Nike Women’s Marathon and the Commercialization of Running
Bryn was a champ and completed her first half marathon on Sunday. The Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco raises money for leukemia and lymphoma, with a heavy dose of female empowerment along the lines of “you can do everything the boys can do” and “run like a girl.” Which is great, to get people active and excited about running and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

But for all the warm fuzzies, Nike has a huge business interest in the success of the race. On the surface, it’s still “Just Do It.” But what they really want to see happen is “Just Do It…In Our Shoes, Clothes, and Accessories.” Achieve your goals (faster in Nike gear). It’s no coincidence all the pre-race activities and the starting line are right in the shadow of Niketown San Francisco, one of the company’s largest retail stores.
Running is the simplest sport in the world; it requires almost no equipment. But selling running shoes isn’t enough. To really “Run like a Girl,” you need the cute technical top, the Nike running shorts, and the Nike+ iPod hookup.
Not that it’s a bad thing at all. Genius really. By doing good for others, Nike does quite well for itself.
Related posts:
- Half Marathon #2 I ran my 2nd half marathon this past Sunday. Same...
- Barefoot Running Barefoot running is all the rage these days, with many...
- Book Review: Born to Run I really enjoyed Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run: A Hidden...
- It’s Cyber Monday! It’s Cyber Monday, the unofficial holiday of online retail. The...
- Go Green By Running Yellow Lights Ever slam on your brakes to stop for a yellow...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

October 19th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I’m pretty sure I went faster in my nike shorts and shirt.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:13 am
And the amount of money spent on the shoes, clothes, iPod etc. is still less than a pair of skis, boots and poles. I’m just saying.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
technical top?
October 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
technical top = moisture-wicking shirt
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
HIIT for instance sprints is good for altering your body composition, increasing your muscle mass and reducing fat.