On November 2, the Shanghai Marathon kicked off. A large group of runners clad in black compression suits with silver balloons hanging from their waists caught the attention of reporters. It turns out they were marathon pacers—commonly known as "rabbits"—whose job is to help fellow runners achieve their target times and successfully earn their marathon medals.
These "rabbits" were wearing SKINS compression suits. SKINS (思金斯) is a world-leading manufacturer of gradient compression sportswear, whose products are favored by professional athletes for their superhero-like feel and appearance, and are well-regarded for improving athletic performance and speeding up recovery. Nowadays, an increasing number of amateur runners are also donning SKINS to push their limits and deliver extraordinary performances on the racecourse.
Throughout the Shanghai Marathon course, the "Holy Rabbits" have become a striking sight. To help them perform at their best and lead other runners to strong finishes, SKINS provided strong gear support. For the half-marathon "rabbits," SKINS equipped them with the A200 product. Designed for the general sports population and featuring engineered gradient compression, the SKINS A200 is perfectly suited to the intensity and rhythm of a half marathon, helping enhance blood circulation during running, delivering more oxygen to the muscles, reducing lactic acid buildup, making each stride lighter and the body feel more relaxed.
For the full marathon "rabbits," SKINS supplied the A400 product, which many professional athletes call the “secret weapon” of racing. Facing the high intensity, endurance demands, and oxygen requirements of a full marathon, the dynamic gradient compression technology of the SKINS A400 delivers its unique advantages. Based on 400 compression points, it provides stable support to key muscle groups, effectively reducing soreness during the run and accelerating recovery afterward. In addition, given Shanghai’s cold and damp weather, SKINS’ temperature-regulating fabric becomes especially important. Its unique fiber structure helps optimize body temperature under both hot and cold conditions, ensuring the "rabbits" remain unaffected by external environments and maintain thermal balance throughout the run.
These most interesting and hardest-working "rabbits" on the course also shared their thoughts about this Shanghai Marathon. Li Zhenning, a runner from Zhengzhou with years of "rabbit" experience, served as the SKINS 330 pacing rabbit in this event. He said: “I’ve been a ‘rabbit’ many times before, but most of those were as an official ‘organizer rabbit.’ Running in these ‘holy suits’ as a grassroots ‘rabbit’ this time has been a great experience. The compression from SKINS is just right—it's much more comfortable than regular compression wear, almost like a second skin. There was no sense of restriction while running, helping me maintain a steady pace and comfortably adjust my rhythm and steps all the way to the finish line. I’m really happy to have helped more people achieve their goals. This experience as a 'holy rabbit' is unforgettable.”
Another local Shanghai runner, Pan Chenting—a female "rabbit" who has participated in multiple marathons in recent years and placed 12th in the 2013 Hangzhou Marathon with a time of 3:30—also expressed: “Representing SKINS at the Shanghai Marathon felt great. The new SKINS A400 product is super impressive. I used to only know about SKINS men’s products, but it turns out the women’s line is just as diverse. The SKINS A400 offers the right level of compression, enhancing core strength, stabilizing running posture, and delaying fatigue. What’s more, the product I wore this time was colorful, breaking away from the usual black-dominated look—it looks fantastic. SKINS not only boosts athletic performance, but also excels in product design.”