What does it take to achieve a personal best? Runners need the right equipment, the right training plan and the right motivation.  From August until February, Nike's We Run Race Series will reach more than 140,000 runners in 14 races around the world. These athletes will be supported with the latest footwear and apparel innovations to take their race goals to the next level, including the new light, responsive and supportive Nike Air Zoom Structure 18 as well as the latest performance Dri-FIT Knit tops. And the Nike+ Running app will provide athletes everywhere with the motivation, inspiration and coaching they need to train for races no matter the distance.   
"The modern-day running boom continues to accelerate and it's a new generation of athletes who are leading the pack," said Adam Roth, Vice President, Brand Marketing, Global Running. "These runners are young and fast, and they embrace running not only as their sport, but as an integral part of their lives."
"The We Run series isn't just another event," Roth continued. "These experiences bridge the physical with the digital through Nike+ to provide runners the opportunity to push their limits, reach their personal best and connect with a passionate community of athletes not only in the city of their race, but around the world." 
 
Global races to inspire 

Now in their sixth year, Nike’s We Run races range in distance from 7K to a full marathon and reflect the particular enthusiasm of each city. From Seoul to Soweto, Mexico City to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur to Guatemala, runners will be moved to action through a series of unique experiences. Tailored to the individual city, the We Run races bring together athletes and local musicians and build on the aesthetic of each landscape through carefully designed run courses.

In today’s fast-paced world, runners demand more than just a typical 10K. They expect new challenges that will push their boundaries and test their limits. They want to celebrate their milestones with their friends and running communities.

This season's Nike's We Run race highlights will include a variety of different course distances to challenge athletes. For the first time, several of the race cities, including Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Mexico City will be 21K races. Nike is also connecting the running community with a series of pre-race training runs organized through their local Nike+ run clubs. 

Get ready for personal best

In addition to footwear and apparel, Nike helps runners prepare for race day through the more than 30 million strong Nike+ community who have together logged over 1.7 billion kilometers. Collectively, this season's We Run athletes will clock approximately 1.5 million kilometers—the equivalent of running the equator 39 times.

The Nike+ ecosystem elevates training as an integral part of your race day preparation. Elite runners know that pushing yourself in training is what drives success in actual races.
“The races are the easy part and they are obviously a lot of fun,” said Galen Rupp, American world record holder in the 10,000 meters and the indoor 3000 meters. “It definitely comes down to a lot of the hard work that we put in before and when we step on the line we’re ready to go and we know that we are in great shape and there is not an ounce of doubt in us when we step on the line that we are physically ready to go.”
The new Nike+ running app for iPhone and Android acts as a personal best trainer, with features including Nike+ coach, which enables runners to run further, faster and smarter with customized training plans and distance goals.

For runners looking to enhance their race build up, Nike offers the N+TC app, a full-body training digital tool that caters to every level of fitness. 

Gear up with Innovations

Today's young and fast runners need gear that will take them where they want to go. This year that includes the Nike Zoom Air running collection, specifically engineered for speed and delivering Nike’s fastest, most responsive Nike Air cushioning. This race season, runners can pick from four different Nike Zoom Air shoes, including the new Nike Air Zoom Structure 18.

The Nike Air Zoom Structure 18 is a stability running shoe specifically designed for everyday training. The Structure delivers a smooth ride through the combination of upper stability features such as Dynamic Fit technology working together with the outsole, which includes a lateral crash rail and a Dynamic Support stability system made up of foam with three different levels of density. The new contoured last provides added toe spring and combines with Zoom Air cushioning to give the snappy, quick-off-the-ground feel.
“We designed the Zoom Air collection to be a revolution in speed,” said Mark Miner, Senior Footwear Designer, Nike Running. “Whether they’re racing or training, athletes repeatedly ask for Zoom Air because they love that fast, snappy, responsive ride and the energy return they get from it.”
Nike Air Zoom Structure 18 is available on Nike.com starting Sept 25.

Nike’s cool, comfortable apparel products help keep athletes focused on the run. They assist the body’s natural ability to stay at an optimal temperature when running in a variety of conditions. Developed with body-led, data-informed insights, Dri-FIT Breeze for women and Dri-FIT Touch for men are running tops that are cut to increase air circulation and are built with ultra-lightweight, sweat-wicking Dri-FIT fabric to help runners stay cool on hot weather runs.
Dri-FIT Touch is available at Nike stores and Nike.com starting Oct 1. 

Nike We Run races

Sept 28: We Run Istanbul
Oct 26: We Run Seoul
Nov 2: Soweto Marathon
Nov 15: We Run Monterrey
Nov 16: We Run Guadalajara
Nov 30: We Run Mexico City
Nov 30: We Run Montevideo
Nov 30: We Run Guatemala
Nov 30: We Run Bangkok
Dec 6: We Run Santiago
Dec 13: We Run Jakarta
Feb 1: We Run Kuala Lumpur


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