As part of its FURTHER initiative aimed at showcasing just how far women can go with support and access to resources and product innovations typically reserved for men. Running brand, lululemon, has just unveiled new products developed with and for the female athletes competing in the brand’s first-ever women’s ultramarathon.
Products designed for the six-day ultramarathon, which began on 6th March just ahead of International Women’s Day, were co-created with 10 female athletes from the brand’s global ambassador collective to ensure their unique needs would be addressed on the course.
The 36 new innovations consider situational and always-on functions needed for a multi-day race, all shaped by athlete insights and backed by research.
Several products also include features to help the runners stay cool and store items they need during the race. A special edition colourway of beyondfeel, the brand’s latest running shoe and a featured piece of the FURTHER athlete kits, will launch online.
“Women have historically been overlooked and underserved in athletics, and as a brand committed to helping all people feel their best, we have a responsibility to create more equity for our communities by investing to close this gap,” said Nikki Neuburger, Chief Brand Officer, lululemon. “When supported with innovation and resources, we are confident women will continue to redefine the limits of what’s possible. This is the motivation and purpose behind our FURTHER initiative.”
The design collaboration with female athletes underscores the brand’s continued commitment to supporting women with research, innovations, and resources they’ve long been denied, to help them unlock greater possibilities.
The 10 athletes taking part in FURTHER inspire the communities they represent, have a unique running story, and expressed the desire to pursue a bold goal. The ambassadors will attempt to run the furthest distance of their careers in the race that will occur on a certified looped course at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta, California, with the opportunity to set distance and time-based world records. This includes the chance to exceed the men’s six-day world record which would mark the first time a woman sets the current overall ultrarunning distance world record.
Participating lululemon ambassadors from around the world include:
- Montana Farrah-Seaton (Age: 27): Ultrarunner, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Model
- Stefanie Flippin (Age: 34): Coach and Ultrarunner, BIPOC Advocate, Doctor
- Camille Herron (Age: 42): Ultrarunner, World Record Holder
- Kayla Jeter (Age: 34): Runner, Strength & Wellness Coach
- Xiaomeng Jia (Age: 38): Marathon Runner, Entrepreneur
- Yoon Young Kang (Age: 44): Ultrarunner, Judo Black Belt, Joy Seeker
- Vriko Kwok (Age: 32): Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athlete, Runner, Entrepreneur
- Mirna Valerio (Age: 48): Ultrarunner, Author, Adventurer
- Devon Yanko (Age: 41): Ultrarunner, Coach & Mentor, Food Entrepreneur
- Leah Yingling (Age: 32): Ultrarunner, Biomedical Engineer, Women’s Advocate
The collaboration with the featured runners helped lululemon to create products that can not only support them but also be of use to others. The designs factored in research insights tied to improving performance and extending running duration, such as the role of compression and cooling.
“Our ambassadors shared what they needed for a multi-day race, and we knew we could create something that hasn’t been seen in the sport,” said Chantelle Murnaghan, Vice President, Research and Product Innovation, lululemon. “These innovations were designed to solve the real problems these athletes and many women runners experience. By understanding their holistic needs and using our research insights, we engineered bespoke kits that meet their physical and emotional needs so they can unlock their potential.”
