like most american runners of the last 40 years, i've been influenced by nike. the shoe dog origin story, the punk rock attitude of the wieden+kennedy campaigns, stop pre. the spirit of nike's principles are rooted in american dna.
and credit where it's due: nike didn't just market running, they built it. bill bowerman came back from a trip to new zealand with arthur lydiard in the 60s, wrote a little book called jogging in 1966, and basically introduced the idea of running for fitness to the american public. the book sold a million copies. then he poured rubber into his wife's waffle iron and the modern running shoe got invented in a kitchen in eugene. the cortez, prefontaine, frank shorter winning gold in munich in '72, the running booms of the 70s and the 2000s. nike was the soundtrack to all of it. if you run in america, some part of why you run traces back to that company.
their 10 founding principles tell you what kind of company built that:
our business is change.
we're on offense. all the time.
perfect results count, not a perfect process. break the rules: fight the law.
this is as much about battle as about business.
assume nothing. make sure people keep their promises. push yourselves, push others. stretch the possible.
live off the land.
your job isn't done until the job is done.
dangers: bureaucracy, personal ambition, energy takers vs. energy givers, knowing our weaknesses, don't get too many things on the platter.
it won't be pretty.
if we do the right things we'll make money damn near automatic.
the attitude and energy is great. so many of the products are cutting edge. it's hard not to get wrapped up in the hype cycle, especially with the massive amount of "demand generation" dollars behind every product launch.
but here's the thing: running in 2026 is bigger than any one brand.
the sport has exploded, participation has exploded, and a whole generation of founders, designers, and athletes have built things outside of beaverton that are worth knowing about. self-funded brands out of copenhagen and salt lake city. b corps in montreal and boston. trail studios in portland. run crews in new york. nutrition companies started by scientists. hat brands taking hats more seriously than anyone thought possible. there is so much good gear being made by so many good people right now.
that's why syndicate is here. we want to help you prioritize the athletes, the founders, and the stories behind high-quality products that integrate into your running lifestyle. we want to give broader exposure to ideas and products you won't find on the main feed, the one curated by algorithms and marketing dollars.
sign up for the newsletter, follow us on your preferred platform, and join us on the roads and trails near you. let's run together, gear up differently.