It seemed like international travel was something we could only dream of just over a year ago. But, this year, we’re back hopping on and off flights, creating itineraries and chasing dreams.
The Boston Marathon is a renowned and iconic event held in April every year. However, competing in this marathon for many is a dream rather than a reality. For the first time in 1,099 days, the Boston Marathon returned to Patriots Day with a total of 25,314 athletes (baa.org,22.) One of which was our very own Michael Roeger.
Michael is a three-time Paralympian, WR holder for marathon in T46 class and has endurance, speed, and passion like you’ve never seen before. Michael ended up placing first in the T45-T46 category and ran a 2:25 overall, which is something here at Brooks we are incredibly proud of.
We asked Michael a few questions about his trip to Boston and his travels.
Q: What was the environment like in Boston?
A: Boston was a fantastic place to be in in the lead up to the iconic Boston Marathon. I haven’t experienced anything like it. The Brooks Hyperion House was such an excellent experience.
Q: Oooh! The Hyperion House, can you tell us a little more about what that was like?
A: The Brooks Hyperion House was on the bustling Newbury St, where all the shopping, cafes and restaurants are, which was an awesome place to hang out with like-minded people.
The downstairs of the Hyperion house was the retail side, where they had a cool range of apparel, footwear & accessories. As you walked in the door, you instantly felt part of the Brooks family; there were even free coffees with run happy mugs!
Upstairs was where the events/panels and talks were being held; the public could sign up for these sessions where they could listen and hang out with the guests. It was an inspiring space to be in and feel a part of something bigger than your run. I enjoyed meeting some of the other Brooks athletes, listening to Des Linden speak and meeting some team members.
Q: Marathon Day has come and gone; how did you feel after crossing the finish line?
A: In all honesty, it was hard to feel too disappointed when I finished the race.
I know there is a lot more to give. The crowds and atmosphere were following levels. That is one thing I have noticed with the marathon family; it’s an accomplishment to finish one, and whatever the result at the finish line, there is a real sense of comradery. But, of course, as elite athletes, we always want to get the best out of ourselves and run our very best in every race
Q: How do you acknowledge that maybe today isn’t your day, but you’ll try anyway?
A: I knew very early on in Boston it wasn’t my day, with issues with my stomach and trying to get carbohydrates in, which was hard mentally at the time.
I then decided to be in a positive mindset for the last half of the race and be grateful I was running the streets of Boston, and make sure to get to the Boylston St. finish line because I knew there would be so many people who would want to be in my shoes running the Boston marathon.
It was a challenging route but a unique one I’ll remember forever.
Q: After Boston you headed to Seattle and checked our Brooks HQ, can you tell us what that was like?
A: Brooks HQ, wow! The 5-story building, a grand exterior stairwell floor to ceiling glass, connect the four office floors with the street. For someone who loves shoes, this was a dream! Everywhere I looked over the five-floor building, there were shoes.
New, old, prototypes, you name it. I couldn’t stop smiling. I instantly felt part of the family. Meeting staff members from all the different sides of the business from retail, clothing, design team, HR team, footwear, and marketing.
There were teams within teams through HQ that were all working collaboratively. It didn’t feel like a regular workplace; it was fun and vibrant, with animations, quotes, and exciting quirks throughout the space.
Q: Did you retrieve any new information? Maybe something featuring in 2024?
A: I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of big and exciting things for the next drop and 2024, which will be a big year leading into the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Another favourite part in HQ of mine was the biomechanics/testing space. They had treadmills, force plates, cameras, and a very elite setup for testing footwear.
We want to thank Michael for his time and insight into what Boston was like. We are so fortunate to be a small part of the journey and can’t wait to see what is around the corner.
If you liked following Michael’s journey to Boston, follow him on Instagram here.
