Believe in the Run Concludes Summer GRIT, Sponsored by ASICS and Polar

August 10, 2021

BALTIMORE, Md., Aug. 10, 2021 – Believe in the Run, in partnership with Big Run Media, recently concluded Summer GRIT, a July distance project sponsored by ASICS, Polar, and Super Coffee. It was the third and most successful edition of GRIT, drawing nearly 1,000 registrants from 48 states and 32 countries to the month-long event. Additionally, the event raised $6,500 for its charity partner, The DONNA Foundation. In total, $25,000 has been raised for The DONNA Foundation across all GRIT events over the last year.

“Summer GRIT was amazing once again, as we challenged participants to run further than ever before,” said Thomas Neuberger, Co-Founder of Big Run Media and Believe in the Run. “On a personal level, I set a record for miles run in a month, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of our community.”

Runners were challenged to “level up” to five different distance levels aligned with summer blockbuster movie themes. As they reached each level, they earned custom distance patches. Nearly 20 percent of participants leveled up past their original goal. Upon completion, all participants received a swag bundle featuring an ASICS event t-shirt, BOCO Gear “Believe” trucker hat, and as many distance patches as they earned.

Weekly prize giveaways were provided by title sponsors ASICS and Polar, with thousands of dollars of prizes awarded to 22 different participants. Grand prizes included ASICS shopping sprees, Polar GPS watches, and Super Coffee gift cards. Level winners also received a special Believe in the Run prize pack.

“Once again, ASICS is proud to be the title partner for Believe in the Run’s Summer GRIT distance project,” said Catherine Ayers, Senior Director of Marketing at ASICS. “The event has rapidly evolved over the past two years and it’s a privilege to help runners across the country achieve their mileage goals. We look forward to Winter GRIT later this year and continuing to support the running community.”

Big Run media promoted the event through Believe in the Run’s website, social media channels, online advertising and influencers, generating a community of runners who shared their GRIT journeys with event-specific hashtags and custom social media graphics. Facebook ads alone generated 150,000 impressions and 300% ROI, while Instagram reels generated 50,000 plays and organic posts generated an additional 120,00 impressions.

The event also saw its highest levels of engagement within the GRIT Facebook group, where runners shared their progress throughout the event. Miles were logged through the RunSignUp registration platform, where results were posted in real time to distance-tier specific leaderboards.

“While live races are just coming back, Summer GRIT was still a place for runners from all over the country to come together. As an added bonus, all of the miles we ran provided a great running base heading into the fall race season,” said Neuberger.

About Believe in the Run

Believe in the Run is an independent run culture outlet based in Baltimore, Md. Founded in 2009, its goal has always been to provide honest, no-BS reviews with a culturally-relevant edge. Its mission is to bring a fresh look to running and provide their followers with sound advice from everyday runners just like them.

About Big Run Media

Big Run Media, LLC is a full-service branding, digital marketing, and creative design agency that focuses on active lifestyle brands. Their mission is simple: to develop your brand message into peak form. Much like an athlete preparing for an A race, Big Run Media tackles endurance event marketing and advertising challenges with strategic passion, planning, and know-how. Their work results in more athletes on your start line, and more devoted fans of your brand. To learn more about Big Run Media, visit: https://bigrunmedia.com/

About ASICS

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of performance athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com. Follow @ASICSamerica on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for exclusive content and real-time news around ASICS products, events, and elite athletes.

About Polar

For over 40 years, Polar has been the innovator of sports technology, helping athletes and coaches achieve peak performance. Polar began with heart rate monitoring and has since expanded into multiple training solutions for elite athletes, coaches and active fitness enthusiasts. Polar remains the trusted performance partner due to our accuracy, reliability and superior experience. Polar’s award-winning product range includes pioneering sports wearables that work elegantly with Polar training apps and cloud services.

About The DONNA Foundation 

The DONNA Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in June 2003 by three-time breast cancer survivor and visionary Donna Deegan. Through her own experience surviving breast cancer three times, Donna has cast a vision to transform the experience for those living with breast cancer to one of love and support over fear and confusion. The DONNA Foundation delivers this vision through their DONNA CareLine, serving patients’ financial critical needs so families don’t have to choose between life saving medicine and groceries. They deliver this vision through groundbreaking breast cancer research funding at the Mayo Clinic so there is a hope for the future.