Last week I was invited to Waltham, Massachusettes to meet with the Saucony team, learn about their 120-year history, and tour their headquarters. (I also learned that I’ve been pronouncing it wrong forever, it’s pronounced “sock-uh-knee.”) The first Saucony shoe was made in a factory in the banks of the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The logo is an homage to the company’s roots. It represents the endless flow of that waterway, along with its boulder-strewn creek bed, depicted by the three distinct dots within the brand’s “river” mark.
We had dinner with the team and members of the Saucony Freedom Track Club then we all went on a run in Minute Man National Historical Park bright and early the next morning. The Saucony Freedom Track Club team is made up of a group of elite runners who are future Olympic hopefuls. The Saucony team members train together and work with a panel of experts, including a team physician, strength coach, nutritionist, personal development coach, and physical and massage therapists. The team also works with the Saucony Run for Good Foundation, inspiring and mentoring young people and helps the Saucony team test their latest and greatest gear.
After the run, we went to headquarters for a tour. As you can expect, there were sneakers and workout clothes everywhere. My favorite part was getting to see Saucony’s Innovation and Human Performance Lab where they develop technology like their EVERUN soles. The lab has 3D motion capturing devices and an impact-sensing force plate treadmill that they use to see exactly how people run so they can make the best shoes for runners. We got to run on the treadmill and I learned about my stride. I also got to design my own Saucony sneakers! Mine are bright pink and blue with a green sole.
Thanks for having me, Saucony! 💙
The Saucony Timeline:
1898
Saucony founded on the banks of the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, PA
1958
Saucony launches its first track spike−the 7446−made of lightweight Kangaroo leather
1968
NASA Astronaut Walter Cunningham wears boots made by Saucony for the Apollo 7 mission, the first manned Apollo flight
1977
Saucony recognized with its first award by a major U.S. consumer magazine
1980
Launch of the Trainer 80, the first slip-lasted running shoe
1981
Saucony launches the Jazz, the most technical performance running shoe of its time, and later becoming the centerpiece of the Saucony Originals Collection
1983
Saucony athlete Rod Dixon of New Zealand wins the New York City Marathon 1985
Saucony athlete Lisa Larsen Weidenbach is women’s winner of the Boston Marathon 1991
Launch of the Saucony GRID system, the first midsole technology to offer both cushioning and stability 1994
Saucony athlete Greg Welch wins the Ironman World Triathlon Championships 1997
Saucony athlete Heather Fuhr wins the Ironman World Triathlon Championships
2006
Saucony launches the Saucony Run for Good Foundation, established to help end childhood obesity by providing grants to nonprofits that support kids’ running programs
2008
Saucony makes its first vegan shoes as part of the Originals Collection
2011
Launch of the Saucony Innovation & Human Performance Lab Launch of Geometry of Strong technology platform
2014
Launch of ISOFIT dynamic fit system
2016
Triumph ISO2 named by Runner’s World as “Best Shoe in the World” for 2016 Launch of EVERUN continuous cushioning technology
2017
Launch of the Freedom Track Club, a Boston-based elite running group dedicated to developing future Olympians
2018
Saucony celebrates its 120th anniversary with the launch of the Shadow 5000 EVR
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