Overview

In the lead-up to Western States 100, GU Energy Labs put the spotlight on two athletes whose resilience and stories went far beyond the start and finish lines.

GU Energy Labs partnered with us to produce two Beyond the Miles stories as part of their lead-up to the Western States 100, where they served as a title sponsor. The focus was on spotlighting two BIPOC athletes, Faith Akioyamen and Miki Sawada, whose journeys and values align with GU’s mission of inclusivity and support in endurance sports. Our goal was to create inspiring, authentic profiles that connected with both the WSER community and GU’s broader audience.

Challenges & Approach

With two days of filming during the WSER training camp, we needed to efficiently capture enough footage to complement archival material provided by the athletes. We shaped the storytelling approach to weave together athlete interviews, candid training camp moments, and archival race footage into a cohesive narrative. The tone was intentionally human and aspirational, supported by pacing and music choices that emphasized resilience, community, and the spirit of WSER.

The Result

The campaign launched during WSER week as a. Each athlete’s story was released in formats optimized for Instagram and YouTube. Miki Sawada’s video earned 24.3K views in a collaboration with the WSER page, while Faith Akioyamen’s video received over 8,000 views. The series reinforced GU’s positioning as a brand that invests in people and stories that matter, fostering community connection and brand association in the ultrarunning space.