Official Rimi Riga Marathon running shirt designed by the graphic artist Paulis Liepa unveiled at Spice

By unveiling the design of the official Nike running shirt of the 2023 Rimi Riga Marathon, created by the internationally recognised graphic artist Paulis Liepa, the Rimi Riga Marathon announces partnership with the shopping centre Spice. The works of Liepa and other Rimi Riga Marathon official designers, established artists in Latvia, who decorated the official shirts from 2008 to 2022, were ceremoniously exhibited in the new Sportland store at Spice.

The unveiling of Paulis Liepa’s artwork introduces an ambitious series of events, which will be implemented at Spice and will be available free of charge to all running fans in a special Spice Studio dedicated to running from the end of March in support of the culture of running and preparation for the Rimi Riga Marathon in May.

Known best for his vibrant signature look and aesthetics based on modernism, Paulis Liepa is the Latvian graphic artist whose design of the official Rimi Riga Marathon shirt was unveiled in Spice’s Sportland store. According to art critics (Gallery XO), his artwork stands out against the backdrop of mainstream art in a very noticeable way. He exposes his works to the direct influence of the surrounding environment: “scratches, scratched pieces of cardboard, and layers of paint on top of each other, creating the sense that the artworks have come from the 1960s or 1970s, were abandoned and forgotten somewhere, and are being rediscovered today”.

“The marathon route zigzags across Riga’s landscape like an ant trail, taking thousands of runners back and forth across the river through a maze of squares, parks, and boulevards. For a few days, the usual urban block mosaic takes on completely new signs, and the sweat-stained kilometres mean brand new challenges for both marathon runners and the city as a whole,” explains Paulis Liepa, graphic artist and creator of the design.

Paulis Liepa’s design is the fifteenth unique design to be created for a marathon shirt by a Latvian artist who is well known both in his home country and abroad. Previous designs have been made by established artists such as Kristians Brekte, Mare&Rol’s, Jānis Šneiders, Maija Kurševa, Ieva Iltnere, Ilmārs Blumbergs, Krišs Salmanis, Andris Vītoliņš, Ritums Ivanovs, Ella Krugļanska, Raimonds Staprāns, and others.

Events to support the running culture in the Spice Studio 

The unveiling of Paulis Liepa’s design was the first of numerous events themed around running and the Rimi Riga Marathon that are planned at the shopping centre Spice over the next two months. At the end of March, the organisers at Spice will announce the upcoming novelties at the largest running festival in the Baltics, while during the four Saturdays in April, the shopping centre will host educational events geared towards running, or the running schools, in the specially equipped Spice Studio dedicated to running. Finally, from 7 May, the finishers of the marathon with medals will be invited to the Spice Medal Week to celebrate the finish line and enjoy solid discounts at Spice’s stores upon presenting their medals.

“The task of the Rimi Riga Marathon is not only to get runners moving during one weekend, but also to try to engage the public, youth and children in enjoying the joy of running throughout the season. That is why we actively organise various events all year round to inspire, educate, and help everyone get ready for both the marathon and World Athletics Road Running Championships scheduled to take place in Riga this year. Spice will provide us with an inspiring home for the whole family of runners and for the marathon events during the most intensive and demanding preparation phase – 2 months before the marathon,” says Aigars Nords, the Rimi Riga Marathon Director.

“I am pleased with the cooperative work launched for the marathon, as it is important for us to support a healthy lifestyle and well-being. In the Spice Studio, we will provide runners with advice, inspiration, and a sense of community, and, naturally, we will take care of the equipment, both for the marathon and for the running season in general. I would like to point out that we look forward to seeing everyone with medals around their necks after the marathon too: we will have prepared a handful of surprises during the Medal Week at Spice”, comments Svetlana Dāboliņa, Spice and Spice Home Marketing Manager.

Activities in the Spice Studio 

The upcoming activities at Spice will take place in the specially designed Spice Studio, which will host both the running schools and the exhibition of marathon artwork and official shirt designs, and will also serve as an inspiration and active recreation area for all Spice’s visitors and runners.

In April, the last month before the marathon, the Running Schools popular among runners will be held for four Saturdays in a row. As usual, the schools will be led by marathon friends and journalists Reinis Ošenieks and Dāvids Ernštreits, who will be moderating the stories of coaches and runners’ experiences, panel discussions and advice sessions. The focus of the running schools this time will be on those who are just taking their first steps in running, in order to encourage and inspire everyone to complete their first DPD mile (1,609 m), 5k, or 10k.

The topic of the first school will be exploring the reasoning for running and how to start from scratch; in the second school, we will discuss typical running mistakes; in the third one, we will look into how to take running to the next level; and in the fourth one, we will talk about how to behave during the Rimi Riga Marathon and what to expect from the event. In addition to trainers, physical therapists, and other professionals, experienced runners will be invited to speak at the running school, while all supporters of active lifestyles and those ready to get started are invited as listeners and “students”.

The Medal Week returns to Spice from 7 to 14 May

The world’s favourite Medal Monday, which has been expanded into the Medal Week by the Rimi Riga Marathon, will return to Spice from 7 to 14 May, so that all finishers may enjoy a variety of deals and special benefits from Spice’s stores upon presenting their rightly earned medals, thus celebrating a successful marathon finish.

Registration for the Rimi Riga Marathon distances

The organisers would like to remind you that you can register for the Rimi Riga Marathon’s 42k, 21k, 10k, 5k, and DPD mile distances as well as all Olympic Kids’ Day distances via the official marathon website www.rimirigamarathon.com.

In the meantime, the official marathon shirts can be purchased from today not only when registering for the marathon, but also in the Sportland stores at Spice and elsewhere.