MilkPEP announces an all-female marathon with a poem from Amanda Gorman

Running has historically been a male-dominated sport. But in a bid to change that narrative and uphold its long-standing support for female athletes, the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) has stepped up to sponsor the first U.S. marathon designed by women, for women. The race, billed as “Every Woman’s Marathon,” is being promoted via an extensive social-first campaign that debuted Tuesday morning. It’s anchored by a short film featuring female runners honing their sport in locales from mountaintops to running tracks and is set to a lyrical script written and narrated by poet Amanda Gorman, best known for delivering her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s inauguration in 2021. “We know that to be a woman means to be everything for everyone all at once. But when we run, that’s for us,” says Gorman, who also appears on-camera in the ad. “Even 26.2 miles starts with a single step.” The new work was developed by Gale, MilkPEP’s lead agency for the past three years. Its conceptualization was aided by an advisory board that included Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor; long-distance running champion Des Linden; and Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon as a numbered entrant. “This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done professionally,” Gale creative director Karen Starc said of the race and associated campaign, adding that the agency is “thrilled” to have Gorman on board with its latest milk activation. “Running has such a special place in the hearts of women who make time to do it,” she said. The campaign launches with a bespoke TikTok takeover as well as a presence on Gorman’s own social media accounts, with MilkPEP further featuring real-world female athletes in an adjacent social push that focuses on the personal stories of why they run. A continuation of Gale’s efforts to position milk as a performance beverage, “Every Woman’s Marathon” builds on MilkPEP’s existing “26.2” program—a commitment not just to sponsor female runners in the U.S., but a “larger pledge to feature ONLY women across campaigns,” per Gale’s blog. The marathon will take place this November in Savannah, Georgia, with female athletes of all abilities now invited to sign up via the race’s dedicated website. The entry fee is $65 per person—at least $30 less than the annual Savannah Marathon, which is taking place in the coastal city next month. To ensure the race has a meaningful impact beyond the marathon course, “Team Milk” has also pledged to match registration costs in donations to one of a handful of charity partners.

MilkPEP announces an all-female marathon with a poem from Amanda Gorman

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