Yes, we were expecting a lighter and funner version of the intense sessions with the Nike+ Running Club Manila, but what we were thrust into was a full-on run complete with colorful, bubbly and challenging pit-stops that truly tested the new Nike Epic React—as well as our own selves.
For the record, and allow me to lay down a disclaimer, I consider myself to be a pretty fit and active person. (We’re talking about at least thrice a week boxing sessions, with regular hours at the gym lodged in between.) So, when the opportunity to join the Nike+ Running Club on a fun run on a sprightly Sunday afternoon came about, I thought, “Why the heck not? It shouldn’t be a complete stretch, right?” Boy, was I very wrong.
I wouldn’t technically consider myself cardio-challenged by any means, however, I’ve been advised to lessen my time on a sped-up treadmill lest I waste away to a non-existent stick figure. But that’s besides the point. Anyway, the expectation was that my fitness abilities would be enough to compensate for an actual run—sans actual preparations. This would’ve worked well, had I not pushed myself to keep up to speed with actual trained runners and regulars who troop to the NRC sessions in Bonifacio Global City and UP Diliman. But what can we do, I am naturally competitive.
The afternoon didn’t warn of an impending out of breath and near out of body experience either, as the pre-run activities was more of a party than a warm-up activity, which there was one, of course. Beats by DJ Nix Damn P aboard the very pink Choose Go Manila truck provided the soundtrack for the waiting time, as well as the actual run around the oval. Meanwhile trampolines and face-painting corners were set up for everyone to while their time away.
Naturally, the run required proper and technically graded footwear and the true star of the day (and subsequent savior) came in the form of the Nike Epic React Flyknit in deliciously covetable new colorways.
Do not let the Pink Matcha or Horizon deceive you because these babies walk, or well, run the talk. Always on the pursuit of the best running experience, Nike provides better cushioning, better energy, lightweight technology and durability. A lot to promise with actual deliverance, the Nike Epic React Flyknit is sculpted for runners, giving precision-engineered support, flexibility and breathability where athletes need it the most. Needless to say, it works. And it is probably what gave me an instant acclimation to the different dynamics of of running as compared to my regular workouts.
Easy on the eyes and equally easy on the sole, the Nike Epic React Flyknit was the clear saving grace to my incessant desire to keep up with the athletic pace.
The Nike+ Running Club philosophy tells us that we are all meant to be runners if we want to. That only means stepping in your trainers and putting in the work. So, point one was cleared, but we quickly learned that running didn’t simply mean picking up the pace and zooming as fast as you humanly could. It is highly athletic, which means that a careful calculation and a keen attention to the body is to be employed, something I had to remind myself time and again when I got a little too excited to make speed.
Another thing the NRC philosophy tells us is that every run has a purpose. While the day’s activity was a mix of fun and fitness, there were instances when the playful aspect was waylaid, again because of that damned overly competitive spirit. A clear workout, I learned that while I can run very fast, that isn’t necessarily what will make you clear the finish line sooner than you think. In fact, choosing to zip and zoom can prove to be detrimental as your body will not have enough time to adjust to the situation. Also, remember the fable of Aesop with the tortoise and hare? Yes, speed isn’t necessarily always the answer. Sorry, The Flash.
Once all these were swirling in my winded brain, it became clear that there was not only a lot to learn from running, but to gain as well. For whatever the intention, there is reason to see victory in every distance cleared or milestone reached—that includes passing through a bomb of colors and a wall of bubbles.
Perhaps the most interesting to pick up from Choose Go Manila day was the fact that it becomes very apparent that running becomes a community experience. This means you do not only get the energy from yourself, but you also get lifted so to speak by your contemporaries, as well as the coaches and pacers that pepper the course you are running. This proved very helpful when the last stretch fast became an excruciating struggle to sprint to. But hey, I cleared the run in good time—all 2.2 kilometers of it.
Not bad for a first timer.
By the looks of it, this won’t be the last time I will try out running. The next time, however, I will be better prepared for it in my Epic React Flyknit, of course. And yes, I won’t ever forget to have fun—even if I will still most likely be competitive.
Nike continues to provide athletes around Metro Manila with elevated running experiences through its weekly NRC sessions, held every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:34 pm at Bonifacio Global City, and every Friday at 4:45 pm at UP Diliman. Sign up for slots at nike.com/manila.
Like what you see? Check out the rest of the new colors of the Nike Epic React Flyknit by swiping right:
