Together in Motion: SSRC x New Balance Demo Run
TOGETHER IN MOTION: SSRC x NEW BALANCE DEMO RUN
On Saturday, October 10th, Solestop Run Club (SSRC) teamed up with New Balance for a community demo run and food drive in support of the Markham Food Bank, with the help of Downtown Markham. With over 170 runners in attendance, an incredible turnout of donations, and plenty of activities to look forward to, it was the perfect way to kick off Thanksgiving weekend!
THE MORNING: GETTING READY
The morning started bright and early at Solestop as our team and pacers arrived to prepare for the day ahead. The New Balance team joined us to set up their demo shoe station and an exciting heat press activation for runners to enjoy after the run.
Runners had the opportunity to test out a variety of New Balance running shoes, from the lightweight and responsive SC Rebel and race-ready SC Elite v6, to the cushioned comfort of the Ellipse and versatile Rebel v5. With something for every pace and preference, runners got to experience each shoe firsthand!
With something for every kind of runner, it was a great opportunity to experience the different shoes firsthand!
By check-in time, runners began flooding into Solestop, bringing plenty of excitement and, more importantly, donations for our community food drive.
As a thank-you for contributing, donors received an exclusive SSRC x New Balance T-shirt, while runners were also treated to tote bags and patches to customize later in the morning.
Seeing everyone arrive with bags of donations was already a highlight of the day, and we hadn't even started running yet!
A RUN THROUGH DOWNTOWN MARKHAM
We could not have asked for better weather! With the crisp autumn air and comfortable temperatures, it was the perfect fall morning to get moving.
With over 170 runners joining us, we made our way across the street from Solestop to the open parking lot for our group warm-up. Our pacers gathered their respective pace groups, making sure everyone was ready before heading out.
Our 6KM route took runners through the trails and growing urban landscape of Downtown Markham, a mix of scenic pathways and city surroundings!
Whether it was someone's first run with SSRC or they had been running with us for months, it was another opportunity to move together, meet new people, and enjoy the community we have continued to build.
Before we knew it, everyone was making their way back to Solestop!
POST-RUN ACTIVITIES
The fun did not stop at the finish line.
Runners returned to refreshments provided by Supplement King, along with some well-deserved sweet treats from KC Baked, featuring freshly baked cookies and our crowd-favourite banana pudding!
Inside Solestop, New Balance's heat press activation was underway. Runners had the opportunity to personalize their tote bags with New Balance and SSRC patches, creating a little keepsake to remember the day.
The rest of the morning was spent hanging out, catching up with familiar faces, meeting new runners, and enjoying the beginning of Thanksgiving weekend together.
It's moments like these that remind us that SSRC is about more than just the kilometres we run. It is about the connections we make along the way.
FINAL FOOD DRIVE PUSH
One of the biggest highlights of the event was seeing our community come together to support the Markham Food Bank!
With the help of Downtown Markham, our food drive encouraged runners and members of the community to contribute essential food and personal care items to support local individuals and families in need.
To make things a little more exciting, we hosted a series of post-run raffles featuring a gift basket from Supplement King, treats from KC Baked, and an SSRC run kit.
We also held a special Heaviest Haul Wins challenge, where the runner who brought in the heaviest donation would receive a pair of New Balance shoes of their choice from Solestop!
And in an unexpected turn of events, we had a tie! Two generous runners each brought in an incredible 31 lbs of donations, earning themselves a brand-new pair of New Balance running shoes!
We were absolutely blown away by everyone's generosity. What started as an opportunity to bring our running community together became something much bigger.
MORE THAN JUST A RUN
Looking back, we are still overwhelmed by the amount of love and support that came through for this event.
From the runners who showed up bright and early, to those who brought donations, volunteered their time, or simply came out to support, every contribution helped make this day memorable.
A huge thank-you to New Balance for partnering with us and bringing such a fun experience to our community, Supplement King for keeping our runners refreshed, and KC Baked for providing the post-run treats.
Thank you as well to Downtown Markham for supporting our food drive initiative, our incredible pacers and volunteers for keeping everything running smoothly, and everyone who contributed to the Markham Food Bank.
Most importantly, thank you to our SSRC community. Your generosity, energy, and continued support are what make these events possible!
We could not have imagined a better way to begin Thanksgiving weekend, surrounded by a community that continues to show up for one another, both on and off the run.
TOGETHER IN MOTION. TOGETHER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
Until the next run!