A Local Entrepreneur Ran a Half Marathon in His Company’s Suit
Ministry of Supply cofounder Gihan Amarasiriwardena really, really wants you to buy his suits—so much that he ran Gloucester’s Half MerryThon in one of them last month.
Amarasiriwardena’s company is known for combining the high-tech properties of activewear—all three cofounders went to MIT—with stylish, tailored design. The clothes look more appropriate for the office than the gym, but they’re all made to be breathable, waterproof, moisture wicking, and odor controlling, making for a streetwear-meets-sportswear hybrid.
And, apparently, you can run a half marathon in them if you so choose. Yes, Amarasiriwardena’s move was certainly a marketing stunt, but he also won the Guinness World Record for fastest half marathon run in a suit: an impressive 1:24:41, which breaks down to roughly a 6.5-minute mile. Not bad for a stiff in a suit.
Amarasiriwardena told Fast Company that he began by training in Boston in dress pants and a dress shirt, then a full suit. (He eventually raced in Ministry of Supply’s “Aviator II” model.) “This suit isn’t designed for running in, but the fact that it can be done is great,” he told Fast Company. “You should figure out the edge cases, the extreme cases that put a product to the test.”
