It not just about chatbots. Find out how races organizations are using AI tools to make smarter decisions and take real actions HERE.
We have 10 new press releases today. Have some news to share? Click here for more details.
If you find this news report useful, please support us by forwarding to a friend or subscribing here.
THE INSIDE TRACK
🐺 A pro trail runner escaped a brown bear encounter on Alaska's Chugach trails with only minor injuries after using bear spray during what she called a nightmare come to life.
💰 Leatt Corporation's direct-to-consumer sales jumped 68% in Q2 as the bike and moto protection brand prepares to enter a new category with its acquisition of Bike Care Technologies.
👟 Running shoes led a surprisingly strong first half for U.S. performance footwear, even as the broader footwear industry's unit sales declined.
📈 Asics North America posted double-digit revenue growth in every region during Q2, with total North America sales climbing 33.8 percent to $293 million.
🌍 Hoka, Brooks and Saucony are all betting big on Europe as their next growth frontier, with Brooks posting 39 percent EMEA revenue growth in the first half.
PRESS RELEASES
AI For Events – What's Beyond Chatbots?
AI Chatbots can help race directors save time on customer service and ensure participants are better prepared (and that's great). But there's more AI value coming to events, and it's time to start talking about how races can activate AI tools to make smarter decisions and take real actions.
What's Coming?
AI Participant Management to make self-serve participant management even easier (securely).
AI Insights to access custom reporting via a secure chat interface with access to key race data. This turns every race dashboard into an individualized reporting console.
AI Dashboard Actions to make race management more intuitive by enabling updates via plain English.
AI is powerful. It's important to balance the usefulness of tools with the need for data security and human verification (Human in the Loop). See what's coming, and how you can harness the possibilities of AI safely and securely.
EVENTS
Still I Run, a nonprofit promoting mental health through running, will launch the first ever National Run for Mental Health Week from October 3 to 10, 2026, culminating in a World Mental Health Day 5K that coincides with the organization's 10th anniversary. Still I Run
Stephen Chapman and Kari Cizmas won the men's and women's Full Distance titles at XTERRA Sleeping Giant on August 15 to 16 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with Chapman finishing in 2:31:04.7. Cizmas claimed her second Sleeping Giant victory with a time of 2:49:40.1. XTERRA
The 26th XTERRA O-SEE Challenge drew more than 1,000 athletes from 19 nations to Zittau, Germany on August 14 to 16. France's Arthur Serrières and Alizée Patiès won the Elite races, while Germans Michael Fuchs and Paula Leupold claimed national Elite Cross-Triathlon titles. XTERRA
The 49th America's Finest City Half Marathon and 5K drew nearly 6,000 registrants in San Diego, with Edward Buck winning the men's half marathon in 1:04:40 and Morgan Jensen leading the women's division in 1:13:13. Nearly 1,700 participants also completed the 2026 SoCal Triple Crown. In Motion Events
At the 54th ASICS Falmouth Road Race on August 16, Habtom Samuel set a men's course record of 30:53 and Pamela Kosgei won the women's open race in 35:25. Jess McClain set an American women's course record and Tatyana McFadden claimed a record eighth wheelchair title. Falmouth Road Race
The Falmouth Track Festival on August 14 featured one mile races, with Luke Houser setting a new men's Elite event record of 3:51.22 and Tatyana McFadden winning the women's wheelchair race. Lauren Raffetto and Harry Flint took the high school mile titles. Falmouth Road Race
Team Milk has introduced a Virtual Half Marathon open to women, with a two week race window from September 30 through October 14, 2026. Participants can complete the 13.1 mile distance at their own pace using any GPS enabled app. MilkPEP
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
ROKA Multisport has introduced the SG1, a 27 liter backpack featuring an integrated waterproof compartment designed to separate wet gear from dry essentials. The bag targets athletes transitioning between swimming, training, and daily activities. ROKA Multisport
Mellor&Smith will host the world premiere of "Lazarus Lake, The Hillbilly Scientist," the only authorized documentary on Barkley Marathons creator Gary Cantrell, at Cinema Vox in Chamonix on August 27, 2026. The screening takes place during UTMB week. Mellor&Smith
STUDIES
A comprehensive impact report on Peace Runners 773's Out West Run 13.1 training program found participants improved 2.6 points on the PHQ-9 depression scale and generated estimated healthcare savings of $2,040 per person annually. Participants also reported stronger community connection in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood. Peace Runners 773
JOBS
Boston Athletic Association - Salesforce Solutions Architect
Eugene Marathon - Marketing & Sales Director
ChronoTrack - Business Development & Sales
Boston Athletic Association - Assistant Coach & Administrative Coordinator
American Race Timing and Management - Race Field Tech
Rudy Project North America - Customer Service Supervisor
Outside Interactive, Inc. - VP of Marketing, Mapping
NOBULL - Sr. Associate, Affiliate Marketing
Nike - Generative AI Lead Designer
MyFitnessPal - Director, Product Management - Head of Cal AI
MyFitnessPal - Manager, Engineering - Subscription Growth
Arc’teryx - Specialty Sales Manager, Footwear - NAM
Check out other great job opportunities on our job board HERE.
Are you an employer? Let us help you find your next dream candidate.
Do you have ideas on what we can do to improve this newsletter? Respond to this poll and leave a comment. I read every reply.