Smoothie King Launches New Run-Thru Concept to Celebrate Global Running Day and New Distinction as Official Smoothie of the TCS New York City Marathon

Global Running Day celebrations also include TCS NYC Marathon Bib Giveaway with Strava and free Watermelon Smoothies to refuel at Smoothie King locations nationwide

DALLAS, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Global Running Day on June 4th, Smoothie King—the world's leading purpose-driven smoothie brand, on a mission to inspire healthy and active lifestyles—is going the extra mile, quite literally. With the unveiling of a multi-faceted initiative featuring a blend of hydration, innovation, and new partnerships, Smoothie King is showing its dedication to holistic health and wellness — and more specifically, the running community, through new strategic partnerships. Smoothie King is now the first-ever Official Smoothie of the legendary TCS New York City Marathon, and is working with Strava, the app for active people, to bring the partnership to life. The brand is also testing a first-of-its-kind Run-Thru concept, making it easier than ever for runners to refuel post-run or workout while on the go. To celebrate, Smoothie King guests can enjoy a free Watermelon Hydration Smoothie nationwide on June 4, perfect for recharging.

Introducing the "Run-Thru" Window: A New Way to Refuel on the Go
To kick off Global Running Day, Smoothie King is testing a brand-new restaurant concept, the Run-Thru. A fresh take on the traditional drive-thru, the Smoothie King Run-Thru window is a limited-time experience that invites runners to jog up and order their post-run smoothie on foot. The concept, which will be available exclusively on June 4 at 1325 E. Belt Line Rd in Richardson, TX, is designed to support the brand's core guests of runners, athletes, and holistic health and wellness-minded individuals, by making it easier to hydrate and recover right after a workout.

Official Smoothie of the TCS New York City Marathon & Smoothie King Challenge on Strava
Smoothie King is proud to partner with the nonprofit New York Road Runners (NYRR) to be the Official Smoothie of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, the best day of the year in New York City and one of the most inclusive and accessible sporting events in the world. On race day in November, the brand is bringing the spirit to the sidelines with an official Smoothie King Cheer Zone, located steps from its Brooklyn store. As part of the celebration, Smoothie King will also extend a special offer to all race participants and volunteers, bringing an extra boost of energy and encouragement to the event.

The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, one of 60 annual adult and youth races produced by New York Road Runners, will take place Sunday, November 2, drawing more than 50,000 athletes from around the world and two million spectators along the course. New York Road Runners launched Global Running Day in 2016.

"Every first Sunday in November, the TCS New York City Marathon unites the global community, bringing together tens of thousands of athletes and millions of spectators and fans," said Christine Burke, Chief Commercial Officer, New York Road Runners. "New York Road Runners is excited to welcome Smoothie King as the first-ever Official Smoothie of the TCS New York City Marathon, helping fuel the spirit and energy of race-day and making the best day of the year in New York City even better."

Additionally, Smoothie King is partnering with Strava, the app for active people, and will be hosting a variety of challenges and running segments throughout the year. Beginning now, Smoothie King and Strava are running The Smoothie King Challenge, giving runners across the country the chance to win exclusive prizes, including free smoothies and three limited-entry bibs for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. Participants can join the challenge on the Strava app or website within the Groups tab, under Challenges. The challenge will run from June 1 to June 30 with winners selected at random by Smoothie King. All selected participants must have completed The Smoothie King Challenge. With about two to three percent of the more than 200,000 applications for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon drawing accepted, this challenge offers runners a rare opportunity to secure a spot in one of the world's most iconic races.

Refuel with Complimentary Watermelon Hydration Smoothie Smoothie King just launched its new Hydration category designed to help guests recover, stay energized, and beat the summer heat. Made with coconut water and packed with electrolytes, this new category aligns with Smoothie King's Clean Blends commitment and its industry leading 'No No List' of over 75 ingredients it refuses to use, including artificial flavors, colors, and high fructose corn syrup. To celebrate the launch, guests can enjoy a free Watermelon Hydration Smoothie at Smoothie King locations nationwide on Global Running Day, June 4th. 

"As a brand that is committed to supporting holistic healthy active lifestyles, Smoothie King is proud to show up for runners in a meaningful and dynamic way this Global Running Day," said Claudia Schaefer, Chief Marketing Officer of Smoothie King. "From the Run-Thru to the new hydration smoothie and national partnerships, Smoothie King is reaffirming its commitment to helping guests achieve their health and active lifestyle goals. Whether you're gearing up for a marathon or just out for a quick jog, we're here to fuel your journey."

To learn more about Smoothie King's Run-Thru activation or to join the Smoothie King Challenge, visit www.smoothieking.com.

About Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.

Smoothie King, the original U.S. smoothie franchise—founded in 1973—is a privately held, Dallas-based company with over 1,200 stores nationwide.

The brand is committed to its mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle focused on providing nutritious, great-tasting smoothies with whole fruits and organic vegetables while removing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives from all smoothies. The majority of Smoothie King's smoothies contain zero grams of added sugar. In April 2023, Smoothie King launched Smoothie Bowls, topped with whole fresh fruit and premium Purely Elizabeth™ granola, made with wholesome ingredients, non-GMO fruits and packed with flavor and nutrients. Smoothie King also offers retail products that include sports beverages, energy bars, vitamins, supplements and more.

Repeatedly recognized as a top franchise opportunity, Smoothie King was recently ranked #11 in Entrepreneur's 2024 Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners, selected as one of the 16 Best Restaurant Franchising Deals for 2024 by QSR Magazine, and recognized in QSR Magazine's QSR 50 ranking as one of the Top 50 Fast-Food Chains by Sales. The brand was also featured in the top 100 of Technomic's annual America's Favorite Chains data, which resulted in ranking #8 in Nation's Restaurant News' "America's Favorite Chains" list, an analysis of Technomic's data.

About New York Road Runners (NYRR):

A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners' vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running – serving nearly a half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world's premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world's best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.

About Strava
Strava is the app for active people. With over 150 million athletes in more than 185 countries, it's more than tracking workouts—it's where people make progress together, from new habits to new personal bests. No matter your sport or how you track it, Strava's got you covered. Find your crew, crush your goals, and make every effort count. Start your journey with Strava today.

Join the Strava Club or follow Strava on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Visit www.strava.com for more information.

Contacts
ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
[email protected]

SOURCE Smoothie King