The Social Survival of a High School Runner

If I’m being honest, ATWILL started in a state of high-stakes social vulnerability.

Back in high school track, I was running almost every day, but I had a fundamental problem with the uniform. There is a very specific type of awkwardness that comes with being a gangly sixteen-year-old boy asked to "warm up and stretch" in 3-inch split shorts and a mesh singlet. Doing that in front of the girls’ varsity team didn’t feel like "striving for excellence." It felt like a core memory of pure, unadulterated embarrassment in the making. The singlet didn’t make me feel fast; it made me feel like I was wearing a kitchen hairnet as a shirt.

So, I staged a quiet rebellion. Instead of the tiny shorts, I ran in J.Crew T-shirts and madras Gap shorts. It wasn’t the most aerodynamic setup, and I’m sure my coach thought I was lost on my way to a summer barbecue. But I liked the idea of wearing something that performed without making me look like I was headed to an Olympic Trials qualifier or a mid-90s social disaster.

The Problem With "Insider" Running

Fast forward to today, and the running world looks incredible, but the culture has become a bit... intense.

Many premium brands feel built around a very specific image: gritty, highly stylized, and deeply "insider." It feels like you’re supposed to either be chasing a 2:14 marathon or acting in a very serious run club photo shoot.

That just wasn't how running showed up in my life. For me, running has always been something steadier. Something optimistic. A ritual that makes the rest of life better—not the thing everything else has to orbit around.

Performance Without the Costume

I built ATWILL because I wanted a premium brand that felt more spirited, more open, and a little less self-serious.

We design for people who love running, but don’t make it their whole identity. People who care about technical performance, but also about how their gear fits into the rest of their day.

Running doesn’t need to be loud, ironic, or a gritty performance to matter. Whether you’re:

• Chasing a PR or a stroller with a restless toddler.
• Nerding out on Zone 2 or just heading to that bakery with the flakey croissants.
• Logging 50 miles a week or 15 minutes of peace before the house wakes up.

At its best, running is a personal, quiet space you return to again and again. We make the gear that gets out of the way so you can stay in that space.

Welcome to ATWILL. We’re glad you’re here.

—Rich

P.S. If you ever ran in something completely inappropriate in high school (or as an adult) just to avoid those 3-inch splits, you’re very much among friends here.