Blog #1 Why I Created Orii: A Letter from the Founding Committee

Toronto Waterfront Marathon Medals

I was never an elite runner. I’m just a regular marathoner, like many of you.

There are all kinds of reasons people run marathons. For me, it was never about time or trophies. It was about not giving up. Every race was a quiet promise to myself, to show up, to finish what I started. I didn’t always train perfectly, and I certainly wasn’t always prepared. But I ran. And I kept running.

After eight years, though, something shifted. I felt tired, not just physically, but mentally. Tired of chasing numbers. Tired of fighting my age, my body, my mind. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop.

I needed to remember why I started in the first place. That’s when the word came to me: Origin. Where we began. Why we run. What we’re running toward. That seed of an idea became "Orii", a running shoe brand built to remind us of our beginnings. Not just the start of our training plans, but the reasons we lace up in the first place.

I created Orii: for people like me. Runners who may not be chasing podiums, but are still chasing something meaningful. Runners who show up, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s quiet. Even when no one’s watching.

This brand isn’t just about shoes. It’s about remembering who we are when we run. And I hope that spirit — that origin — speaks to you too.

— The Founding Committee of Orii: This is Your Origin.