In celebration of Meb Keflezighi’s 10 year anniversary of his 2014 Boston Marathon victory, we will be featuring a Celebration of Meb, highlighting and sharing an aspect of Meb’s life on and off the track and roads leading up to the 2024 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15. We are thankful to both Meb and Hawi (Meb’s brother and agent) for their partnership on this feature.
Since finishing his collegiate career at UCLA, Meb has been connected to numerous sponsors, however often the most visible is the shoes.
After emerging as a talented runner in college, where he won four NCAA championships, Meb signed with Nike in 1999, which helped launch his professional career on the global stage. His partnership with Nike saw him achieve numerous milestones, including a silver medal in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics, marking the first time an American man had medaled in the event since 1976.
Of his first contract with Nike, Meb wrote in Run to Overcome, “They were at the time – and still are – the biggest show company in the sport. They’re everybody’s dream. I figured if I could hit it big, they would have the ability to market me the way they featured Bob Kennedy, who had the Nike Zoom Kennedy shoe named after him.”
In 2011, Meb’s sponsorship switched to Skechers, marking a surprising turn in his career and a significant endorsement for the brand, which was then attempting to establish credibility in the performance running market. Skechers, known primarily for its lifestyle and casual footwear, embraced the challenge of supporting an elite marathoner. Meb’s first major victory while running for Skechers came in 2012, when he placed fourth in the Olympic Marathon in London—an impressive feat that helped to dispel doubts about the quality of Skechers’ running gear, and Meb’s future in the sport. This partnership not only elevated Skechers’ profile in the athletic sphere but also demonstrated Meb’s ability to excel with different resources at his disposal.
Meb wrote in 26 Marathons, “I still felt I could do more [after the Nike contract ended] – more PRs, another Olympic berth, and the real glimmering prize in my mind’s eye, a Boston Marathon title. Hawi and I eventually found others who shared that belied. In August 2011, I signed with Skechers…They were serious about making great running shoes. I was serous about doing more great things in running shoes.”
The pinnacle of Meb’s career with Skechers came in 2014 when he won the Boston Marathon, a victory that was both historic and emotionally charged, coming just one year after the tragic bombings at the event. At 38, Meb became the first American man to win the race in 31 years, a landmark achievement that highlighted his enduring talent and the effectiveness of Skechers’ footwear technology. His success in Boston was a testament to his resilience and strategic racing, and it significantly boosted Skechers’ reputation as a legitimate competitor in performance running shoes. Throughout his time with Skechers, Meb continued to be a beloved figure in running, his career serving as an inspiring story of longevity and adaptability in the competitive world of marathon running.
Additionally, with Skechers, Meb got his shoe. In a strategic move to capitalize on his successes and growing popularity, Skechers launched a signature line of running shoes named after him, the “Meb Speed” series.
