In October last year ELLE’s Holly Meadows joined Nike to run their annual women’s marathon in San Francisco. It’s the largest all-female race in the world and 2013 marked its tenth anniversary. Taking part were 30 000 women from across 54 countries, including South African athlete Charne Bosman who claimed a podium finish in the half.
Turn to page 148 and read Snapshot of San Fran to discover a city where cultures, creativity and goold ‘ol fashion Californian charm collide. But now, back to the running and Holly’s top five reasons why every woman should participate at least once in their life.
1.The scenery. The run is one of the most scenic in the world beginning at Union Square and trailing along the bay. You start at dawn in downtown San Fran, surrounded by giant, old stately apartment blocks with supporters bent out their sky-high windows cheering you on. Once you’ve trailed past all the drool-worthy designer boutiques (Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada…) you’re alongside a glittering San Francisco bay, peppered with pretty island outcrops, including Alcatraz.
After meeting with the famous, siren red Golden Gate Bridge you hang a left and begin your loop back through the leafy green lung that is golden Gate Park and into the higgledy-piggledy Victorian home neighbourhood of Haight Ashbury.
2. The travel. There’s no better motivation to run a marathon (or half) than travelling to a new destination – and San Fran should be up there on everyone’s bucket list. San Franciscans tend towards the alternative side of life, from Gold Rush opportunists to beatnic experimentalists and dot-com creatives. It’s an artistic mecca, filled with character-fitting people an attitude that’s unlike any other city in the states. My highlights? Riding the city on old-fashioned Victorian trams and strolling the yacht basin at San Fran’s version of Monaco, Sausalito.
3. Get fit. Set yourself a goal – working towards a mammoth run is no small feat and it’s the perfect way to harness your inner task-driver. My biggest aid was downloading the Nike+ Running app for iPhone – it will help prep you, day by day, for any distance run from start to finish. The latest update includes Nike+ Coach, a feature that offers runners training plans for four different distances (5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon) at three different levels (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced), using programs that leverage Nike’s coaching heritage and insights from top runners. Need a pep talk? No problem, this app even has motivation voice-overs plus daily workout instructions and weekly progress reports.
Top tip: Follow Nike Running ZA on Facebook and Twitter @NikeRunningZA for local memos and if you live in Jozi make sure to join the We Run Jozi 5km and 10km night-time city runs. For more info visit werun.co.za
4. New running shoes. Any excuse for a new pair of shoes right? Fortunately Nike sneakers are as stylish as they are practical, choosing a model is no easy task but once you do they’ll become firm foot favourites. I ran in a pair of Nike Air Pegasus +30’s – this model has long been a workhorse in the Nike family but the latest version features a breathable upper and responsive cushioning that feels as if you’re running on cotton wool clouds. Choose a hue to match your sportswear wardrobe – the dusty pink and grey, and salmon pink and gun-metal shades are my favourites.
Another sneaker to keep your eye on is the Nike Flyknit Lunar2, it launched recently and running fanatics have not stopped talking about it due to its incredible strength and support in an extraordinarily lightweight shoe. Yes, you feel as if you’re slipping into a pair of neoprene socks but you’ll look as though you’re sporting a pair of the sleekest sneakers in town.
5. New kit. If you’re going to take up running, make sure to take it up in style – not only will you look good but you’ll feel it too and this will help keep you motivated. While in San Francisco we were privy to some of Nike’s 2014 limited-edition collections and new product launches. On my radar? Printed Nike tights and matching crop tops. This season Nike is collaborating with Japanese artist Yuko Kanatani to create energetic, hand-drawn patterns designed to contour and flatter your body.
And while it might not strictly fall into the realm of running kit, any woman to finish her race, receives a commemorative 2013 Nike Women’s Marathon Tiffany & Co. Finisher’s Necklace. It comes in a pretty turquoise felt pouch and has a silver triangle pendant, which is the Ancient Greek symbol for the number 10.
Interested? Visit nikeinc.com to enter and start your running plan.