News From the Male Room: Rockport DreSports Shoes Make It Across the NYC Marathon Finish Line x 8!!

This past weekend the New York Marathon was held and typically it was a huge crowd of runners. What was most interesting –besides the winner crossing the finish line in just over 2 hours (amazing!) was the group of eight avid runners representing The Rockport Company (www.rockport.com), led by Dr. Andy Baldwin of “The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman” who ran the 26.2 mile 2009 ING New York City Marathon in their DresSports 2 dress shoes from Rockport.

Andy Baldwin crossing the finish line
The DreSport 2 shoes were first introduced in 1983, and these classic DresSports are engineered with adidas performance inspiration. The marriage of athletic innovation and sophisticated dress style carries through to the August 2009 introduction of the second generation DresSports 2.

The DresSports 2 collection provided unparalleled athletic innovation design and comfort for the Rockport running team during the NYC Marathon. The team running the marathon in Rockport DresSports is a testament to how the shoes can withstand whatever daily marathon their wearer faces as a metropolitan professional.For anyone who has to run to catch a bus, cab, plane or a courier, this shoe is up to the task and still looks stylish and professional — even if you are sweating from a run in a 3 piece suit.

Andy Baldwin with his Rockport DreSport2 shoes

The Marathon
Clad in specially designed Rockport running outfits, the team, which represents five different countries – the US, China, Sweden, South Korea and France – completed the NYC Marathon with impressive finish times as follows:
Luan Ye Mao (China) – 3:16:56
Dr. Andy Baldwin (US) – 3:21:33
Patrick Blary (France) – 3:34:57
Simon Philippe (France) – 3:34:57
YongTaek Kim (South Korea) – 4:00:23
Kort Sonnentag (US) – 4:16:22
Michael Bernsteen (US) – 4:16:24
Robert “Jojje” Karlsson (Sweden) – 4:33:26
Rockport began run testing shoes in the 1990s, and takes wear testing to the extreme by running in the dress shoes, and that tradition continues today. The DresSports 2 collection includes four styles for men and is now available worldwide at premium department stores, independent retail stores, Rockport retail stores and on rockport.com.

Hot News! A Limited Edition DresSports 2 style with a limited run of 500 pairs>featuring the following:
· An unexpected combination of sport-inspired fabric and waterproof leathers in a wingtip creates not only a sophisticated look with a contrast in textures, but also a lightness that is comparable to most running shoes.
· A specially designed heel logo features an icon of a former Rockport marketing executive completing the 1990 NYC Marathon in his DresSports.
· A unique foot bed illustrates New York City streets and Central Park, where the New York Marathon finishes.
This limited edition design was made available globally at retail on Saturday, October 31, 2009 as well as www.rockport.com. The first pair, Number 1, were gifted to President Barack Obama, and the second pair were given to Vice President Joe Biden. Now you know that even at the highest levels of government, that not only do the president and vice president have great shoes but they also have the ability for a quick sprint or to take a couple of shots at the hoop (basketball) and still go about business.
Heralding Rockport’s commitment to fitness and comfort, even in one’s daily 7am to 7pm marathon, twenty dollars from the sale of each pair of Limited Edition DresSports (not to exceed $10,000) will be donated to ING ‘s Run for Something Better program through the Orange Laces campaign.
Stevie Wilson