RUN SHEET No. 009
October 31, 2026
By running.news Editorial
THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON HAS BECOME A BRAND EVENT FAR BEYOND RUNNING
The New York City Marathon is a race through five boroughs. This weekend, it is also a meeting point for brands that have little to do with running shoes.
Maybelline, Celsius and Salt & Stone are among the names building a presence around the marathon, joining the footwear companies that have long treated race week as a major marketing moment. Maybelline, the marathon’s first beauty sponsor, is hosting a shakeout run and product giveaways. Celsius has built programming around everything from a group run to post-race recovery.
The shift is bigger than a crowded calendar of pop-ups. Running gives brands access to a community that gathers in person, creates its own content and carries its identity well beyond race day. The question is whether those brands add something runners value or simply compete for attention around an audience they don’t fully understand.
Read the reporting in Modern Retail
BROOKS KEEPS GROWING AS THE RUNNING MARKET GETS CROWDED
Brooks reported 12% revenue growth through the first nine months of 2026 and its 13th consecutive quarter of revenue growth.
Footwear revenue rose 11% and apparel climbed 18% year to date through September, according to the company. Brooks is benefiting from a running market attracting more brands, more products and more marketing dollars, while continuing to build on its established position with runners.
The number to watch is whether that consistency continues as competitors invest more heavily in performance products and running-specialty distribution. Thirteen consecutive quarters is a notable run, but it does not mean the market is getting easier.
ALTRA IS GROWING MORE THAN 40%
Altra is making a stronger case for itself in a running market dominated by much larger names.
Parent company VF Corporation said the brand grew more than 40% in its fiscal second quarter, which ended September 26. The growth stands out inside a portfolio that includes The North Face, Timberland and Vans.
VF does not disclose a standalone Altra revenue figure, so the percentage should not be mistaken for the size of the business. Still, the result shows that a specialist brand with a distinct product identity can find room to grow as competition for runners intensifies.
NEW YORK’S MARATHON CROSSES $100 MILLION BEFORE THE START
One major number was already in before runners reached Staten Island.
New York Road Runners says fundraising associated with the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon has surpassed $100 million. Last year’s marathon charity campaign raised $80 million. This year’s program includes more than 670 official charity partners.
That is money raised for charities, not revenue for NYRR, and the amount announced ahead of race day is not necessarily the final total. It does show how a major marathon has become more than an entry-fee business: access to the race supports a fundraising platform with reach far beyond the finish line.
THE MARATHON SHOE WAR GETS ANOTHER NEW YORK STAGE
adidas arrives in New York with a strong argument in the competition for marathon credibility.
Reuters reports that runners wearing adidas shoes have recorded eight wins at World Marathon Majors this year. Those results give the brand visibility where performance claims are hardest to ignore, while Nike is working to reassert its position in a category it helped transform with the Vaporfly.
The commercial value extends beyond the athletes who win. A podium can make a racing franchise more credible to runners shopping for a daily trainer or a lower-priced race shoe. But a race result alone cannot establish how many shoes it sells—or who wins the larger business over time.
THE BOTTOM LINE
New York’s marathon week shows how many businesses now want a place in running: footwear brands chasing performance credibility, consumer brands looking for community and nonprofits building fundraising around participation. The race lasts a day. The business around it is increasingly year-round.
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