Tracksmith’s Stamata Project Unites Women in Chasing an OTQ

The Pursuit of the OTQ

If there’s any brand that’s led the way when it comes to supporting the dreams of amateurs, it’s Tracksmith. From the Tracksmith Foundation (a nonprofit that aims to increase both adult and youth participation in track and field) to its Varsity Club supporting NIL athletes to the Amateur Support Program that provides elite amateurs with kits, competition expenses, and on-the-ground resources, Tracksmith is devoted to those who strive.

It seems like every year, they’re releasing a new program to elevate unsponsored and non-elite athletes. 

So, like clockwork, Tracksmith has announced its newest endeavor with the launch of Stamata, a women’s marathon project led by Tracksmith athlete and 8-time Olympic Trials qualifier Steph Bruce. The goal? To train and equip a group of women to hit the OTQ mark and show up to the 2028 Trials as a collective team, one built on momentum, mutual support, and a shared commitment to reaching their goals.

The name Stamata (not to be confused with Stigmata, the supernatural horror film of a similar name) pays homage to a Greek woman named Stamata Revithi, who was denied a chance to run the inaugural Olympic marathon at the Athens Games in 1896. Instead, she ran the full course alone on the following day, becoming the first woman to complete the marathon distance.

As part of the program, women will receive holistic support from Tracksmith over the course of the next two years. This includes several meetups each year for dedicated training camps and strategic OTQ attempts. Each spring and fall, they’ll select a targeted race where the team collectively focuses on striving toward the sub-2:37:00 time goal. In 2025, the target race will be CIM.

Support leading up to these efforts will come in the way of direct mentorship from Steph Bruce, racing footwear in the Tracksmith Eliot Racer, training kits and a $1,000 gear stipend, travel stipend for two targeted OTQ attempts each year, nutrition, sports science, and sports psych support, as well as partnerships with team sponsors. Plus, time bonuses on race day.

Tracksmith is encouraging U.S. women who have run under 1:17 in the half marathon or 2:42 in the full marathon to apply. That said, there are always exceptions – so if you haven’t hit those numbers, you’re free to pitch your compelling case to join the cause. Applicants can be submitted HERE.