Tailored Performance is a monthly newsletter designed to bring you closer to what’s going on at Tracksmith. There’s no better way to start this series than with the Boston Marathon. I’ve written about my experience this year, seeking redemption for a DNF fifteen years ago and chasing my midlife crisis goal of two hours plus my age. Let’s just say I was happy to race in the latest prototype of the Eliot Racer.

Last month, we had our annual team retreat at Craftsbury for the third year in a row. It was great to have the full team at the same location, exchanging ideas and aligning on where the brand is headed. Craftsbury is a place that brings back fond Tracksmith memories of incredible running in freezing temperatures, as well as fun summer camp shenanigans.

Seventy years ago, two athletes set a new standard for the mile, as Roger Bannister conquered the distance in under four minutes, while Diane Leather was the first woman to break five minutes. While the achievements marked world records for both men’s and women’s running respectively, this year, we wanted to pay particular attention to Leather’s legacy. We created a capsule collection to celebrate the triumph, inspired by her “Fleet and Free” Birchfield Harriers vest.

We’ve reimagined our run club by making exciting changes that unlock more opportunities and resources for our members. In addition to the current benefits, which include support at Marathon Majors, free shipping, and more, Hare A.C. runners will have access to expert advice from athletes in our Amateur Support Program who participated in the Olympic Trials, as well as offerings from our select group of partner performance brands. It’s exciting to see our club continue to grow, both in its members and the perks that we can share with them.

If you’re familiar with Tracksmith, you know about our summer capsule, Run, Cannonball, Run. The premise is to leave behind the seriousness of training, and free yourself from the GPS watch to find a nice cool body of water to jump in. This year, we’re taking a slightly different approach, and we’re leaning a bit more on my connection to the water via summers spent on Cape Cod running and surfing. We brought our good friends from Mami Wata on board to bring a refresh to this capsule collection, pairing our summer silhouettes with some new graphics. Grab yourself a pair of swim-friendly running shorts before the summer peaks.

Year after year, we make a point to honor National Donut Day, creating a limited-edition Grayboy graphic that celebrates the sweet treat. Being runners, we need sustenance to carry us through the miles, and if you’re in the mood to indulge yourself, donuts can be a fun take on fuel (although they won’t fit in our drop-in pockets, so they might be better for a pre- or post-run snack). After all, "If the furnace is hot enough, anything will burn”.

With the summer getting started, our Twilight 5000 Series has only just begun. We have 19 races left across the globe, each an opportunity to enjoy a low-stakes track meet under the lights as we celebrate the running community at every stop. The events are steeped in energy, from the bumping music to the dedicated pacers that get you to your goal. I’ve run the Boston edition several times - sometimes chasing my own goal, other times enjoying 12.5 laps with my kids. Take this chance to experience local racing like you never have before with the Tracksmith community. We hope to see you at the starting line.

Three's a Crowd
In February, Michael Johnson announced his new track league with a $30m investment from Winners Alliance. A few weeks later, another new track meet announcement came, this time from Gabby Thomas and Alexis Ohanian (Serena William’s husband and co-founder of Reddit). Not to be left out, Barry Kahn has launched his head-to-head competition - Duæl. It will be interesting to see what sticks coming off an Olympic year. 

Boston to Paris
Speaking of the Olympics, the US Olympic Trials are fast approaching. It’s one of my favorite track meets in the world because the stakes are so high; you have to finish in the top 3, on that day, to make the team. We’ll be closely following the women’s 1500m, because three local athletes all have a chance to make the team. Elle St. Pierre, Heather MacLean and Emily Mackay are all coached by Mark Coogan and live and train in the Boston area. None of the athletes went to top collegiate programs and they take a more blue collar approach to their training. It makes them an easy group to root for. 

New York to Beijing
I was at Icahn Stadium last week shooting a film we’ll launch later this summer. In the hallway under the stadium I saw a sign commemorating Usain Bolt’s World Record in the 100m (9.72). I was at that race, sixteen years ago, filming Bolt as part of my role at PUMA. No one thought he would break the world record that night. A thunderstorm delayed the meet several hours, so by the time the race ended, my colleagues were asleep. Here I was, new on the job, with a World Record holder. So I asked a photographer to come to Times Square with us so we could get photos to send to the press. Of course, Usain was new to this as well. He threw on a sweatshirt. We stopped at McDonald’s for chicken nuggets. He spilled BBQ sauce on the sweatshirt. We got the pictures. And very few people paid attention. But three months later, in Beijing, Bolt burst onto the global sports stage, breaking three world records in the Olympic Games.