They just want good looking women to model their crappy shoes and clothes. Don't do it ladies. Whatever happened to their NIL athletes? Was good for one post and that was that.
Their shoes and clothes are not crappy - just ridiculously expensive. Eliot Runner is comparable to Nike Pegasus at twice the price.
It's ridiculously expensive and crappy. I've got Nike shirts from 15 years ago that are still in great condition. Tracksmith stuff lasts maybe 2 years max.
Tracksmith really brings out the peanut gallerists. Things no one has to do:
* Join Tracksmith's team.
* Buy Tracksmith clothes.
* Run in Tracksmith shoes.
* Look at the "good looking women" who model their shoes and clothes or agree to be one of the "good looking women."
Things you can do if you want:
* Start your own team.
* Start your own shoe and clothing company that will be better in every way than Tracksmith.
* Live your life without feeling insecure about what Tracksmith or its customers are doing.
The bottom-line is that Tracksmith is, by all accounts, a good citizen of and contributor to the running community and sport at both amateur and professional levels. They put on good and accessible events throughout the country and world, make clothes that are not actually much more expensive (if at all) than the competition, and even took a run at making shoes (how dare they).
Love them or not, there should be more (not fewer) companies like Tracksmith out there.
Tracksmith really brings out the peanut gallerists. Things no one has to do:
* Join Tracksmith's team.
* Buy Tracksmith clothes.
* Run in Tracksmith shoes.
* Look at the "good looking women" who model their shoes and clothes or agree to be one of the "good looking women."
Things you can do if you want:
* Start your own team.
* Start your own shoe and clothing company that will be better in every way than Tracksmith.
* Live your life without feeling insecure about what Tracksmith or its customers are doing.
The bottom-line is that Tracksmith is, by all accounts, a good citizen of and contributor to the running community and sport at both amateur and professional levels. They put on good and accessible events throughout the country and world, make clothes that are not actually much more expensive (if at all) than the competition, and even took a run at making shoes (how dare they).
Love them or not, there should be more (not fewer) companies like Tracksmith out there.
I like Tracksmith clothes, and their support for the sport, but their clothes are definitely on the more expensive side of running apparel out there. I have some of their Reggie half tights, oldest is 4 years old, but with the cost of their cheapest lined tights, at $85 (Turnover half tights) a pair now, that's too steep. The Stratas are $145. Definitely on the high end.
Call me an old grump, but my real problem with tracksmith isn't the price, it's the length of the shorts. Seems like every style is what I would call a pair of basketball shorts. Do the kids really not use running shorts anymore?
Seems like an okay deal for unsponsored sub-elite women: $1000 in Tracksmith gear, free training camp, you can keep your current coach, and all you have to do is run in the Tracksmith kit and the Tracksmith shoes (bit of a gamble of course, nobody knows if they're any good). You were probably going to run their target races anyways (CIM in the fall, almost surely Grandma's in the spring) if OTQ was the target. Plus the entry standards are pretty easy, 1:17 is no problem if you can run 16:40 or sub-35:00 for 10k.
Really boils down to how good you think the Eliot Racer is going to be, and whether you have any local team perks you'd have to give up to do it.
The Tracksmith shoe thing is a problem at that level. But if you OTQ'd in the original Endorphin Pro, you should be fine.
It is interesting that, for men, everything has become huge, long and baggy. While the women progressed from using an ace bandage to wrap their breasts back in the old days (because there simply were no running bra) to racing in a tankini, the men are now being asked to buy running burkas with 5-9" shorts with an absurdly long t-shirt and knee high socks.
Their shoes and clothes are not crappy - just ridiculously expensive. Eliot Runner is comparable to Nike Pegasus at twice the price.
It's ridiculously expensive and crappy. I've got Nike shirts from 15 years ago that are still in great condition. Tracksmith stuff lasts maybe 2 years max.
"Maybe"? So you're just guessing? Well, guess what. I bought the Session shorts 7 years ago, and they are like new.
Introducing Tracksmith Stamata – a women’s marathon team led by 8-time trials qualifier, Stephanie Bruce. Dedicated to supporting aspiring female athletes in their pursuit of qualifying for the 2028 U.S. marathon team trials, the program provides hands-on support, mentorship, and resources to empower the next generation of women marathoners in their remarkable journey to the starting line.
The Namesake The marathon was one of 43 events of the Athens Games in 1896. At the starting line, a Greek woman named Stamata Revithi was denied a chance to run with the field of men. The next day, she ran the full course alone, finishing in 5 hours, 30 minutes. Although unofficial, Stamata was the first woman to complete the marathon distance.
ROAD TO 2028 The OTQ The marathon trials are a defining goal for serious runners across the country – most of them amateurs – who dedicate themselves to elite training while balancing full-time careers, families, and everyday responsibilities. With persistence and passion, making it to the trials represents more than a direct path to the ultimate international arena; to qualify is to join the top tier of American marathoners.
The team will come together several times a year for dedicated training camps and strategic OTQ attempts. Each spring and fall, we’ll select a targeted race where the team collectively focuses on striving toward the sub-2:37:00 time goal. In 2025, our target race will be California International Marathon.
At the heart of these efforts is Stephanie Bruce. As a mentor and pacer, Stephanie will guide the group at OTQ pace, using her experience and leadership to help her teammates stay on track and push toward their qualifying goals.
Team Member Support
Training Camps We’ll aim to bring all the women together twice a year for 4-7 days in the buildup to each bi-annual targeted race. For those who are flexible and interested in attending an additional altitude camp, there will also be an opportunity to train with Steph Bruce in Flagstaff.
More info and a team application can be found here:
One of the many half-baked money grabs that will emerge between now and L.A. 2028. Gotta love Steph Bruce's ambition to try and cash in on a mediocre running career, while at the same time pushing the dream of Olympic glory to a group of women who realistically don't have a chance of qualifying for the Oly Trials, and not having to leave the cozy confines of her Flagstaff home. I have more faith in Grand Slam Track than this poaching expedition. Some people have NO SHAME!
QUESTION:
What is the total cost for the Steph Bruce-Tracksmith Platinum Package? Has this been disclosed? Or is this like an a la carte menu at a restaurant where you can pick and choose your training/race plan?
It's nothing like the semi-super shoes that some other brands started with.
Did I hear someone saying "Brooks"?
I’d include the Endorphin Pro 1 and 2 (even though I liked them for workouts), also the first shoes from Under Armour, Mizuno, probably some other smaller players.
Though I must say, the name does suck (I initially read it as "Stamina" which would be a much better name) and in terms of level of ambition they are not exactly swinging for the fences here, even people on local teams that offer travel support in exchange for wearing the team bib are probably better off not doing this Tracksmith deal.
Yeah, not seeing a real benefit in this over a local training group. Of course it's a marketing stunt.
Have they announced the team?? If it's more a marketing stunt they'd have to find some speedy influencers to make those cut-off times....
I don't think they've announced yet but originally acceptances were coming out on 8.1.25. Obviously we are way past that date... I wonder if that's a good thing (lots of applications to evaluate) or bad (not enough qualified applicants).
One of the many half-baked money grabs that will emerge between now and L.A. 2028. Gotta love Steph Bruce's ambition to try and cash in on a mediocre running career, while at the same time pushing the dream of Olympic glory to a group of women who realistically don't have a chance of qualifying for the Oly Trials, and not having to leave the cozy confines of her Flagstaff home. I have more faith in Grand Slam Track than this poaching expedition. Some people have NO SHAME!
QUESTION:
What is the total cost for the Steph Bruce-Tracksmith Platinum Package? Has this been disclosed? Or is this like an a la carte menu at a restaurant where you can pick and choose your training/race plan?
It is a good idea and great to see women coming together to OTQ to the 2:37 (B standard, I think A is not determined yet for '28). But it's all the same profile of women--young, white, wealthy (most have great professional jobs like engineers, doctors, etc.). Not much variety in their stories or stories of struggle (except for 1 of them, one ran because she lost her father, so that was legit inspirational). Found the story of how they came up with group while looking at tracksmith stuff.
The statement is not totally right--standard is 2:37 and most of the women in the bio page have either qualified (some are 2:30-2:34) or some are borderline (2:37-2:40).