Run,” a new program aimed at teaching young people the benefits of running. The new initiative is an evolution of the brand’s current community impact work and aims to reach one million young runners in the U.S. with a $10 million investment over the next five years, Brooks said.
Through Future Run, Brooks said it will also invest in regional partners connect participants to running opportunities, coaching, and mentors such as Angel City Elite in Los Angeles, Students Run Philly Style in Philadelphia, Kids of Steel in Pittsburgh, and We Run Houston.
This is the latest initiative for Brooks, which has invested more than $4 million in youth running since 2015 by providing grants and performance running gear to middle and high school track and cross-country teams in North America.
In 2020, Brooks invested once again in youth running through its “Empower Her” collection in partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods benefiting girls‘ running programs through The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation.
Separately to Future Run, Brooks also announced on Friday a new multi-year partnership with Marathon Kids, which provides evidence-based physical activity programming to help kids adopt an active lifestyle through its free, digital goal setting and milestone tracking tool. According to Brooks, this year, Marathon Kids will serve nearly 200,000 kids across 789 communities in 45 states, with a commitment to address low-income populations and provide programming to vulnerable populations.
Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, added in a statement that the Future Run vision is “perfectly aligned” with the pillars of its own program, which teaches participants goal setting and tracking, provides them role models and social support, and celebrates their successes.
Later this year, Brooks said it will go a step further and launch the 2023 Future Run product collection with shoes and socks in classic varsity color combinations, paying homage to the powerful dynamic of running as a team sport. Brooks noted that the collection debut will coincide with the re-launch of the Future Run Team Grants program (previously called Brooks Booster Club).
With Team Grants, Brooks will provide financial support and performance running gear to track and cross-country teams at 50 U.S. schools each year. Brooks said it will also continue its Inspiring Coaches program, which annually recognizes high school track and cross-country coaches who go above and beyond for their athletes.
Brooks added that it plans to expand its new Future Run initiative to markets beyond the U.S. in the coming years.
“With Future Run, we hope to make a positive and lasting impact on the next generation of runners and the future of our sport,” Brooks Running CEO Jim Weber said in a statement.
