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KARHU
Finnish
Running Secrets
N°01
Early evening light at Pieni Hirvijärvi, Eastern Finland. Photo by Matt Mitchell
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WHY KARHU?
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STILL ROLLING
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FRANCO ARESE MEETS: SINKKONEN*
Mr. Arese talks about his connection with
Finland and with the Karhu brand, sharing
why he is so excited to be involved with the
Finnish Sportsbear.
Karhu’s CEO speaks of the evolution in
running culture and how the brand is staying
true to its principles while continuing to
innovate and keep runners moving.
Two running legends and old friends reunite
in the Finnish Wilderness to talk of past
exploits, achievements and what running and
camaraderie has meant to them.
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KARHU EXPLORES*
Karhu was born in the wild and we love
exploring our home country.
Whether it be forests, fells or the tundra,
the winter in Finland means adventure.
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KARHU AND THE 90S
We look at two iconic 90s sneaker silhouettes
that are being brought back to life in 2015,
proving that when something is this good,
it deserves a comeback.
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PEKKA HYYSALO*
Pekka Hyysalo is an inspiring person. He has
come back from a traumatic brain injury with
sisu and purpose. We talk to him about his
goal to help others, and to show the world
that not only he can run again, but he can
finish a marathon.
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FLYING FINNS*
CONTENTS
SPRING SUMMER COLLECTION
* Words by Matt Mitchell.
Karhu and Finnish distance runners have
a long history. We look back to the epic
origins of the Finnish American Athletic
Club in New York City and the incredible
performances of Hannes Kolehmainen
and Ville Ritola.
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FOLLOW THE BEAR
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WHY KARHU
EDITORIAL
of
FRANCO ARESE
CHARIMAN OF KARHU
FRANCESCO “FRANCO” ARESE
(BORN IN 1944)
PALMARES
ITALIAN CHAMPION:
-800 M: 1968, 19699,1972,1973
-1500 M: 1966, 1967,1968,1970
- 5000 M: 1971
- 1500 M INDOOR: 1972
- 3000 M INDOOR: 1970
EUROPEAN CHAMPION:
- 1500 M IN 1971
ROME MARATHON WINNER IN 1971
RECORDS
ITALIAN RECORDS:
- 800 M: 1'46"6
- 1000 M: 2'16"9
- 1500 M: 3'36"3
- MILE: 3'56"7
- 2000 M: 5'03"4
- 3000 M: 7'51"2
- 5000 M: 13'40"00
- 10000 M: 28'27"00
Why Karhu?
Because Karhu is the bear, and it
represents Finland and its fighting spirit.
I have met athletes like Juha Väätäinen,
European champion in Helsinki,
Lasse Viren and Pekka Vasala, both
Olympic champions in Munich in 1972.
I also had the great fortune to meet Kari
Sinkkonen, the great Finnish running
coach, who helped me immeasurably with
new ideas and methodology for training.
I trained with them, I competed
against them and I learned from
them. I learned of the SISU spirit,
to never give up.
In the summertime in Finland,
I used to spend my time in Turku,
hometown of the legendary runner,
Paavo Nurmi.
I won the most important and
memorable races of my career in
Finland and the Nordic countries,
running in track and field events in
Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Malmo,
Gothenburg and many others.
To me, Finland in particular
represents nature, green and fresh
air. Now the new team at Karhu
has the task to bring the centennial
history of the Karhu brand to
life and relaunch it for a modern
world. With a focus on high quality
product and strong marketing
message we will thrive for another
100 years.
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Sunset in the heart of Lapland, Kilpisjärvi, Finland. Photo by Matt Mitchell
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STILL ROLLING
99 years young and we feel rejuvenated and ready for our next 99.
Our brand has witnessed many changes since our humble beginnings in 1916.
From the early days when Paavo Nurmi helped propel Track and Field into
a spectator sport, filling stadiums across the US and Europe; to the running boom
of the 60s and 70s that made it a favourite form of fitness for the masses.
Throughout the years the one constant has been the way we run, one step
at a time, one gait cycle at a time; our ligaments have not changed one bit.
‘Sorry we’re Finns” is one of our favourite sayings at Karhu and we’re all proud to be
as sober as a Finn. We have not changed our core beliefs just because someone decided
we should start running on our heel, mid-foot, fore-foot, or toe’s.
We just don’t have the science to prove that any one particular running form
is better than another, and we have done the research too. At it’s most fundamental,
the function of the shoe is to find the best balance between efficiency and protection,
but always with an increased rolling effect, regardless of your running level.
I remember sitting through one of many rounds of research, testing different running
shoes at the University of Jyväskylä, in central Finland. Next to me was the legendary
professor Paavo Komi, a pioneer in the study of human locomotion. When the test was
finished, I proudly turned to Paavo and asked him what he thought? “I could have told
you this before, same numbers as in 1986,” is all I got, thanks Paavo.
What was I expecting, a “high five” from a Finn?
The point is that the Finns introduced the world to “Rullaava” or “rolling form”
in the 60s and 70s and with this form became the dominant running nation
of the era despite their small population. In fact, by 1973, 43 Finns had run a 10K
in under 30 minutes, a record that will always remain unbroken.
Today we have more than a half-dozen nationalities working for the company
and we all remain as connected as ever to our brand’s Finnish roots as we roll towards
our centennial year.
Keep on rolling, and enjoy this first issue of Finnish Running Secrets.
HUUB VALKENBURG
CEO
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Photo by Rasmus Weng Karlsen.
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FRANCO ARESE MEETS:
SINKKONEN
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Franco, and his son Enrico, have undertaken a long
journey to meet the elder’s longtime friend and coach,
Kari Sinkkonen. They have traveled from their home
in Cuneo, Italy, through flights to Amsterdam
and Helsinki just to arrive in Finland. But Helsinki
is not the wilderness. They continue by train
to the town of Mikkeli just under three hours east
of the Finnish capital. Kari meets them at the train
station and along increasingly narrow and unfinished
roads, he drives, with his visitors, to his beautiful home
in the woods. Sinkkonen’s home is intentionally away
from the pace and pressures of urban life.
The nearest town is Kangasniemi (5694 inhabitants)
twenty kilometres away. The closest neighbours
are the bears and moose that wander through
his land, and even they are only seen on rare occasions.
Trips to town for groceries happen about once a week.
The Sinkkonen’s built their home near a lake
and have priorities for living, which are reflected
in their quiet lifestyle and three saunas on the property.
They intend to live out their days in the peace
of the wild. Upon the group’s arrival, with the visitors
taking in the surroundings, Kari heads to his garage
and brings back a pair of old Karhus; an early 1970s
marathon shoe that one of the runners he trained,
Olavi Suomalainen (1972 Boston Marathon Winner)
wore back in the day. As the two men begin chatting,
their thoughts trail back to the simplicity and purity
of running, the times when Franco and Kari were
in their prime. Kari began coaching at the early age
of 25, and coached Franco personally for a couple years
as he spent time in Italy, training some of the best
middle-distance runners of the 1970s.
While the two don’t share a common language, they
seem to interact fluently nonetheless. Their connection
FRANCO ARESE MEETS:
SINKKONEN
goes back 40 years and remains strong
today. Kari talks of how in the 1960s
he used to go from town to town
in Finland to give running classes
and lectures, it was the first jogging boom
to hit Finland. He says, “running is just
like any other product. You need to sell
the image, the emotion and consumers
will buy into it.” He mentions that many
of the same things are present today
as running once again has become
popular. Franco asks him what a beginner
should be prepared for as they start
running?Kari smiles knowingly and says,
“start by finding out what is relevant
to your running. Many people are too
concerned with the least important
things, like the latest running cap
or running applications.” To Kari, running
has tremendous positive potential
for all of us,“running is a pure, primitive
movement that is in our DNA. It keeps us
in good physical condition and equally
important, supports our good mental
health. In my experience, the best way
to refresh your perspective is to go out
for a 10k.” Kari asks Franco if he thinks
old-timers like themselves can still bring
anything to the younger generation?
Franco thinks the fundamentals remain
the same. He says, “to be successful,
you have to train like hell,” but he
acknowledges that fewer and fewer
kids are really up for “sacrificing” their
comfortable lives to run 10,000kms a year.
FRANCO ARESE MEETS:
SINKKONEN
KARI SINKKONEN
(BORN IN 1936)
STARTED COACHING RUNNING
IN THE EARLY 1960S
Regardless, the potential remains as it was when
Viren, Väätäinen and Vasala were coming up 40 years
ago. With a motivated runner and inspiring, organized
coach the results are possible, the formula is simple.
Kari’s 456 Finnish Championship medals prove
his basic coaching techniques have worked out just
fine. They both agree that back then running was
an important way to see the world, manage yourself
and grow up. Today you can do all those things
no matter if you are a good runner or not.
The bigger money is in team sports nowadays
and that is more appealing to many kids.
Kari continues: “Being a runner is like being a painter
or another artist. You don’t start to paint because you
want to get rich. You start it because you have urge
to do it and express yourself. You do it because you
love to do it.” The evening continues with everyone
getting butt naked and going to the sauna. Afterwards
the group enjoys delicious salmon Kari’s wife Raija
has prepared. The silence at their home is really new
experience to Franco and Enrico. No cars, neighbours
and even the nature is really silent this time
of the year. In the sauna Kari mentions how Franco
was always thinking up some pranks to play on others
and how Olavi Suomalainen always forgot to pack
some gear in his bags, whether it was running shorts,
towel or shoes. Kari talks about how he met Paavo
Nurmi in 1967 when he was just 31 years old. “It felt
like going to God’s reception.” He continues, “he has
done so much good for Finnish self-esteem, even after
almost 100 years it still affects us.”
As everyone says farewell, Kari is touched by having
his old running student pay him a visit all the way
from Italy. When asked what are his coaching
career’s fondest memories, he says Pekka Vasala’s
Olympic gold medal in Munich in 1972 and few other
accomplishments, but says emphatically at the end,
“still the biggest thing probably is the friends
that I got through this wonderful world of running.
HAS COACHED MORE THAN 100 TOP
RUNNERS, AS PEKKA VASALA, OLAVI
SUOMALAINEN AND PEKKA PÄIVÄRINTA
HIS RUNNERS HAVE REACHED 456
FINNISH CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS
AND SEVERAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
AND OLYMPIC MEDALS.
FINLAND OLYMPIC TEAM’S ENDURANCE
RUNNING COACH IN 1972, 1976, 1980
OLYMPICS. “FINNISH ATHLETICS
FEDERATION’S ENDURANCE RUNNING
HEAD COACH 1975-1982.”
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KARHU EXPLORES
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SISU AND CAMARADERIE
ENDURING THE FINNISH WILDERNESS
KARHU EXPLORES
As runners, we embrace challenges,
even seek them out as the opportunity to build
our strength, our SISU. As winter descends
upon us, the benefits and challenges
that come with running are amplified.
In Finland, the surroundings are harsh and wild.
We are enchanted by the feeling of freedom
that running in the wild gives us.
From frozen lakes, like the one featured here
in Lahti (Vesijarvi) in Southern Finland,
to the snow-covered, forested fells of Lapland,
difficult terrain and comfortless conditions
are in-and-of themselves motivations
to persevere. Each run in these austere elements
leaves us more prepared for those that follow.
We are forced to adapt, to prepare more
thoroughly to meet its rigour.
We learn to thrive in this comfortless
environment because we must and we learn
that running in the wild serves to connect
us more deeply with nature and with ourselves.
KARHU EXPLORES
As we learn to endure, we learn that
our resilience is not finite, but expansive
and acts as a catalyst for new, unprecedented
undertakings and accomplishments.
It is here, in these steps, that we build
our SISU. We hunger for greater
performance, knowing that it is possible.
When our solitary fire is coupled
with others, we become stronger and more
human; we encourage and challenge
one another. We allow ourselves to connect
and share our fears and hopes,
feeding our inspiration. We are motivated
by the triumphs and commitment
of others, as we see them, we in turn dig
deeper, driven to become stronger.
No place, not even the Finnish wilderness
in winter, is as inhospitable with friends.
SISU AND CAMARADERIE
ENDURING THE FINNISH WILDERNESS
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KARHU AND THE 90s
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KARHU AND THE 90s
KARHU AND THE 90s
For me personally, the mid-90s wasn’t the best time for sneaker design.
A lot of sneakers had unnecessary features and overlays, which made
them too futuristic for me. Of course looking back now, we know
that some of thesneakers reached legendary status, especially
the Air Max 95. Even though I appreciate the design now,
back then I thought it was, well lets say…not the prettiest. I still know
where I saw it for the first time. It’s an event I remember well.
Just like a lot of other experiences, these memories are the foundation
for my love of the sneaker culture.
Talking about memories, my father was my hero and because of that,
I still remember the brands he was wearing. One brand my father wore
was Karhu. Karhu was not only popular amongst runners, but also
amongst the older kids when I was growing up in Amsterdam in the 80s.
You can say that the 80s were the heydays for the brand.
Karhu was innovative, always developing new technologies, which made
running more comfortable, stable and efficient. Synchron (1980),
Fulcrum (1986) and Ortix (1988) were some of the technologies Karhu
invented, next to having the first patent for an Air Cushion system (1976).
REMKO NOUWS
GLOBAL CATEGORY MANAGER KARHU
LEGEND
VINTAGE SNEAKER COLLECTOR
EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTOR SNEAKER
FREAKER MAGAZINE 2004/2012
FORMERLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
TOP TIER NETWORK AND STORE
COLLABORATIONS AT ASICS EUROPE
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KARHU AND THE 90s
Most brand technologies were already invented in the early 80s.
In the late 80s and early 90s the Split Tongue, Pump, Disc and the Mono-sock were
leading developments. It was the era of the “perfect fit” for athletic footwear.
Karhu was one of the brands that adopted the Mono-sock. Combined
with the still relevant Fulcrum technology, the Karhu Aria was born. The model
was introduced for the first time in 1994, but Karhu had the unorthodox habit
of giving every colour way a different name. The iconic Aria colour way
was introduced in 1995, exactly 20 years ago.
Another very important running shoe for Karhu in the mid 90s was the Fusion.
Jukka Lehtinen, Karhu’s marketing manager for LEGEND couldn’t have explained it better.
“To me, the Fusion represents a highly technical running shoe.
The Air Deck insole, carbon-fibre plate and dual density midsole
construction made it a pretty awesome shoe for a big guy.”
The Aria and the Fusion will both see the light of day again in 2015.
What is so great about launching them again, is the fact that Karhu’s original designer
Soni O’David has redesigned his own shoes, something that is quite unique.
The Aria is kept as close to the original as possible. We tweaked a couple
of little things to upgrade the design and we even managed to get the Fulcrum
technology back in. With regards to the Fusion, we took it to 2015!
We changed the sole unit and the measurements of the upper parts to make it
more appealing. Most of the original details like the tongue label
and rubberized print on the ankle part and tongue are kept. The shoe has a trail
running look and feel, which makes it a perfect winter shoe.
Keep an eye on Karhu! Good stuff is coming up for our 100 year anniversary
in 2016, which we will celebrate with another 90s Karhu LEGEND, the Synchron Classic!
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RUNNERS WITH SISU
PEKKA HYYSALO
RUNNER & FOUNDER OF FIGHT BACK
Ever since Pekka can remember he has run. Initially it was
to keep fit in the off-season as he trained to become
a world-class free-skier, but he always loved the effect running
had on him, making him feel stronger and more empowered.
Even in his teens he had big goals, “I felt like I didn’t have
any barriers, that I could and I would reach the top
of the mountain.” From early in his career, Pekka showed
considerable talent and drive to make his dreams a reality.
In 2010, at the age of 19 he was a Finnish Champion
in multiple freeskiing events and was ranked
11th in the world in the Big Air men’s category.
Big things were happening.Later that year he suffered
a traumatic brain injury in a ski accident during a film shoot.
The injury left him a quadriplegic. Everything stopped.
His life would never be the same. He describes the time
immediately after the accident as his ‘rock bottom,’
but he knew he wasn’t going to stay there. Almost as if he willed
his arms and legs into motion, his recovery began, and with it
the relentless drive to appreciate what he has. Without a trace
of bitterness, Pekka says, “I have a second chance to make
my life, and to make it a positive one for myself and others.”
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Pekka has taught himself to speak again, beginning with simply forming basic words,
which mirrors his progress to regain a measure of control over the rest of his body.
Since then, he has committed to gruelling training and rehabilitation sessions,
working to form coordination and strength where they once were.
He doesn’t compare his current physicality to what he had as a world-class skier.
Instead, Pekka focuses unendingly on the next step. He has taught himself to walk and run again,
but his ultimate goal has always been to run further, to complete a marathon.
He knows how challenging this will be for him; the coordination and body control
it requires, and that is precisely why it is his goal. He describes his first attempts at running
after his injury as near impossible, moving only a couple strides before falling,
and he fell hundreds of times. To Pekka, these were not failures, he was merely building his SISU.
In 2013, Pekka started Fight Back, an organization to support the rehabilitation
of individuals who have suffered brain injuries. Last year, he hosted the first “FightBack Run”
in Turku, Finland. More than a thousand runners joined him to run 2.6km.
The 2015 edition will be 5.2km and will double in distance each year until the unique event
stretches Pekka and the participants to run a marathon.
While Pekka acknowledges that his early running experiences were a means to an end,
he now realizes that running provides him with so much more.
Pekka says that today running provides him with a ‘state of total freedom,
mentally and physically’ and his goal is to challenge his limits while inspiring and supporting
others with his positivity along the way.
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The FAAC runners ready to compete against Americans in the early 1920’s.
Photo courtesy of Sports Museum of Finland
FLYING FINNS
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FLYING FINNS
HANNES KOLEHMAINEN AND THE ORIGINS OF
THE GOLDEN AGE OF FINNISH DISTANCE RUNNING
Since the beginning of the 1900s, running has been an important
component in the identity of Finland and Finns around the world.
It was at the turn of the century that Finnish runners began
to move to the forefront of middle distance running globally,
including in the Olympic games. It was the beginning of the time
of the Flying Finns an a era that built the foundation for the deep
connection between the United States and Finnish distance
runners. Many of the most notable Finnish runners of the era lived,
worked and competed in the United States. The early 1900s were
a difficult time in Finland and many Finns emigrated to the US
to find work. In New York State alone the Finnish community
numbered 25,000, living primarily in Harlem and Brooklyn.
The Finns in New York City were a tight knit group, in Brooklyn
there was a neighbourhood called “Finntown” which was just like
Finland, with typical bakeries, groceries and pubs, even the houses
in the neighbourhood were left with their doors unlocked.
The Finnish-American Athletic Club (FAAC) was founded
in New York City in 1901. It was one of the first athletic clubs
in the United States and soon after became a distance running mecca
for Finns. The Finnish runners that came to America did not have
an easy life. There were no sponsors in those days, no one else
to pay the bills. If you wanted to run, you did it on your own time,
and only after all the other gruelling work was complete.
Hannes Kolehmainen in 1920. Photo courtesy
of Bibliotheque nationale de France.
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Hannes Kolehmainen was the first of the Flying Finns to arrive
in the US in September of 1912. Only the month before, Hannes
had become a triple-gold medalist at the Stockholm Olympic
games, winning the individual cross country, 5k, and 10k events.
In many ways, he was already a legend. He came to the US to work
and to run. Hannes brought his arduous and exacting training
regime with him. He trained twice a day and worked long hours
in between as a bricklayer. His morning training sessions began
at 5:00 am, and each day after work, he ran 20kms worth of laps
around Marcus Garvey Park (formerly Morris Park) in Harlem.
On weekends he completed his long runs at Van Cortlandt Park
in the Bronx. Hannes quickly made a name for himself
in America following his victories in the both the 5 & 10 mile US
championships in 1913. Hannes worked at the same construction
site with another Finn who would become a running superstar
in his own right, Ville Ritola. The two soon began training
together, despite Ritola having no competitive running experience.
The two became perennial running champions and soon were
joined by yet another Finnish running legend, Paavo Nurmi.
Following World War I, Kolehmainen returned to the Olympic
Games in 1920 in Antwerp, where he won the gold medal
in the marathon. Four years later both Ritola and Nurmi
had also become Olympic champions, and had asserted
themselves as the two other members of the Flying Finns Trio.
Ville Ritola worked long hours in New York as a carpenter.
Photo courtesy of Sports Museum of Finland.