In an expansion of its long-term partnership with Motiv Sports, Sports Basement, the specialty sporting goods retailer, was named the official specialty retailer for the Long Beach Marathon and the Surf City 10 this fall. This announcement coincides with the planned opening of a new Sports Basement store in Long Beach, CA and the 40th running of the Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon in October.
The new Sports Basement store will serve as a community hub for local runners in and around Long Beach, offering training runs, special events and an expansive selection of shoes and gear for runners.
“We are thrilled to build on our successful partnership with Sports Basement, which started many years ago at the Golden Gate Half Marathon in San Francisco,” said Phyllis Blanchard, VP of partnerships at Motiv Sports. “Expanding our collaboration to include the Long Beach Marathon and Surf City 10 underscores our commitment to enhancing the runner experience across some of California’s most beloved races and communities.”
“Opening our new location in Long Beach is a milestone for Sports Basement,” said Ian Ballentine, director of marketing at Sports Basement. “We are excited to announce a series of pre-race training runs. These runs are designed to support local runners that are preparing for the Surf City 10 and Long Beach Marathon. We aim to help runners of all levels achieve their personal bests. To that end, our store will be the go-to place for race preparation, recovery, and an epic 40th anniversary post-event celebration.”
The community-oriented training runs will occur at Sports Basement’s Orange County location on August 25 and September 8, followed by a final tune-up run at the new Long Beach store on September 29. Each session offers participants personalized coaching and tips on race readiness, ensuring runners are well-prepared to tackle their upcoming races.
The Long Beach Marathon is a popular and respected marathon, and Southern California’s largest fall road race. It will welcome over 20,000 runners back to the oceanfront streets of downtown Long Beach for its 40th edition on the weekend of October 5-6, 2024. The event annually provides a platform for dozens of local charities and non-profit organizations to raise money for their respective causes.
Race weekend starts on October 4 with a two-day Health and Fitness Expo at Long Beach’s Marina Green that is free and open to the public.
Image courtesy Sports Basement Long Beach
