New Balance, the global athletic footwear and apparel brand has announced the return of its pub ‘The Runaway,’ where the currency used is miles run and logged on Strava in exchange for pints.
New Balance first opened the doors to The Runaway in 2019, creating a social hub for the running community. The Runaway is back for 2020 with a fresh new look and a brand new set of Strava challenges aimed to engage runners of all abilities.
In conjunction with Strava, New Balance will launch four challenges, specifically focused around different distances and running abilities. Whether you are training for the Virgin Money London Marathon, the Westminster Mile or just looking to up your mileage on your weekly runs, there is a Strava challenge for everyone.
Complete with a fully stocked bar, traditional pub seating and dartboard upstairs the Runaway provides a cosy setting for runners to relax and socialise together. Downstairs, runners will find a retail area where you can try on and order the latest training and running kit from New Balance online.
The toilets in The Runaway are equipped with blank walls, where guests are encouraged to leave fellow runners a message of encouragement. The downstairs also features a gym area for post run stretches and work out sessions, complete with two treadmills, changing rooms and lockers.
The Runaway, which features ruby red colour hues throughout, pays homage to the 40th anniversary of the Virgin Money London Marathon, while celebrating the rich heritage of the New Balance brand. Retro imagery gives guests an insight into New Balance history, with subtle nods to the brand’s UK manufacturing factory in Flimby, Cumbria.
The pub will once again open its doors for numerous London based run clubs, including New Balance Run Club community RUN THE BOROUGHS, while other run clubs are also invited to host their runs to and from The Runaway.
Samantha Matthews, Senior Marketing Manager at New Balance UK & Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to bring The Runaway back for another year. We were blown away by the success of the pub last year and we want runners to embrace The Runaway as their community home again this year. As a brand, we support runners of all abilities and our passion is to encourage more people to run. The Runaway gives us the perfect call to action to achieve this, after all who doesn’t want to earn themselves a pint.”
The Runaway will also embody the brand’s ‘We Got Now’ campaign, which seeks to empower and inspire people to embrace the power of now and live their own now in unique and fearlessly independent ways. Inspired by its athletes and ambassadors, We Got Now represents the next leg on the brand’s Fearlessly Independent journey.
The We Got Now campaign unifies and showcases top New Balance athletes & ambassadors in energised stories of now (their passions, causes and impact) and in connection to key sport and culture moments. Spanning across the New Balance product portfolio, We Got Now is the ethos of the New Balance brand and has been brought to life for the Virgin Money London Marathon campaign by British youth and subculture photographer Ewen Spencer.
Join the conversation @newbalance on Instagram. Join our running club on Strava at New Balance Run Club and gear up for your training at www.newbalance.co.uk
