Running with Nike in the Epic React

Hi everyone! I promised more info on exciting Nike things and I’m here to deliver!

Two weeks ago, a co-founder of Windy City Blog Co reached out looking for fitness and running bloggers to go through a 5 week training experience with Nike for the Shamrock Shuffle. Two of us fit the bill, and the next day we were meeting with Coach Dave and Coach Em at Em’s gym in the West Loop, On Your Mark, for gait analysis and to help with our training plan. That was a Friday. The following Wednesday, I met up with my 12 fellow athletes for this training cycle to gear up in Nike’s latest cushion-focused shoe, the Nike Epic React.

Nike never does anything half, and our Gear Up Night was no exception. Our shoes were presented to us on pillows, on top of blue foam rollers, on top of pink foam. The pillows have our training schedule on them (and are actually memory foam and awesome). Off to the side, we had our duffle bags (big enough to haul the foam rollers and pillows home) with our clothing items in them.

After we changed into our gear (a Nike Breathe Running Tee, Nike’s latest iteration of the Epic Lux tights, a pair of Nike socks that I kinda hated and the amazing Epic Reacts) we had a workout ahead of us. Coach Em guided us through a treadmill work out on an Assault Fitness AirRunner (a treadmill with no motor, so you have to get it going and keep it going) and Coach Dave guided us through strength and drill for runners. About 45 minutes later, we were out the door to come back Saturday and do it again!

So for the next four weeks (counting this week) I will be loyally sticking to my training program and attending regular workouts on Wednesdays at On Your Mark and Saturdays at House of Go (click HERE to sign up for a session). In addition, I hit up a soft-launch of House of Go with some fellow aSweatLife ambassadors today and I’m pumped to share a recap of that as well! They took photos at the event so the recap will come after we get the photos.