Mizuno, leading supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel, have announced its partnering of the new RunLiverpool Marathon, as official footwear and sportswear sponsor.
The 2011 race which takes place Sunday October 9, will be the first to be held in the city in over 20 years and is set to be a high-profile annual event in Liverpool’s sporting calendar, with organisers RunLiverpool expecting the race to attract an estimated 12,000 participants.
As part of the sponsorship celebration, Mizuno have given 10 pairs of running shoes and T-shirts to Liverpool Unites, one of the event’s charity partners who will be donating them to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to assist in patients’ long-term care and recovery plans.
Mizuno has a long heritage of sponsoring esteemed international running races. The RunLiverpool Marathon will be joining Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam and Osaka to be the fifth and only UK marathon in their running series, which also includes the Royal Parks Half Marathon and the Nice Half Marathon.
Leading the field in terms of their research, design and innovation, Mizuno will be commencing their ‘Mizuno Tech Tour’ exclusively at The RunLiverpool Marathon.
The brand’s purpose built ‘Mizuno Tech Tour’ vehicle will be a popular attraction at the Marathon with a footwear display, Mizuno’s own PrecisionFit analysis tool and treadmill facilities. Mizuno will help runners choose the best footwear for their individual biomechanics and assessing technique before identifying the best Mizuno shoe to maximise their personal performance.
The ‘Mizuno Tech Tour’ vehicle will embark on a twelve-month tour of UK race events following the completion of the RunLiverpool Marathon. The RunLiverpool Marathon will also give Mizuno the opportunity to showcase its performance range of running shoes and apparel with a retail area located adjacent to the finishing line.
Key race staff and marshals will be fitted in Mizuno running-wear and the brand will also provide celebrity runners with apparel and footwear.
"We are delighted to confirm our support of the RunLiverpool Marathon,” said Paul Stevens, Mizuno’s Head of UK Sport; “The international focus on the Liverpool City region’s inaugural marathon was a natural fit for Mizuno and the brand’s Running Series. The new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment both to the new event and to the global running community.
“Mizuno is delighted to be adding another premier running event to our global sponsorship portfolio and we look forward to being involved in this prestigious race.”
Race Director, Alan Rothwell said: “Liverpool is recognised as an international running centre of excellence and Mizuno is the perfect brand to align with this new long distance event taking place in the City Region.
“The Mizuno brand is synonymous with exemplary performance, and we are delighted to welcome Mizuno on-board as a sponsor of the RunLiverpool Marathon.”