Just because the marathon is over doesn’t mean that Boston will stop running. On Boylston Street at the 26th mile mark of the Boston Marathon course, Adidas has teamed up with BAA and Marathon Sports to open a running hub called RunBase.
This historic street is the perfect place to open the concept store, which exhibits the most memorable moments of Boston Marathons over the years. Customers can see a 3-dimensional course elevation map with an animated projection through the course. The map also makes it very obvious that Heartbreak Hill is no joke.
RunBase offers a lot more than your average running store. With a changing room and lockers along with showers, the facility can be used as a start and end point for community group runs. Each Thursday night at 6:30 PM, group runs from the store are open to the public.
RunBase also plans to host speakers such as elite athletes, nutritionists and trainers. Clinics and workshops will help runners increase their running economy and form. The events calendar can be found both in-store and online, so be sure to check it out.
There is an in-store treadmill with a screen that takes you on a virtual marathon, following the course from Hopkinton to the finish. You can choose specific portions of the course to get a feel for them individually and the screen offers the experience of the environment around the course. The treadmill even adjusts for elevation changes that occur along the course.
Even if you are not an avid runner, you may want to stop by the store for a first-hand glimpse of Lelisa Desisa’s 2013 Champion’s Medal. After the 2013 bombings, Desisa returned his medal to the City of Boston in honor of the victims and the city affected by the attack. It is now displayed in RunBase for public viewing.
The store is more than just a museum of running history. RunBase also sells Adidas marathon gear and shoes. The very first customer this year was mayor Marty Walsh, who came to RunBase to celebrate the history of the marathon. Though this is the first United States RunBase location, there are several other RunBases throughout the world with more popping up within the next few years.
The exact location of Boston Marathon RunBase is 855 Boylston Street. The facility will be open year-round from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, see www.bostonrunbase.com.
Courtesy of Competitor.com