Running History

Saucony Through the Ages

It goes without saying that you learn a lot writing a book about a company with origins in the late 1800s. While Saucony didn’t hit their running-obsessed stride until the early 1970s, the focus here is the 80s and 90s, an action-packed era where the brand evolved from peripheral player to legitimate performance specialist. Vintage catalogues, tech-laden product descriptions and old magazine advertisements – augmented by endless Google searches – are handy research tools, but nothing beats going straight to the human heart of a story. Huge thanks to John Fisher, Rod Dixon and all the old hands at Saucony who shared their memories, many for the first time in decades. What was evident in every interview was the immense pride they all shared in their collective achievements at the brand. The resources at their disposal may have been modest in comparison to the biggest players, yet Saucony was able to parlay that underdog mentality into an authentic athletic brand beloved by the ultimate purists – hardcore runners. Keep your laces loose!