Pop-Tarts® Named Official Snack of the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon

February 22, 2026

Mile 10 to Transform into High-Energy Branded Fan Zone

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 22, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ — The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon, produced by The McCourt Foundation, is thrilled to announce that Pop-Tarts® has officially joined the 2026 race season as the Official Snack of the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon. The new partnership has two unique activations that will bring the playful Pop-Tarts® brand to life on the course and at the finish line of the sold-out event on March 8.

Runners will first encounter Pop-Tarts® at Mile 10, where they will find much more than a traditional hydration station. As the official Mile Sponsor, Pop-Tarts® will present a fully branded experience designed to provide a much-needed psychological and energetic boost with eye-catching opportunities for runners to capture the moment in photos and interactive zones for spectators to cheer on their athletes. As part of the experience, Pop-Tarts Protein Slammin’ Strawberry mascot will be showing up on and around the course—cheering on runners and hanging with spectators. The mascot officially declared its intention to “go pro” at the end of 2025, so a stop at the LA Marathon is the perfect training moment for this buff pastry.

In a nod to the Pop-Tarts brand’s recognizable packaging, runners will notice a new update to their post-race recovery gear. This year, the traditional silver thermal heat sheets provided at the finish line will be custom-designed to resemble the classic Pop-Tarts foil wrapper. As athletes cross the finish line and wrap themselves in the shiny metallic blankets to regulate their body temperature, they will look exactly like a wrapped Pop-Tarts toaster pastry.

Whether they prefer them toasted or straight from the foil, finishers can celebrate their achievement with a well-earned, sweet treat as they are handed a Pop-Tart toaster pastry sample and a photo opp with Pop-Tarts Protein Slammin’ Strawberry mascot.

“This partnership brings a burst of flavor and fun to one of the world’s most iconic distance running events, blending elite athleticism with the nostalgic, toasted spirit of America’s favorite toaster pastry. We are delighted to welcome Pop-Tarts to the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon family,” said Karen O’Connell, Head of Sponsorship for the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon. “The marathon is a celebration of perseverance and joy, and nothing captures that Crazy Good spirit better than Pop-Tarts. This partnership is all about making the race experience unforgettable for our runners.”

“The obvious next place Pop-Tarts Protein Slammin’ Strawberry mascot to show up on their journey to ‘going pro’ is an event that takes grit, determination and focus, mixed with some fun,” said Leslie Serro, vice president of marketing for Pop-Tarts. “Pop-Tarts is looking forward to bring our Crazy Good mascot antics, as well as a taste of our new Pop-Tarts Protein toaster pastries to all the amazing runners and spectators at this year’s ASICS Los Angeles Marathon.”

For more information, please visit LAMarathon.com and follow the event on Strava, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE ASICS LOS ANGELES MARATHON AND LA 5K

The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is Los Angeles’ largest and longest-running community sporting event. On March 8, 2026, the race will welcome over 26,000 runners starting at Dodger Stadium and finishing the 26.2-mile Stadium-to-the-Stars Course near Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Also included in the Marathon Weekend events are the LA 5K on Saturday, March 7 and the marathon’s two-day Lifestyle Expo held at Dodger Stadium March 6 and 7. The free expo is open to the public, featuring up to 100 exhibitors and annually attracts more than 70,000 attendees.  The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is the final event in the three-race Conquer LA Challenge which begins with the Santa Monica Classic in September, followed by the Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K in January.

About The McCourt Foundation

The McCourt Foundation (TMF) empowers communities to build a healthier world through research, education and events. TMF’s mission is to cure neurological diseases while empowering communities to build a healthier world. TMF makes a difference by donating to neurology research, hosting educational forums and using our events such as the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon, Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K, Santa Monica Classic and Boston Waterfront 5K, as platforms to raise funds for over 125 nonprofit charity partners. Since its inception, TMF has donated more than $7.2 million to neurology research and generated more than $76M for our nonprofit charity partners. Established in 1992, TMF is a 501 (c)(3) with offices in Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit mccourtfoundation.org.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business with 170,000 Associates, our diverse portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services serve pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delights millions of people every day. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, Pringles®, Cheez-It®, and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ deliver high quality veterinary care and ANTECH ™ offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.