August RIDC Media & Events Round Up

What Else Is Happening In the Running Industry?

The Running Event Releases Its List of Best Running Stores of 2024. "Each year, the Best Running Stores awards program recognizes and celebrates leading run specialty retailers across the US. With a passionate commitment to their communities, employees, customers, and the industry, these stores exemplify what makes run specialty so special."

OOFOS Names Footwear Industry Veteran Erin Flynn Head of Sales. "OOFOS, the global leader in Active Recovery has hired Erin Flynn as the new head of sales for OOFOS. Erin is a 20-year veteran of the athletic footwear industry and has an impressive track record of driving strategy, growth and innovation for top brands and retailers. More recently, Erin spent the past several years working with many running and outdoor brands, specialty retailers and industry organizations, including the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, several of the World Marathon Majors and many other premier global events on key areas of growth and culture."

Stop Shaming Runners—at Clubs, on Social, or Anywhere—for “Why” They Run. "If you’re seeing negativity about run clubs, refresh your feed because one benefit of social media is that it’s actually bringing more people to running and that’s a good thing."

Eight Sexist Myths Women Runners Disproved. "Myths about women in sport date back at least to the dawn of the Olympics 2,800 years ago, when women weren’t allowed to compete. These myths “remain hard to shake,” according to sports journalist Maggie Mertens. Here are eight ways the world has misjudged women runners and how they’ve fought to make the sport their own."

Proving That I Belong in the Sport I Love. "My vision for a more inclusive running world grew, and I was inspired to continue creating space for trans and nonbinary runners. I reached out and started working with more local events and longstanding races, including the Boston Marathon. This work eventually crossed oceans and language barriers to create change at other World Marathon Majors."

Invisible Barriers Keep Lots of People From Embracing the Sport. "The barriers to entry for running can easily go unnoticed for someone that doesn’t have to face challenges of inclusion, threats for their safety, financial hardship, and other unseen struggles. That’s why highlighting these challenges and uplifting community members who face them is crucial to moving the sport forward."