New York, NY – July 23, 2021 – New Balance is excited to unveil the official New Balance 2021 TCS New York City Marathon Collection and celebrate the return of in-person racing after such an unprecedented year. The official New Balance 2021 TCS New York City Marathon Collection will be available Thursday, July 22nd, ranging in price from $30 for tees to $250 for the FuelCell RC Elite v2.
On September 13, 1970, 127 people gathered to run the first ever New York City Marathon. This first running consisted of four laps of Central Park, a far cry from the borough traversing, bridge crossing, midtown closing spectacle that the race has evolved into today. To honor the 50th running of the marathon, the official New Balance 2021 TCS New York City Marathon Collection pays homage to the first race by drawing inspiration from Central Park, where the first marathon was held. The abstract designs found on select apparel pieces reflect how intertwined the park is with the city and the four loops that made up the first marathon course. Additional pieces feature aerial maps of the park, the historic NYC skyline and other park inspired designs.
The 50th running of the marathon is an opportunity to celebrate the sport of running and welcome new and old runners back to in-person racing at the world’s largest marathon.
“We really wanted the apparel to showcase the marathon not just for what it is today, but for how much the race has grown and evolved over the past 50 runnings,” says Jeff Garabedian, Apparel Product General Manager. “We wanted to highlight the influence Central Park has had on the marathon, and really celebrate it as a key part of the TCS New York City Marathon’s history.”
As always, the heart of the collection is the Marathon Windcheater Jacket. The perfect example of style meets function, the Marathon Windcheater Jacket is made with performance fabrics that feature wind/water resistant technology. The jacket also features a horizontal reflective tape across the chest that serves as a nod to NB’s iconic Marathon Windcheater Jacket created in the ‘70s. Two limited edition colors of the jacket launched on June 8th but is debuting today in two new colorways. Fans around the world can claim one of these coveted jackets for a suggested retail price of $135. The collection also features New Balance’s premium Impact Run and Q Speed apparel which blend modern, sleek looks with high performance technology. One of the most notable pieces is a Central Park inspired printed Impact Run short sleeve with a suggested retail price of $55. A whole range of tops and bottoms in both Impact Run and Q Speed feature the “50th running” emblem, further highlighting the iconic race and its history. Depending on your preference, you can purchase a Q Speed Jacquard long or Q Speed Jacquard short sleeve with suggested retail prices of $55 and $50 respectively. If you’re looking for comfortable gear to recover or view the race in, the collection includes a variety of tees and sweatsuits with Central Park designs, as well as renderings of other famous New York City landmarks including the Statue of Liberty and the world-famous New York City skyline.
In addition to apparel, this collection features TCS New York City Marathon limited edition colorways of the Fresh Foam 1080v10, and the FuelCell Prism. The Fresh Foam 1080v10 is built to go the distance with New Balance’s most cushioned underfoot experience and has a suggested retail price of $175. The FuelCell Prism is light and fast and features lightweight support with propulsive cushioning. The suggested retail price for the FuelCell Prism is $135. Launching in September, the TCS New York City Marathon edition of the FuelCell RC Elite v2 will have a suggested retail price of $250. The FuelCell RC Elite v2 features New Balance’s highest rebound performance midsole compound, as well as a full-length carbon fiber plate for energy return and propulsion.
In addition to this main collection, three limited edition capsule collections will launch beginning in September. These smaller, premium collections allow New Balance to celebrate, in greater detail, different aspects of this historic race, as well as showcase new tech innovation stories. The first capsule launches in September and commemorates the 50th running of the race with a dignified black and gold color scheme. The second capsule (also launching in September) reimagines the original marathon running by drawing inspiration from apparel trends and colors from the very first race. The third capsule launches in October and is driven by innovation. This capsule incorporates the highest quality reflective technology NB has to offer while still looking ultra-lux and sleek.
Whether running or watching this iconic race, the New Balance 2021 TCS New York City Marathon collection has something to offer as the world welcomes back in-person racing!
About New Balance
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 7,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR’s mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, virtual races, community events, free youth running initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR’s premier event, and the largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features a wide population of runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.