Last Friday I put on my snazziest pair of shorts with my Nike Frees and spent the afternoon at The Nike Free Experience, an event in London showcasing the new Nike Free collection and celebrating 10 years of Nike Free – that’s A LOT of Nike!
By the time I arrived the event was already in full swing, starting with a 5k run with Paula Radcliffe at 9:30am – I was honestly busy that morning and not putting off being shown up by the legend that is Paula! I decided that the afternoon Nike Training Club class would be more to my liking and oh did I get sweaty!
During the demonstrations we had to keep moving and if we didn’t it was 10 burpees for everyone – I secretly love a burpee though!
We tried out the new Nike Free Cross Bionic 1.0 training shoes for the class, which I have to say were perfect for the session we did. When you’re doing a HIIT style workout, you need a flexible shoe that can keep up with your movements, something the new Nike hexagonal sole technology works perfectly for.
Following the 30 minute sweat session, I went to listen to Sean McDowell, creative director of Nike talk about the history of the brand and the evolution of Nike Free. It was great to see his passion for the brand and the way Nike is constantly pushing to make better trainers and sportswear. Being with Nike for 17 years, it was great to hear from someone who had been there from the birth of Nike Free and is so keen to see it evolve even more. Sean spoke about working alongside Mo Farrah and how important it is to have such a prolific and talented runner testing the trainers and giving feedback.
I tested out my Nike Free Flyknits at the weekend and they were a dream. Even though I do a bit of running, I’ve never been great at looking for the best trainers and just stuck to an old pair of Nike trainers I had lying around – bad, I know.
I’ve had numerous knee injuries including an ACL reconstruction, so I like to be able to feel the ground beneath me, more of a barefoot run if you like. I’ve tried trainers with gels, springs and god-knows what else, but because of my knees I like to be able to feel every stone I run over and every pressure point in my foot. Apart from the fact that they make your feet feel like they’re being hugged by really cosy socks, the Nike Free Flyknits made my run so much more enjoyable: comfortable and supportive, I definitely recommend these to someone looking for a barefoot feel to their run.
Check out my top three colour picks from the new collection:
1. Nike Free Running 5.0 – £90
2. Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit – £125
3. Nike Free Cross Bionic 1.0 – £80
And if the awesome new trainers aren’t enough, Nike have launched yet another collection of women’s activewear, including the gym bag you NEED in your life!
Check out the collection here.
As always, I’m a terrible influence on your credit card and I apologise!
HAPPY SHOPPING & KEEPING FIT! x