BEAVERTON, Ore. (1 May, 2008) – Nike today announced the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s biggest one day running event ever, offering runners across the globe the chance to compete together on August 31, 2008. The 10k event will span four continents and cover 25 cities, including LA, New York, London, Madrid, Paris, Istanbul, Melbourne, Shanghai, São Paulo and Vancouver.
The Nike+ Human Race celebrates running in an unprecedented way and unites runners from around the globe. Runners everywhere can join today by visiting nikeplus.com to “Save A Spot” in their city of choice; registration officially opens on June 2. Runners outside of selected cities can also participate through Nike+. With Nike+ iPod and Nike+ Sport Band, runners can track their miles and sync, so they too can be part of the bigger race effort.
“The Nike+ Human Race is about inspiring and connecting runners from every corner of the planet,” said Trevor Edwards, Nike Vice President for Brand and Category Management. “It will be the ultimate running experience. Our goal is to get a million people to run with the world all on the same day. By using the power of Nike+, anyone, anywhere can take to the streets and run.”
Each city’s race will start on the same day, with the first race kicking off in Taipei and the last ending in LA. Race courses take runners by famous landmarks such as the famed LA Coliseum, Taipei 101 (the world’s tallest building), Mexico City’s historic center and the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. Istanbul’s race course will span the city’s famous Bosphorus Bridge, closing it to car traffic to literally allow participants to run from Europe to Asia and back again.
As part of the Nike+ Human Race, runners can also expect the best of running and music combined. Following races in each city, participants will be treated to an exclusive music concert featuring one of today’s top artists.
Pre-race and race day activities will include top Nike athletes such as seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong in Austin, Texas, six-time marathon winner and current NY Marathon Champion, Paula Radcliffe in London, England, Beijing gold medal hopeful Craig Mottram, attending in Melbourne, Australia and Korea’s Yuna Kim, Grand Prix Final Gold medalist in Seoul.
“Having just completed the Boston Marathon, I believe that running is one of the greatest expressions of human potential,” Armstrong said. “As a committed runner, I’m proud to be participating in the Nike+ Human Race and encourage runners of all levels to join the global running community through this event.”
Nikeplus.com will be the official destination for the Nike+ Human Race and for all pre-race training needs. Here, runners can learn more about new training gear like the Nike Zoom Victory+, Nike’s latest performance training shoe featuring Flywire, its lightest and strongest new footwear construction technology or stay motivated by checking out the latest Nike+ Sport Music offerings. Sport Music offers runners the best in original Training Run and Coaching Mixes designed specifically for treadmill and road runs.
For more information on the Nike+ Human Race and a complete listing of race cities visit www.nikeplus.com.
About Nike
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan Holdings Incorporated, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikebiz.com.
