Nabbing a spot in the New York City Marathon has never been harder: Of the 200,000 people who entered the lottery for this year’s race, between 2 and 3 percent were accepted.
It isn’t just an issue for New York City or the rest of the world majors — the Philadelphia Marathon and Half-Marathon sold out faster this year than any other time in the races’ 32-year history.
Enter the unsanctioned race, an alternative gaining momentum for those shut out of more organized affairs — or for runners just looking for something different.
With looser organization, these types of events operate without closed streets and often feature only starting and finish lines.
Unsanctioned Athletics, based in Nottingham, U.K., expanded its varying race formats to Europe amid much fanfare. And Take the Bridge, founded in New York, has likewise taken its act national.
As more runners sign up for these races, brands are, too. Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Hoka, Merrell, Salomon and more have all lined up to sponsor Unsanctioned Athletics events. Several of those same brands, as well as Saucony, have backed Take the Bridge. And Nike is a fixture at Orchard Street Runners’ localized series in New York.
Runners from Tipster’s first New York City Bakery Run in September, which was sponsored by Salomon
ROB-FOCHT
“It was cool for us to tap into a new audience and have a way to connect more authentically,” Erin Cooper, senior marketing manager of performance sportstyle for Salomon, said of the brand’s participation in unsanctioned events. “If we were sponsoring a bigger race, it would be hard to have those touchpoints with people. Unsanctioned races are the perfect blend between the vibe you get on the sportstyle side and the performance running side.”
Puma grabbed attention during Boston Marathon weekend in April, in part, by sponsoring 26.True’s “alternate” Boston marathon.
The latter race, held two days prior to the official one, covered the same distance and offered a bib, medal and finisher’s jacket. Each runner got to break the tape at the finish line after navigating the streets.
Puma also partnered with the group for another unsanctioned race without a fixed distance. Instead, runners were given three checkpoints: Fenway Park, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Charles River Esplanade. Runners could chart the best course, a challenge heightened by the fact that the Boston Red Sox were playing at home that night.
The winner hit the final checkpoint with 4.3 miles, but others logged as many as 5 or 6 miles.
“It was such good-willed competitiveness,” said Stefan Popovic, public relations lead for Puma Run/Train.
The starting line for Puma and 26.2 true’s unsanctioned marathon days before the Boston Marathon.
But with some races, being competitive isn’t the point. Salomon sponsored Tipster’s first New York City Bakery Run in September, which covered a half-marathon distance with stops for pastries at eight of the city’s most famous bakeries. Seventeen thousand people entered the lottery for just 100 bibs.
In another example of a creative format, David Trimble masterminded the Midnight Half, which borrowed the “alley cat” checkpoint format from cycling to host seven races from 2018 to 2022, in partnership with Orchard Street Runners and Nike.
After drawing strong turnout for his own races, Trimble has consulted on some of Nike’s own events and was race director for Bandit’s well-received inaugural Grand Prix in July.
“If brands are on board with your idea, they’re willing to support the vision,” Trimble said. And maintaining authenticity is also key. “Where these things suffer is when a brand’s putting on a [marketing] event but pretending it’s an underground, unsanctioned kind of community event,” Trimble added.
Finding the right way to get involved is crucial for brands looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
Puma’s Popovic believes unsanctioned races have taken over for run clubs as the best form of community building. He predicts even more unique formats could form the next wave of events, pointing to the Empire State Building Run Up, which spans the landmark’s 86 flights of stairs, as a source of intrigue.
One of the most novel concepts is the Williamsburg Bridge Marathon, which requires runners to traverse back and forth between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Despite the appearance of “marathon” in the name, the distance is randomly selected, anywhere from 10 to 40 miles. Participants don’t know what they’re in for until they’ve already started.
A runner approaches the finish line for Puma’s unsanctioned race featuring three checkpoints in Boston with no set route.
JOSEPH HALE
