Grete Waitz “A Game”

 
1983 GRETE WAITZ CROSSING THE FINISH LINE OF THE NYC MARATHON. (AP PHOTO/FILE)

 
This Sunday marks the 45th running of the NYC Marathon. Grete Waitz is one of the most accomplished marathoners of all time and arguably the best woman to ever run this race. Her first victory in 1978 was her first marathon, and she won it with a world-record time of 2:32:30. She would ultimately win the NYC Marathon a record nine times.

In 2005, Grete was diagnosed with cancer yet continued to run during her treatment for both mental and physical solace. She would go on to co-found ACTIV Against Cancer in 2007 with the goal of funding research to prove that physical activity can aid in prevention and recovery of cancer. Two years later, she partnered with Adidas, her lifelong sponsor, to form ACTIV, a line of running shoes and apparel, that donates a portion of each sale back to her foundation.

SS15_Aktiv_APP_1x1ADIDAS AKTIV COLLECTION

 
Adidas is celebrating its five year anniversary as an AKTIV Against Cancer partner with a special collection of shoes and apparel, and is donating 100 percent of its in-booth AKTIV apparel sales at the NYC Marathon Health & Fitness Expo to the foundation. The Adidas AKTIV collection features performance apparel and running shoes, including the Grete 30 Boost, which marks 30 years since the launch of Waitz’s adidas Originals running shoe and also honors the 30th anniversary of her silver medal at the 1984 Olympics.

To further funds for cancer research, Adidas and AKTIV Against Cancer are asking runners, fans and visitors at the Javits Center Expo to show their “A Game.” For every tweet, Instagram or Facebook post that includes #mystepmatters with an image of a hand symbol in the shape of an “A,” adidas will donate $1 to AKTIV.

The NYC Marathon Health & Fitness Expo is open to the public at the Jacob Javits Center this thurs-sat. Since 2009, adidas has donated more than $3.3 million to AKTIV Against Cancer through apparel sales.

 
 

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