Brooks Sports, Inc. announced a new licensing agreement with the Twin Cities Marathon (TCM). The two-year, Gold level partnership makes Brooks the official footwear and apparel sponsor of the TCM, the first U.S. qualifying marathon for the Olympic Trials for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. As part of the partnership, Brooks will manage the production, design and marketing for all TCM licensed and commemorative technical gear in 2005 and 2006.

“The Twin Cities Marathon is one of the country’s most respected events based on its superb organization, fantastic environment and a healthy following of runners and spectators who know how to celebrate the run,” said Kim Anderson, events marketing manager for Brooks. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to support the marathon and its participants as the official footwear and apparel sponsor of the most beautiful urban marathon in America.”

Brooks/TCM licensed gear, featuring the marathon logo on Brooks’ high-performance running apparel and accessories, as well as commemorative T-shirts and sweatshirts, will be available online prior to the race, as well as at the marathon’s Health & Fitness Expo during the final days leading up to the event. Licensed gear will become available in July for pre-orders through early September.

“We’re continuously looking for new ways to draw attention to the sport of running and motivate someone to take that first step,” said Virginia Brophy Achman, executive director of Twin Cities Marathon. “There’s no other brand we’d rather see our logo on than Brooks. Brooks brings such inspiration to runners of all levels, and we’re confident this partnership will help more people become as passionate about the Twin Cities Marathon as we are.”

The 24th Annual Twin Cities Marathon, also known as the “The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America™,” will take place on Sunday, Oct. 2, and runs through the scenic neighborhoods of Minneapolis and St. Paul.