i saw a running shoe ad that i pretty much dislike.

as i normally do when i am at REI i picked up the latest Women’s Running magazine and as I was flipping through it before actually sitting down to read the issue from front to back i spotted this BIG 2 page ad for some Pearl Izumi SyncroPace shoes. I have seen the ad once before and after seeing it again I cannot decide if I am offended by it or motivated by it.

(I tried so hard to find a picture of the ad to post it, but to no avail so I had to type it out… sorry!!) One page in big letters says “The marathon. Once a test of will, now a test of patience.” and on the opposite page it says “The marathon used to be an elite, athletic contest. These days, it’s an all day affair where some people mosey across the finish line seven hours after they started. Now don’t get us wrong, we don’t want to take anything away from these “finishers", but we’re fairly certain that Pheidippides wanted people to beat more than the sunset. In our humble opinion, the marathon is a race that was meant to be, well, raced. Because when you race the marathon – when you truly give it everything you have and then some – you honor the spirit of the marathon. And that is exactly what it will take to keep running’s most venerable race alive and well. So next time you’re toeing the line, respect the marathon. Run like an animal.”

Question: why is “finishers” in quotation mark?! I may be reading into it too much, but are you trying to say that someone who finished a marathon in 7 hours is not really a finisher? Because I am pretty sure they have a finisher's medal just like the winner (the SAME finisher's medal). I am pretty sure they traveled the same 26.2 course as someone who finished in 4 hours. I am pretty sure that they're a marathon finisher... making them a marathoner. Running a marathon whether it was in 3 hours or 7 hours is an accomplishment and many of those people who cross the finish line in 7 hours worked and trained as hard as they could to stand at that start line and cross that finish line. many of those finishers had the same excitement and emotions running through their bodies at the starting line as those finishers who qualified for boston in the very same race. And in my humble opinion (to use their words), who are you to say those people did not race with all their heart and did not have to fight back the will to quit and DNF. On top of it, how are you to say that those finishers did not give it everything they had and then some? How are you to say they did not honor the spirit of the marathon in their own way – 1 foot in front of the other, 1 breath at a time, and 1 motivational thought at a time. isn’t running a marathon all about mindset and rising above and heart, not pace?

Also – is the term “mosey” accurate or an advertising stretch trying to make people like me react?? i do not think that anyone who crosses the finish line of a 26.2 mile foot race feels that they are “moseying” across the finish line even if it takes them 7 hours. I feel that everyone who crosses that finish line feels that they gave it all they could and then some and that they did the best they could on that day.

Yes, I ran my first marathon 7 minutes shy of 6 hours (5:53). Yes, I barely trained my last month and did not fully respect the miles … but does that make me a “finisher” – because let me tell you – getting that marathon medal was the biggest accomplishment to date, even bigger than graduating college. It was not a test of patience, it was a test of will and determination to fight through the 20 degree weather and the pain in the legs and hips, it was a test of will and determination to fight through the “just quit” thoughts and climb over the mental wall that i hit at mile 16 or 17. running a marathon or run/walking a marathon or even walking a marathon is not something everyone can say they did – and if you can say you did it you should be proud and feel accomplished and relish in your personal victory – a shoe company shouldn’t be looking down on you for it. but seriously, Pearl Izumi, how do you know what other people's levels of commitment are?

So yes, i think it does offend me – but it also makes me want to work so much harder for marine corps. I want to run that marathon in 5 hours. Probably not impressive to the marketing team at Pearl Izumi, but if it happens it will be a 53 minute PR and I will be impressed. i will give them credit. this is the 1st ad that has made me stop and look at it and this is definitely the 1st ad that has made me want to take to my blog and write.

On a side note, it looks like this is not the 1st ad by this running shoe company that had someone want to voice their opinion. There once was a “we are not joggers” ad that irked a fellow runner enough to write about it. Their web site also has a “book” on it full of equally obnoxious comments like “runners sometimes jog but joggers never run” (um… isn’t a jog just a slower run… don’t runners have to start somewhere?!)

…. And like that author of that post says… I am not sure if Pearl Izumi is trying to lose some customers, or just push us to run faster, but I am not loving this approach. … needless to say, if i was ever to stray from brooks i do not think i will ever own a pair of shoes from this company… and according to RunnerDude, they’re a fairly new running shoe company. Nothing like belittling people to try and make them buy your product. It is like the moron who thinks insulting the girl will make the girl like him more. idiots.

what are your thoughts on this campaign? have you seen it? do you agree?