lululemon Takes You FURTHER, Transforming the Impossible to the Possible

What is the limit of a female athlete? lululemon can tell you the answer - limitless.

In May of last year, lululemon announced the FURTHER six-day ultramarathon and invited 10 professional female athletes from the brand’s global ambassador collective to participate. They not only set seemingly impossible goals, but also vowed to break the world record for women's long-distance running and even challenge the current men's running record. Just hearing about it is enough to lift our anticipation to new heights.

lululemon has always been known for its innovation, elevating human potential by helping people feel their best The FURTHER ultramarathon is the perfect example, revealing the unprecedented possibilities for female athletes. "Our vision is more embodied in everyday life, supporting everyone to unleash their potential through creating products and experiences," says Nikki Neuburger, Chief Brand Officer of lululemon. She proudly introduces the reason behind the launch of FURTHER this time: "Female athletes have always been overlooked in history. We don't have as many opportunities for competition, and much of the sports science research does not include studies related to women. Even the design of sports products fails to meet the unique needs of women." Despite this, in order to achieve a more inclusive and equitable future, lululemon is attempting to change the status quo and push the limits of women, understanding female athletes from various aspects such as sports, innovation, research, and mind-body needs, and unleashing the greatest human potential.

As such, 10 lululemon global brand ambassadors were invited to join to this feat, including ultra unner and model, Montana Farrah-Seaton, coach and ultramarathon runner, Stefanie Flippin, 48-hour running world record holder, Camille Herron, runner and coach, Kayla Jeter, Chinese marathon runner, Xiaomeng Jia, South Korean judo black belt holder and ultramarathon runner, Yoon Young Kang, Hong Kong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete, Vriko Kwok, ultramarathon runner, Mirna Valerio, long-distance runner, Devon Yanko, and ultramarathon runner, Leah Yingling. They participated in the six-day ultramarathon in collaboration with lululemon's internal research team, academic research teams, and the Canadian Pacific Institute of Sports, conducting the most comprehensive in-race and post-race research ever. The FURTHER ultramarathon breaks conventional norms, subverts the concepts in women's running, and even leads the industry to explore and answer the questions: Do female ultramarathon runners have stronger fatigue resistance than men? What are the physiological and biomechanical effects of a six-day running experience on female ultramarathon runners?

These 10 athletes not only bested their personal records, covering a total of 4,636.327  kilometres, but world record holder, Camille Herron, achieved an astonishing result of running 220 laps, breaking the women’s six-day world record for running. In other words, besides the time spent on resting, sleeping, hydrating, and fueling, Camille Herron averaged 149.8 kilometres per day, surpassing Sandra Barwick's record of 883.63 total kilometres set in 1990. Herron also set 13 personal and world records (pending official confirmation and approval).

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete Vriko Kwok, representing Hong Kong, also broke her personal long-distance running record, reaching an inspiring total of 303.313 kilometres and surpassing her set goal of 300 kilometres. It is worth mentioning that Vriko was the only participant in the ultramarathon without prior long-distance running experience. She boldly accepted the invitation to join the FURTHER initiative and started her training from scratch a year ago. "Before joining the FURTHER initiative, the farthest I could run was only 5 kilometres. I never imagined that I could complete races like the Standard Chartered Marathon, run 45 kilometres, 50 kilometres. I ended up achieving a record of running a whopping 2,700 kilometres! It turns out that when I stopped listening to the doubts around me like 'How can you run when you are overweight? How can you, being slow, be a runner?' and focused on running, I was able to achieve unexpected possibilities."

Vriko, with zero running experience, has a completely different nature as a professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner compared to running. "In fact, my weight is my advantage, so I have never felt ashamed of my body size. Instead, I embrace my curves. However, running is the opposite; my plus-size figure makes me run slower." However, under the special training from her coach and teammate, Stefanie, over the past year, Vriko came to understand that as long as she can run, she is a runner. When she believes in herself, limitations can be transformed into potential. "My other teammate, Devon, is definitely the best runner in the world, and even she told me, 'You are in control.' Over time, we became friends who supported and encouraged each other. Both of us have a habit: when I can't go on, I write Devon's name on my hand, and she writes ‘Vriko’."

Speaking of body size, Vriko has always carried the burden of receiving judgmental looks from the outside world. "Throughout my upbringing, my body size has always been criticized, and even subjected to bullying in school. When I run, I am constantly mocked. Why are women always oppressed and bullied in different ways?" It is evident that running became a sport that triggered childhood trauma for Vriko. "In the past, my flaws were picked on because of running, leaving me with an unpleasant memory. These thoughts still occasionally trouble me to this day. Sometimes, when I run slowly, these thoughts well up and make me cry." However, this has instead fueled Vriko's motivation to proactively and bravely confront her painful past. "I choose not to let these voices dictate my life, nor do I want my life to be filled with these negative emotions. The FURTHER project has allowed me to open my heart to the world. Despite that uncomfortable feeling still lingering, I have decided to reclaim control over my life."

The reality has proven that if Vriko had never taken up running, she would not have confronted her own life and discovered the possibilities on the other side of the world. As long as one holds onto hope and the belief that women worldwide can achieve anything, the impossible will turn into the possible.