This runner was bothered by blizzard of disposable cups at races. She invented something better

Listen to this article

Key Highlights

Hiccup Earth rents reusable silicone cups for races

902,000 disposable cups replaced at 137 events

Founder Kristina Smithe launched the idea in 2019

Washing system uses less water than typical dishwashers

Kristina Smithe was running the California International Marathon in 2019, grabbing cups of water to stay hydrated, when she started to think about how much waste such events produce. On the flight home, she did the math: 9,000 runners, 17 aid stations and something like 150,000 cups used once and thrown away.

“I was just shocked that, even in California, it’s not sustainable,” Smithe said.

That sparked her idea for something more durable — a lightweight, pliable silicone cup that could be used again and again. After working out a desig