NEW YORK – May 8, 2013 – New York Road Runners and New Balance announced a multi-year partnership, under which the global athletic leader becomes the official apparel and footwear sponsor of the Brooklyn Half-Marathon. This fast, fun race is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 18. It will take runners from Prospect Park, through Grand Army Plaza, and end in the world famous Coney Island. In addition, New Balance will become an official partner of the NYRR Online Training Program and the presenting partner of the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party.

“The Brooklyn Half-Marathon has become one of the most sought-after events on our calendar, and we are ecstatic to welcome New Balance as our sponsor and partner,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “They are a vital part of our runners’ experiences this year—from the three-day bash Brooklyn Half Pre-Party to our much anticipated race day, our teams have been working hand in hand to make this a special event for all.”

“New Balance is thrilled to join forces with New York Road Runners on the Brooklyn Half-Marathon to support runners in this passionate running community,” says Josh Rowe, Running Marketing Manager at New Balance. “We look forward to building this partnership in the years to come, showcasing New Balance innovative footwear and apparel to the diverse Brooklyn community and helping runners achieve their goals in this exciting race.”

Through the partnership, New Balance will: 

• Coordinate three training runs in Brooklyn in May to prepare runners for the race
• Serve as presenting partner of the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party
• Provide all runners  with a technical New Balance participant shirt
• Bring Team New Balance Athlete Kim Smith, running in the Brooklyn Half this year, to sign autographs and answer questions at the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party

The Brooklyn Half Pre-Party will be held in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood at the Old Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park, located at 26 New Dock Street, Brooklyn, NY. New this year, runners will be able to pick up all race materials including their bib number while enjoying the best in Brooklyn culture at the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party presented by New Balance.  New Balance will be selling official merchandise including limited edition t-shirts, performance and lifestyle shoes and additional branded running gear from the brand’s Spring 2013 collection. New Balance staffers will be assisting participants with shoe fittings, and will provide treadmills where runners can test out their potential new purchases. In addition, New Balance retail partner Jack Rabbit will host a form clinic that is free to all participants, to talk about the importance of proper form while running.

For friends and family who can’t join runners at the race, they can watch the Brooklyn Half show on Sunday afternoon from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. on WABC-7 New York. NYRR On the Run at the Brooklyn Half will give the inside scoop on what’s happening across Brooklyn, including race-weekend highlights and updates on those recovering from Superstorm Sandy.  

About NYRR

New York Road Runners was founded in 1958 when a small group of passionate runners vowed to bring running to the people. Over the past 55 years, NYRR has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s mission is to empower everyone, of all ages and abilities—beginners and competitive athletes, the young and the elderly, adult professionals and underserved schoolchildren—to improve their health and well-being through the power of running and fitness.

NYRR’s races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth programs give hundreds of thousands of people each year the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to start running and keep running for life. NYRR’s premier event, the famed ING New York City Marathon, attracts the world’s top pro runners and committed amateurs alike while also raising millions of dollars annually for charity and driving economic impact for the City. But NYRR is equally committed to the runners of tomorrow, passionately providing youth fitness programs that educate and inspire more than 150,000 kids in underserved communities in New York City, all 50 states, and around the world.

Headquartered in New York City, NYRR implements a unique nonprofit model that teams contributed and earned income to make all its efforts possible. To learn more, please visit www.nyrr.org.

About New Balance

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is currently the only athletic shoe company that manufactures footwear in the U.S. with 25% of our U.S. footwear shipments produced at five New England facilities. The company also operates a manufacturing facility in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 4000 associates around the globe, and in 2012 reported worldwide sales of $2.4 billion. To learn more about how New Balance Makes Excellent Happen, please visit www.newbalance.com.