Vintage Ad: ASICS Tiger X-Caliber - 1981 Boston Marathon

We go back to 1981 for an ASICS Tiger ad celebrating the brand's first place victories in both the men's and women's divisions.

words // Zack Schlemmer

This past Monday was the 2014 Boston Marathon, so I thought I would dig an old ad out of the archives related to one of the running world's biggest yearly events. Here we have an ad from all the way back in 1981 for ASICS Tiger—back when ASICS was still known as Tiger—boasting their first place victories for both men and women in that year's race. (Just in case you are wondering who those first place finishers were, it was Toshiko Seko from Japan for the men and Allison Roe of New Zealand for the women.) The ad features the X-Caliber, one of Tiger's top running shoes of the time, which has since returned with a number of retro releases.

ASICS runners didn't come out on top at this year's race, but there's no denying the brand's firm roots in core running culture and their strong reputation in the sport that goes back even before this 1981 ad. Enjoy this nice little piece of Boston Marathon and ASICS history.