Milk returned to the New York City Marathon for 2023 as part of its unwavering commitment to supporting female athletes through the ‘26.2 Gonna Need Milk For That’ campaign.

The campaign, developed by GALE, is a nationwide program that has sponsored over 15,000 female marathon runners across the Chicago, Denver, and New York marathons. It aids the athletes in preparation and recovery with exclusive access to female-centric training and nutrition tips, custom gear, and more.

In New York, runners were welcomed to Team Milk at the Javits Center expo with a community-focused experiential activation. Everyday runners were celebrated in Milk’s out-of-home campaign with their pictures transformed into digital out-of-home billboards across New York City. Team Milk members could also participate in pre-race shakeout runs in Central Park led by certified run coach Alysha Flynn, Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel, and Sad Girl Track Club’s Izzy Seidel.
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On race day, the Milk support team was on-site to cheer for the runners along their route and celebrate their achievement as they crossed the finish line.
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Post-race, Milk surprised runners with the electrifying live DJ set by acclaimed singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe at the Team Milk VIP Recovery Lounge, helping celebrate the remarkable accomplishment of completing 26.2 miles across the five boroughs. The Lounge also provided access to professional stretchers from NY Stretch as well as compression boots, recovery gear, and chocolate milk to facilitate muscle repair and rebuilding.

For every woman who joined Team Milk, Milk pledged a donation to Girls on the Run, an organization dedicated to empowering girls through running and physical activity. To date, they have helped generate $1M in fundraising to support the next generation of runners.

“It is incredible to have a partner that values showing up. From Milk’s International Women’s Day announcement and pledge to only feature females across campaigns, to their dedication to sponsoring and supporting female athletes, our campaigns are only as strong as our commitments,” says GALE Director of PR Erin Lyden.

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