When the most decorated 100-meter sprinter ever stepped to the line for a final time, she told herself what she knew: That she was prepared, powerful, and this race was hers — for her. The next handful of seconds were to honor everything that had brought her to this moment.Green, yellow, and black hair whipping behind her — a self-proclaimed “daughter of the soil,” who chose to wear the colors of her nation’s flag for her final finish —&nbsp;gold-hued nails splayed in front of her, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-celebrates-shelly-ann-fraser-pryce" target="_blank">Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce</a> exploded off the blocks in the World Athletics Championship final in a capacity-filled Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. She ended her 100-meter career in the same way she began racing 18 years ago in Japan — with fierce speed, strength, and composure. It was a bold tribute to Jamaica, the nation whose unyielding support has carried her through two decades at the top of the sport.In her decades of dominance — from becoming the first Caribbean woman to win Olympic gold in the 100-meters in 2008, to returning as World Champion in 2019 after giving birth to her son, Zyon — Shelly-Ann has embodied the power of duality.&nbsp;The ability to have longevity in track and field’s shortest, most intense discipline; exuding femininity and self-expression in a physically demanding sport; proving motherhood and greatness can coexist.What athletes everywhere, and especially young girls, can take from Shelly-Ann’s lead: The courage to run your own race, on your terms. To trust that setbacks don’t define you, only your response to them. And the assurance that, if you believe in yourself and work with discipline, harmony is possible. Dreams and family, career and legacy.For that, and the now 276 incredible races and finish line moments, thank you, Shelly-Ann.Below, go behind the scenes of the G.O.A.T.’s final meet days in Tokyo.

The shoes. The hair. The finish. At the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Shelly-Ann, a five-time world champion, ended her career her way.

Sofieke van Bilsen is a 29-year-old Dutch photographer with a passion for storytelling through imagery. She is in-house photographer to the German women's national football team, and was team photographer for the German Olympic Team in Paris 2024. She works closely with Nike athletes such as Faith Kipyegon, Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan.In her photography, she aims to create compelling visual narratives, focusing on the deep connection between emotion and athleticism. She strives to capture the raw moments behind the scenes, the untold stories of the journey,and everything in between, bringing the spirit of sports to life.Sofieke's personality creates instant connections with people, and she is loved by the athletes she works with. Her relaxed and enthusiastic personality complements an incredible skill level and ability to work in high pressure environments for athletes.

Sofieke van Bilsen

Photo Essay

Icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Ran Her Final 100 Meter On Her Terms

Over the course of his career, LeBron James has shared his passion for the game globally, partnering with Nike to travel throughout Greater China during his offseason, galvanizing a nation in its love for basketball and hoops culture. Just as LeBron’s career has evolved through different eras, his tours have represented different values over the many times he's visited since 2005. Below are some of his most memorable moments in the country.

2005-2009

LeBron began his debut tour in Beijing in August of 2005. He was invited to watch the awards ceremony of the Nike Battlegrounds tournament, but he’d depart as more than just a spectator. From the moment he stepped down in China, he believed his tour could become a cross-cultural exchange rooted in a shared love of hoops and a mission to inspire the next generation of young players in China. “Basketball is not only a sport, it's also a bridge that connects people," he said.&nbsp;“This is a great learning experience for everyone. I hope I can continue to help grow the game globally and inspire the youth in China to reach their dreams."

LeBron's legacy in China is woven into special China-specific iterations of his signature footwear. In 2007, LeBron James appeared alongside NIKE, Inc.'s then-President &amp; CEO Mark Parker to debut his Nike Zoom LeBron V "China" colorway.

LeBron returned to Beijing in 2009 after his MVP season where he enjoyed a hero's welcome. As part of his trip, he donated equipment and provided scholarships for the Zhenhua School, a school for the children of migrant workers in suburban Beijing.

To celebrate his season, LeBron was presented with an exclusive pair of the Nike Air Max LeBron VII, featuring a Shenyang-inspired design dubbed “Loyalty” created by the local artist Ray Lei, and a Shanghai-inspired design dubbed “Family,” created by the local artist Sic.

2011-2015

LeBron embraced his role as a global ambassador for the game, focusing on the opportunity to inspire China’s young players. In 2011, his tour expanded to eight days over four cities, promoting grassroots basketball through a series of skill clinics and tournaments.

In 2012, with a fresh gold medal to pair with his championship ring, LeBron James made a triumphant arrival in Beijing to kick off a four-day tour as part of the&nbsp;Find Your Greatness campaign. "Greatness is defined by how much you want to put into what you do," said LeBron. "Greatness comes with victory. It also comes with being able to come back from adversity."

In 2013, LeBron returned to China with plenty to celebrate: his second straight NBA championship and MVP awards for both the regular season and the Finals.

In 2014, LeBron James was the first mentor to announce the roster for the Nike RISE, designed to help players raise their competitive game and improve their skill.

In 2015, Nike RISE 2015 evolved with LED Courts and motion-tracking drills to create a pinnacle training experience, teach the fundamentals of basketball and push the boundaries of sports training.

An emotional finale saw four players chosen to represent China at the World Streetball Championships.

2016-2019

After winning another NBA title in 2016, LeBron entered Guangzhou to a massive championship parade, the streets flanked by tens of thousands of fans, many of them in Cavs #23 jerseys. It was a signal for just how widely James’ legacy had expanded throughout Asia.&nbsp;His More Than an Athlete campaign inspired young players to see basketball as one of many tools for affecting social change.

After a warm welcome from thousands of fans, he spent most of his time in Beijing working out with and coaching members of the Chinese Junior National basketball team.

Visiting primary schools throughout Beijing, LeBron shared his personal basketball experiences with young athletes, emphasizing the role that hard work, dedication and self-belief played in his path to success.

In 2018, the first day of his "More Than an Athlete" tour in Shanghai began with a panel discussion with students at the Shanghai Theatre&nbsp;Academy, and ended with a park shootaround. Hundreds of fans gathered outside the court to watch him play, hoping to catch a glimpse of the icon.

This month, LeBron flew to China for his "Forever King" tour, his 15th in the country and marking the 20th anniversary of tours in Asia. There, he joined some of the world’s most passionate hoopers and basketball fans, reiterating his commitment to giving back to the game across the world.

Over the course of his career, LeBron James has shared his passion for the game globally, partnering with Nike to travel throughout Greater China during his offseason, galvanizing a nation in its love for basketball and hoops culture.

Journey of an Icon: 20 Years of LeBron James in China

Hours of powering up steep ascents and navigating gnarly descents. Whipping mountain winds, glaring direct sun and biting evening temps. Getting mentally right with the fact that the next aid station is far, far away. Ultra trail running can sound like a grueling, relentless sport reserved for the wildest, most hardcore athletes among us.According to our <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-acg-all-conditions-racing-department" target="_blank">All Conditions Racing Department</a> runners — six of whom just conquered pinnacle UTMB races across the French, Italian and Swiss Alps, on trails spanning 15 to 174 kilometers, with elevation gains of 1,200 to nearly 10,000 meters — the grit, determination, joy and freedom trail running gives you is worth every ounce of work. See for yourself.

<h3>ROSS GOLLAN</h3>Race: ETC; 15km with 1,200m elevation gain Global finish rank: 29th

<h3>MARIE NIVET</h3>Race: Experience Trail Courmayeur (ETC); 15km with 1,200m elevation gain Global women’s finish rank: 7th

CESARE MAESTRIRace: ETC; 15km with 1,200m elevation gain Global finish rank: 2nd

<h3>BAPTISTE COATANTIEC</h3>Race: Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB); 174km with nearly 10,000m elevation gain Global finish rank: 11th

<h3>ANTHONY COSTALES</h3>Race: Courmayeur – Champex – Chamonix (CCC); 101km with more than 6,050m elevation gain Global finish rank: 15th

<h3>DREW HOLMEN</h3>Race: CCC; 101km with more than 6,050m elevation gain Global finish rank: 3rd

Powering up steep ascents. Navigating gnarly descents. Whipping mountain winds. Ultra trail running is a relentless sport. But the payoff is well worth the grind.

Ultra Trail Running Can Take Everything You’ve Got — and Give You Even More

NExt volume

Liquid Max Hero Video

On the raucous machinery floor of Nike’s Air Manufacturing Innovation facility, a group of engineers study an inflated Air Max unit prototype. Its shape is stunningly technical. This “clover” unit, the visual cue that would later become the flowering, minimalist Air bag for the new <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-air-liquid-max-merges-superior-comfort-and-air-max-heritage" target="_blank">Nike Air Liquid Max</a>, is curved to help the wearer glide from each step to the next. The ride is meant to be incomparably smooth.&nbsp;But there’s a catch. The unique shape of the bag is so complex it needs a lot of special attention. It’s the first Max unit to include internal cut-outs. The trim, or the perimeter of the bag, is complicated to get right. Air Max engineers have a word to describe Air: elastomeric. It means that Air has the ability to transform based on changing variables like temperature and humidity. As soon as you introduce more complexity to the shape of a filled Air bag, the harder it is to cut it to a precise shape over and over again across a full size run. Think of a cookie cutter mold. The more complicated the shape, the greater the margin for error when you slice the dough. Now imagine that dough is curved upward. That’s the case for this Max Air bag, and any dip or rise in room temperature can make the bag change shape ever so slightly.&nbsp;What's more, the same design has to be replicated hundreds of thousands of times.&nbsp;High complexity. High precision. All in a minimalist silhouette meant to feel like the most nothing Max ever.&nbsp;

What does it mean to walk on Nike Air? There’s the comfort, obviously. Every step should feel effortless. Then there’s the unmistakable look, beginning with the Air Max I in 1987, when the big see-through bubble was actually a prism into the future of shoe cushioning. But Nike Air could never just be a platform built on inspiration. It needed to be built on technical rigor to give a precisely tuned feeling.&nbsp;While the evocation of “walking on air” is easy, creating it is anything but.

nike liquid max concepts

The silhouette was originally briefed in 2019 and tag-lined “The Most Nothing Max.” The goal was to create an Air Max that felt light, fluid, flexible and barely detectable — a goal that’s historically been at odds with the platform.

In an Air Max legacy that was founded on the big bubble, designers wondered whether an Air Max unit could, should, feel like nothing. A filled Air bag, when combined with layers of cement foam and rubber, can come across as rigid and slappy, making it challenging to feel a smooth step-to-step transition.&nbsp;“Liquid Max had to set a new visual precedent, but the Air unit also had to give a new sensation for walking on Air,” says Ditte Kuijpers, Design Director, Nike Sportswear Innovation Footwear. “People needed to both feel and see how it was different. Every component of the shoe had to work together for this to happen.”

To begin, designers and engineers discussed how this unit would break from Air Max models of the past. A few key descriptions stood out as inspiration: Sleek. Reductive. Minimalist. The Air Max unit had to be lighter and more flexible than previous models. When Nike designers began conceptualizing this sleeker unit, one source came from an unlikely place: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-air-max-scorpion-official-images-release-date" target="null">Air Max Scorpion</a>. Released in 2021, it was maximalist in the truest sense, featuring an enormous unit shaped by ambitious proportions. It was the largest unit ever created in terms of volume of Air per square inch. One observation stood out from designing the Scorpion bag: its emphasis on a term called “point loading.” This is when each area of cushioning is precisely mapped against the entirety of your foot, comfortably spreading your bodyweight out on certain points of the bag. Each part of the Air unit can have a different stiffness or softness.&nbsp;

liquid-gum-run

“Scorpion gave the team a good starting point,” says Wade Flanagan, Director of Nike Air Innovation. “We learned new techniques that could help us tune the bag for flexibility across different zones. Comparing the Scorpion bag to Liquid Max, we wanted to make something lighter, more flexible, more minimalist, but just as responsive.”But cutting the bags to achieve this effect is complicated, says Flanagan. Each Air bag almost has a mind of its own because of how it can change in the slightest of circumstances. Trimming each one perfectly, he says, is like hitting a moving target.

The silhouette’s name shifted to Liquid Max for good reason: The unit had to move with a undetectably smooth transition, like liquid. One of the designers’ early prototypes used a modified version of the Air Max DN8’s Air units, a row of pressurized tubes across the full length of the foot. To create a more contoured system that worked with the foot, and to reduce the number of parts in the shoe, designers experimented with different versions of a drop-in midsole.Some prototypes of the Air unit were more organic. Others were more industrial. Some shapes tried turning visual details into mechanical advantages. Could a sly spelling of “Air Max” on the outsole create a trampoline-like effect through the middle of the letters? The possibilities were wide open. Testing wasn’t limited to the physical world, either. A digital method called Finite Element Analysis, or FEA, helped designers simulate the real-life forces of a person walking in the shoe, putting pressure on different regions of the unit and then measuring how it responded.&nbsp;

This testing through trial and error helped designers and engineers land on a beautiful, two-chambered, full-length Air unit design. Maybe its most noticeable shift from Air units of the past was also its most challenging on a technical level: cutting out inserts in the bag; coring out unnecessary parts in the middle; and molding it in a curved, rockered shape to make it more minimalist. Trimming a unit this complicated inside and out, on a curve? It hadn’t been done before. It would require a more precise kind of Air manufacturing.&nbsp;

nike liquid select v02 wht

The Liquid Max team began working closely with the technicians at Nike’s Air Manufacturing Innovation (Air MI) facilities in Beaverton, Ore. There was basically no margin for error. Cut the bag at a poor angle, and the bag can pop. Cut it too wide, and you leave behind messy, awkward flanges around the perimeter. A dynamic ingredient like Air is also highly sensitive to the environment around it, meaning the bag can change shape in an instant based on the indoor temperature, resulting in inconsistent sizes. Air unit manufacturing is the equivalent of baking the world’s coolest soufflé.

nike liquid selects v02

The final version of the Liquid Max Air unit is what happens when bold creativity meets manufacturing ingenuity. And the strategies employed to make the Air unit go beyond any single shoe.“The Liquid Max unit is an example of when our designers, engineers and Air MI technicians set their sight on a challenge and overcome it,” says Flanagan. “A lot of that comes from being inspired to challenge limitations and push Air Max to a new place so we can provide new benefits to people who wear it.”

Nike Air Liquid Max is the first Max unit to include internal cut-outs. It ushers in an era for the Air Max franchise where precision and complexity go hand in hand.

Explore Nike, Converse and Jordan footwear and apparel design stories featuring Nike Air Force 1, Nike Air Jordan, Nike Air Max and more.

Design

Making It

Less Is Max In the Newest Version of Nike Air

About Nike - Stories from Inside NIKE, Inc.

For most of his soaring rise as the prospective No.1 pick in a stacked NBA draft, 19-year-old AJ Dybantsa Jr. had no idea of the power he possessed in his first name.“About a year ago, somebody asked me, ‘What’s AJ stand for?’” he recalls. “I told them, ‘Anicet.’ They asked, ‘What’s that mean?’ And, honestly, I didn’t know. So, I looked it up. It turns out that my name translated from Greek means ‘undefeated.’”

aj-dybantsa-contact-sheet

Sitting inside his childhood home in Brockton, Mass., AJ told this story the night before announcing the biggest decision of his life. On April 23, the 6-foot-9 wing player officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, following a one-and-done, All-American freshman season at Brigham Young University (BYU). To make the announcement, AJ returned to his former school, Davis Elementary, where his name is immortalized on a page he scribbled into his first-grade yearbook: My name is Anicet…When I grow up, I’d like to be a basketball player. It’s not uncommon for kids to confess pro athlete aspirations, but few actually deliver on a declaration quite like the young Anicet, who applied his indomitable vision toward reaching the pro game.

The news arrives at the same time as Nike and AJ are taking the next step in their partnership. By coincidence or fate, AJ joined Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in 2024. This was after he stamped his game at the national level. In the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/next-generation-basketball-eybl-grassroots" target="_blank">Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL)</a>, he played for the Oakland Soldiers and Elite Expressions (MA), where he led the 2023 Peach Jam circuit in scoring. He’d continue that trend at BYU. Last season, AJ led the entire nation in scoring at 25.5 points a game, the third most ever by a freshman in Division I history.On the eve of his draft announcement, AJ reflected upon his path to the NBA with longtime sneaker writer Aaron Dodson.﻿

The Record: Paint a picture of the journey you’ve been on. How long have you been working toward declaring for the NBA Draft?AJ Dybantsa:&nbsp;I first knew I wanted to go to the NBA in sixth grade, when I was about 12 years old. But I probably didn’t think that was realistic until my eighth-grade year during the COVID-19 pandemic year, when I was working out while everybody else was inside. When I came back to school, I had grown 5 inches in the summer and felt like I was better than everyone else on the court. Ever since I played varsity as an eighth grader, I’ve been looking forward to entering my name in the NBA Draft, then, ultimately, hearing my name on draft night.TR: As it goes, your father really pushed you to play basketball as a kid. He got your attention around the age of 5 with a&nbsp;Spider-Man-themed hoop for your bedroom door. In a way, it became your own origin story.&nbsp;AJ:&nbsp;My first memory of basketball would be the&nbsp;Spider-Man&nbsp;hoop story. I remember my dad came into our house, like, ‘AJ, I got a present for you.’ It was before Christmas, so I was surprised I was getting a present. He hung the hoop up on my door. From there, I was just shooting from my bed all the time.TR: Do you still have it?AJ: [Laughs] Sadly, the Spider-Man hoop is long gone. But the story is true:&nbsp;Spider-Man&nbsp;made me start playing basketball.

TR: You had your way against opponents at the high school level. Take us back to your experience playing EYBL. How did it help shape you as a player?AJ:&nbsp;EYBL shaped me a lot. I was playing top players who were a class or two above me, and I was making a name for myself as one of the younger guys on the circuit. That 2023 Peach Jam was the season I led the league in scoring as a freshman. So I was 15, 16 years old, scoring 27 a game. That was when I figured out my flow — what I was going to be as a player, where my spots were gonna be. It was fun killing in those games.

TR: You also had plenty of stops where pros would roll in to watch you play.AJ: Yeah, that summer also would’ve been one of my first times being around LeBron James. We connected, and I went out to California to work out with ’Bron, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/kevin-durant-interview-nike-eybl-grassroots-basketball" target="_blank">Kevin Durant</a>, Paul George, Chris Paul, a whole bunch of NBA guys.TR: What was your first workout with an NBA player?AJ:&nbsp;My first-ever NBA workout was with KD. When I got to the gym, he was in the back stretching. I was far away, so I didn’t know who it was at first. Then he came up to me, said, ‘What’s good?’ and I dapped him up. I don’t really get starstruck, but in my mind, I’m like, I couldn’t believe it. That’s KD. He asked if I wanted to get some shots up. I was like, ‘Ummm, yeah…duh.’ [Laughs].&nbsp;TR: Anything you remember from that workout?AJ: I just remember trying to force myself to make every shot because I didn’t want to look crazy. I’m in high school next to KD, who is shooting NBA 3s off one leg. Those guys hit 90 percent of their shots in practices. They don’t miss.&nbsp;TR: How would you describe the way you play the game, particularly to someone who’s never seen you on the court before?AJ: To the fan’s eye, I think I’m considered very flashy and exciting to watch. I dunk a lot, do a lot of long crossovers and shoot 3s. But I’m about playing simply and effectively, just trying to win the game. I’m what fans want to see because I’m an exciting competitor who plays with a lot of passion.

TR: How exactly did Nike approach you about signing an NIL deal when you still were in high school?AJ:&nbsp;This was back when NIL had kind of just started, so I hadn’t ever considered the possibility of joining the brand that early. All I could think was, My favorite players are signed with Nike: KD, LeBron. It’s one of the best sports marketing brands — ever. So, I immediately said, ‘We gotta go with Nike.’TR: Since you’ve been with Nike, you’ve had the opportunity to be the face of a few different silo unveils. One of those was headlining the Nike G.T. Future last year.&nbsp; AJ:&nbsp;When Nike first brought me the G.T. Future, I said, ‘I can be the face of this shoe.’ Everybody thinks I’m the future — and I think I’m the future. So it makes sense that I debuted the G.T. Future.

TR:&nbsp;This gets at something I wanted to ask you. You’ve made basketball your life’s business since you were a kid. From the time you were little, you had this drive to create a future for yourself at the pro level. How do you feel that you represent the future of basketball?AJ: I just think the new generation of talent is stepping in and taking the lead. In my game, I think I fit in the mix as a hybrid shooting guard/forward that can do a little bit of everything. But I’ve always had this mindset to be the best. When I was in sixth grade, I told my dad that I wanted to get into the league. He told me, ‘I’ll do whatever I can to help you get there. You’re going to be put in certain situations so you face the best competition. It’s going to be tough.’ I told him, ‘Let’s do it.’ I was ready.&nbsp;TR: You’ve brought that confidence into your shoe rotation. At BYU, you wore a different Nike Basketball shoe every time you stepped out on the floor.&nbsp;AJ: When I was growing up, I basically wore the same shoes every game. So in high school when I signed with Nike, you get new shoes all the time. So I said to myself, ‘I’m going to wear a different shoe every game.’ I have so many shoes, so if I like a shoe, I’m gonna wear and play in it. I try not to live by superstitions. People are like, ‘If I play good in this shoe, I’m going to keep wearing it.’ Nah, I’m not tryna do all that. I think I only repeated a shoe one time.

aj-dybantsa-timelaps

TR: What’s the dopest pair you think you laced up?AJ: The&nbsp;Spider-Man&nbsp;Nike G.T. Cut 1s I got were&nbsp;so&nbsp;crazy. I played in them against Kansas after the brand sent them to me. It had one of my own logos on it and everything. The G.T. Cut 1 is probably one of my — if not my — favorite basketball shoe. Deep down the line, if I get signature shoes, I want a&nbsp;Spider-Man&nbsp;colorway for every number. Just because that’s my origin, and they’ll probably be fire to some little kids.TR: So you dream of getting your own shoe?AJ:&nbsp;A signature shoe is the goal. When I signed with Nike, I started thinking it would be cool to get my own shoe. Because Nike would always send me different Kobes or Jas or KDs. So it was like, ‘I’m wearing all these other players’ shoes — what if I could get my own and other players wore mine?’

TR: There’s the realization that you could make the pros someday, and then there’s the reality that you might go No. 1. When was the first time you saw yourself projected as the No. 1 pick?AJ:&nbsp;That was in eighth grade. The national player rankings came out, and the headlines read, ‘AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg...all potential No. 1 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.’ Since that day, I’ve put in the work to be the No. 1 pick.TR:&nbsp;How important was it to you to go back to Brockton and make the draft announcement at your elementary school?AJ:&nbsp;There are plenty of stories about teachers saying to students, ‘Be realistic with your dreams.’ But I remember teachers at my school when I told them that I wanted to go pro someday. And they always told me, ‘You can go do it.’ I wanted this moment to honor that belief.

We talk with the prospective No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft about his restless motivation, his path through elite pipelines like Nike EYBL and his hopes for his pro future.

How I Got Here

On the Eve of His Pro Career, AJ Dybantsa Is Already Undefeated

For Yao Miao, becoming the “Queen of Trail Running” in China took everything she had. Yao grew up in a small farming village in China’s Guizhou Province, the youngest of six daughters. She often helped her parents, working long hours in the rice fields, but even as a child she knew she wanted to pursue a future outside of her rural community. That opportunity came in middle school. Yao left home when she was selected as one of four students from her area to attend a state-run sports school for future elite athletes. The early days were tough. Leaving her family wasn’t easy, and she often felt lonely and homesick. Her body struggled to adapt to a kind of training she had never done before. But it was there that she discovered her passion for trail running.Overtime, her natural resilience paid off. She pushed through injuries and setbacks to become Asia’s first three-time Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Finals champion, one of the most celebrated trail running races in the world.Now, as she joins the ACG <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-acg-all-conditions-racing-department" target="null">All Conditions Racing Department</a>, ACG's roster of elite trail running athletes, Yao looks back on where her journey began, the victories and challenges along the way, and how her ACG partnership will help reach a new generation of athletes.

My hometown helped shape me into an elite athlete. There are many small mountains, and I played there when I was young, so I grew used to that terrain. That experience helped me become a strong trail runner. I really enjoy running in China’s mountain environments, especially running on the Great Wall.It’s important to know that you don’t have to reach your goals immediately. At sport school, I focused mainly on running and was part of an organized team. But after graduating in 2016, I was not chosen to join a professional team or university. So, I started working. I handed out flyers at a gym, then I helped my sister at her makeup shop. I felt lost. I wasn’t training like an athlete anymore.I wasn’t interested in anything but running. Eventually, that rejection was motivating for me. I had the opportunity to enter a trail race. While I didn’t finish, that failure to finish made me feel I needed to come back to trail running. My goal was to become the best trail runner of all time. I made up my mind to keep working and continue racing. I believed I could succeed and I wanted to prove it.One of my most challenging races was in 2019 at UTMB. During the 168km run, I had a period where I lost my vision. I was racing so much that my body couldn’t bear the strain of so many competitions. I couldn’t finish the race, and the organizers asked me to quit. I was very nervous because I worried I might never see again and not be able to return to trail running. The vision loss was only temporary, but I felt like I was losing confidence in the sport.

Getting my footing in trail running took time, but that journey was so rewarding. After my first championship in 2018, I knew I had the talent and motivation to become an elite trail runner. I kept chasing another win but couldn't seem to get one. I struggled in 2019 with several DNFs and stopped racing in 2020. But I still had this intense passion for the sport, so I came back in 2023. I finally won again in 2024, the OCC-UTMB, which was my most satisfying victory. I was back! The hard work paid off, and I felt like I could finally move forward.For me, the most important mindset is love for the sport. I’ve faced many challenges, but because I love trail running, I’ve been able to keep going and become who I am today.

I want trail runners to think about how their actions affect the environment. Trail running is becoming popular very quickly. However, many runners still don’t think enough about protecting their environment. I encourage runners to care for the outdoors and our planet — stay on marked trails, carry out their trash properly, respect the wildlife. Protecting these spaces is part of being a responsible runner. I know it’s not easy to educate everyone, but I can start with myself and help model good behavior. Last year, I helped organize events focused on environmental protection and I hope, in the future, more people will join me.I know how much I can do with ACG to build my dream and support the next generation. I’m proud to launch the Nike-supported “Boundless Girls with Yao Miao” initiative that will help more girls in many Chinese primary and secondary schools access sports. I want to inspire teenage girls who grow up in underdeveloped areas like I did to find their confidence and know that the world is vast. Sport has the power to open new doors for them.

Her rise from rural China to three‑time UTMB Finals champion — and now member of the ACG All Conditions Racing Department — is a story of endurance, belief, and relentless dedication to the sport.

For The Win

Trail Runner Yao Miao Is Running Down New Goals With ACG

“Get that cool out of you.”It was an early September practice during Madison Booker’s freshman season at the University of Texas, Austin. The team’s point guard, Rori Harmon, was out with an injury. The 6’1” Madison, a small forward, was asked to play point guard in Rori’s place. There she was, flipping between guard drills and one-on-one post ups, a mental load that’s about as easy to carry as trying to paint a picture while driving a car. She was turning over the ball under pressure. You’re not cut out for college ball, she thought. At the time, Madison considered her game to be patient, measured, cool. She could let the game come to her and still come out okay. That’s when head coach Vic Schaefer barked a line that Madison still thinks about to this day, as she leads a UT program battling for its first national title in 30 years.“This is not the place for cool basketball,” he told her. “Get that cool out of your system.”That cool wasn’t play style — it was her mentality. To win, she needed to be the aggressor.&nbsp;Now in her junior year, after becoming an All-American for the third time, Madison understands how to be that alpha leader on both ends of the floor and still preserve her sense of cool; she has what is possibly the smoothest, coldest midrange game in the country. She can score from anywhere at all three levels. Cool? Yes. Casual? Nowhere close. A lot like her favorite player, Kevin Durant, who recently signed her to be the first NIL athlete to compete under Team KD.&nbsp;Here, we catch up with Madison about her path to becoming one of basketball’s most complete players, from her childhood in Ridgeland, Miss., to the EYBL circuit, to the bright lights of the Big Dance.&nbsp;

The Record: What’s your earliest memory of falling in love with hoops?Madison Booker: When I was in elementary school, I remember waking up early in the morning and shooting in my driveway. My mom would always get on me, saying she didn’t want me to go to school all sweaty and musty [laughs]. I was happy playing all these scenarios in my head with the ball in my hand. Clock winding down, one-on-one. I remember playing that voice I played in my head. I loved the game even back then.TR: You’ve talked before about how your dad was huge in fostering your love for the game.MB: He played for Southern Mississippi in college. He later played overseas. As he got older, he’d play competitive pickup in my hometown. Whenever he wrapped up a game, he always took the time to train me. My time with him became a regular part of my day. Once he got home from work, I’d be standing there at the front door, waiting to play him one-on-one in the driveway.&nbsp;

TR: What difference do you think it makes to have a parent who played at a high level, compared to someone who’s figuring out the game with you?&nbsp;MB: I think they can keep you from overcomplicating what it looks like to be an athlete in your sport. I was a big Boston Celtic fan growing up. My favorite player was Rajon Rondo, who was their point guard. That’s what I wanted to be. And I remember my dad saying to me, “You’re not going to be a point guard. You’re going to be a basketball player.” It was the first thing he ever taught me about basketball.TR: It’s what happens when playing to a specific position actually becomes a barrier.MB: He told me, “Whatever your team needs you to do, you’re going to do it, regardless of the position. If they need you to post up and get boards, you’re going to do it. If they need you to score and pass, you’re going to do it.” It’s one way I try to use my story to help younger players who are trying to fit the mold of a type of player they have in their heads. It’s not about your position. It’s about doing whatever it takes for your team to win games.&nbsp;

TR: You were a three-time All-State player in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Your senior year at Germantown High, you led your team to the state title. You don’t hear many stories these days about players who stick with one school all four years.MB: Yeah, my mom’s a teacher there at the high school.TR: Oh, so you didn’t get any slack, huh?&nbsp;MB: [Laughs] No, I was a student athlete in every sense of the word. It was an understood rule that wherever she’d go to teach, I’d follow her. But after I started showing some promise, she was the one who encouraged me to move out of state to play basketball for another school, to raise my game. But I didn’t want to go to another place. I loved my community. I also wanted to put the state on my back. We have some dogs here in Mississippi for girls' basketball. I wanted to prove to people what we were capable of, and I could do that by staying loyal to my state.&nbsp;Making that state title run as a senior was incredible. I found this — I don’t know what to call it — almost like a takeover mode in all facets of the game. The self-belief we carried as a team was crazy. It was like, we weren’t going to lose, period.&nbsp;TR: I want to stay on that “takeover mode.” There had to have been a moment when you realized you were a level above everyone else. Was it when you were in middle school? Was it when you played for the Southern Starz in EYBL?MB: I actually thought I was complete trash until I got to college.&nbsp;TR: You serious? You know how crazy that sounds, right?MB: I know. Through high school and AAU, I always felt I was clumsy, like I couldn’t control my own body, like I didn’t know who I was. My IQ was there, which was the clearest jump when you go from high school to AAU. Most everyone has a love for the game, they watch the game at a high level, and they can process the game a cut above their teammates. Where I was lacking was more an assertion thing. I wasn’t taking over or being dominant in the way I needed to be. I was passive. The turning point probably came in the Augusta EYBL stop in 2021. I was in ninth grade. I remember because it came right after Covid, and it was the first time they combined the men’s and women’s teams in the same building. I remember having zero hesitations about what I needed to do to take over. Score, pass, defend. I could do it all. But it’s funny, because people bring up my midrange game as if I was born with it, but I didn’t really unlock it until I got to college.TR: It’s interesting, because your game is so smooth, it’s like you’ve never had any doubt about the levels to it. The first thing people say when they see your pull-up jumper is, “That’s so pure.” But if I’m hearing you right, it took you a while to believe that.&nbsp;MB: I’ve come to see myself as a player who’s always changing. I think my coaches would say I’m changing too. You don’t end your college career as the same player you were in high school. The change over time in how you perceive yourself is a good thing.TR: You’re officially the first NIL player who KD has handpicked to represent his KD brand. On that note of how you see your game, what are some of the qualities you see in him that you want to carry on? Beyond the literal similarities, like your middy game.MB: His game is so…complete. Of course, he’s a nonchalant guy, but in his game, there are no gaps. And his accomplishments are driven by a pure love for basketball, the kind that we can all remember having when we were kids. He watches a ton of women’s hoops. Whenever I talk with him, I can just tell he studies the game. He lives it. I want to honor a love for the game in the same way he has.TR: When you think about your legacy at UT, what do you think will be the clearest indicator that you loved the game?MB: That it’s a work in progress, every day. When I think of an accomplishment, it’s bringing UT a national championship. I want to give as much as possible back to this program after all they’ve invested in me. They’ve supported me each step of the way. A national title would really seal the deal.&nbsp;

UT’s All-American forward can play any position you throw at her. But it’s her mentality that sets her apart.

Basketball

In Learning to Do It All, Madison Booker Looks to Win It All

There’s a season for everything. For Sophia Wilson, the all-league forward on the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, her journey to the pitch also included basketball. She started on her varsity team as a freshman at Fossil Ridge High School in Colorado, enjoying a sport that has deep ties to her family; her dad played at the University of Wyoming, and her older sister Savannah remains the all-time leading scorer at the University of Northern Colorado. Still, as much as Sophia enjoyed the court, soccer felt different to her: She felt freer and more creative when she played on the pitch. She turned the page on basketball in high school.Since then, she’s channeled her relentless competitive drive toward becoming one of the world’s most elite soccer forwards. You’d need a pushpin map to keep track of the places she’s brought her winning ways to, places like Denver, Palo Alto and Portland. How has she taken the unfolding of her career? One season at a time.Below, in her own words, Sophia shares more about her formative years as a young athlete, the concept of seasonality as a pro player, and her new season of life as a parent.&nbsp; As a kid, I don’t know of a specific moment when I knew I had a talent for soccer, but I do remember right when I started that I felt more comfortable doing it than the people around me.&nbsp;I ran track. I did gymnastics when I was little. I played basketball and volleyball. I honestly really loved every sport I played. But I think it goes back to feeling the most comfortable in myself playing soccer.Watching family play can be the best introduction to sport.&nbsp;I have two older sisters who played soccer growing up, so I was always going to their games, watching them play. I tried out for a team as soon as I was old enough and fell in love with it right away. I felt good about challenging myself at a really early age when I would play up in age groups. It was then when I realized I was a few steps ahead of other people, and I felt like soccer could be special for me.Parents have just as much influence on your development as coaches do.&nbsp;My parents were always confident in me, supporting me in anything I wanted to do, like when I wanted to play up in age groups or play with the boys. My dad would always tell me, “Never let anyone or anything take your confidence away.” I feel like that applies to not just athletes but everyone. There will always be times where people question you, question what you bring to the table. If you remain confident in who you are, you can do anything.

As a club player, sometimes success isn’t just about talent.&nbsp;Sometimes it’s about being seen. I started playing for Real Colorado when I was 14. I made that move because Real is one of the best clubs in Colorado, and they’re in a league that goes to showcases, and that’s where college coaches go to scout players. I knew that if I wanted to keep getting to the next level, I would need to play in a league where you’re seen. Moving to Real is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I learned so much about the game and about myself.A pro career is a 12-month-long season in the sense that every part of the year amounts to a specific goal.&nbsp;The year is long, going from March to November. We have a very short off season from end of November through December, and then we start back again in January. Mixed within that is national team camps once a month. And then, during specific years, you’ll have a global tournament It’s go, go, go nonstop.&nbsp;There’s nothing like your home crowd. I’ve played in a lot of stadiums and in front of a lot of fan bases, and there’s really no place like Portland.&nbsp;What separates this fan base from the rest is that you hear the support of every single fan during every single game, even if it’s pouring rain, The atmosphere is contagious. You don’t want the matches to end. Representing Portland is special, trying to give back in any way I can to the fan base that has given me so much.&nbsp;Parenthood and being a pro aren’t mutually exclusive.&nbsp;This season, I get to return to doing a sport I love while also having a little best friend in my daughter. Parenthood is challenging in its own ways. Obviously, you’re coming off a year being away from the game. Your body went through so many changes. Physically, you’re trying to get back to playing at a high level. It’s been hard work, but I love the process of it, honestly, and I'm excited to see it pay off when I get to play in my first game back.I’m in a season of my career where I understand how every little interaction I have with fans is significant.&nbsp;I have so many interactions with young fans, little girls and boys, and I see how much we inspire them to work hard for their goals. One of the best parts about my job is that you get to inspire all these fans in different ways, encouraging them that they can reach their goals too.&nbsp;

As the NWSL season kicks off, the all-league forward and Team USA star shares what’s shaped her pro football career so far, and what she wants next.

Global Football

A New NWSL Season, a New Sophia Wilson

On May 9, 2025, in the 74th minute of play, Savy King folded onto her back, heaving deep breaths. It was a regular-season game pitting her LA-based Angel City FC squad against the Utah Royals. Medical teams gave her chest compressions and CPR for 10 minutes, then she was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, stabilized and responsive. She had narrowly survived an episode of cardiac arrest. She underwent open heart surgery four days later to treat what doctors concluded was the cause of the scare, a rare congenital heart abnormality.Last month, the NWSL defender returned to training with her team for the first time. In Savy’s life, nothing — not a freak health incident, not a corner kick beaming like a laser toward the goal — has pushed her off course. Her rise as one of the world’s most talented defenders has brought her back to her hometown of Los Angeles.We caught up with Savy from her home in LA and asked about her full-circle return to the City of Angels. The Record: When did you realize you had a real talent for soccer?&nbsp;Savy King: During my first year playing rec center ball, coaches would walk up to my parents and say, “Are you sure this is the first time that Savy’s ever played?” The crazy thing was, no one in my family had ever played soccer before. My parents didn’t know much about the game at that point, so they were just being honest when they said I had never played. They didn’t even know what offside was. I scored an unreal number of goals my first season, around 10 years old, and I ended up getting scouted immediately to play for a club, which was Real So Cal, based in Woodland Hills. I’ve always felt confident and comfortable with the game. But it was a few years later, when I was about 13 or 14, when it clicked for me that I could turn soccer into my future.&nbsp;TR: Ten years old is pretty late for picking up soccer. But you come from an athletic family, so maybe it was just a matter of finding the right sport?&nbsp;SK: My twin brother and I did every sport together. Flag football was first, then baseball, then basketball camps. I have two moms, and one of them played basketball in college, and the other was a professional runner and cyclist, so they both knew the amount of work it took to be a pro athlete. They put me and my brother through intense workouts at a young age, which I think helped us develop as athletes, especially on the mental side. Early on, I learned a kind of emotional maturity, how to navigate the ups and downs of being an athlete. But there was a lot of competitive pushing in our family, and we ultimately found our own thing. It was soccer for me. For my brother, that’s running.TR: You set a couple of track and field records at Agoura High School.SK: Yeah, in the 200-meter and the 400-meter.&nbsp;TR: When you’re playing sports alongside a brother or sister who’s close in age, sometimes there’s this unspoken feeling to occupy your own lane in your specialty sport instead of drafting off something that your siblings are doing. Was that the case for you?SK: Yeah, I think there was some of that. But it was more of a pull toward soccer, less of finding something different from my brother. I had a love-hate relationship with track [laughs]. In high school, I didn’t need to train for it, I would just go out and race. It’s an interesting time at that age to be discovering new sports when I found all this success in something I wasn’t training for.&nbsp;

TR: Luckily running is at the center of so many other sports. You weren’t doing wildly different things.SK: When I’d race against my brother, I’d get excited thinking how it would translate to all that speed on the soccer field [laughs].&nbsp;TR: What was your transition like into club soccer? The club scene for any sport, but especially soccer, is brutal. The schedule is grueling compared to a typical high school calendar, when you’re playing maybe three months out of the year.SK: When both me and my parents were new to the sport, it was definitely nerve-wracking. We were all learning as we went along. I mean, Southern California is one of the best areas for soccer in the country.&nbsp;I was playing against a lot of girls who had been playing since they were little, who’d known each other and had been used to the club schedule for longer than me. Once you decide you want to enter that level of competition, though, the sacrifice of your time is a choice that you have to make. You have to decide if that’s something you want to pursue, because there are trade-offs. TR: For you and your whole family, I’m sure.SK: Countless hours at the field, countless drives for practices. Every weekend was pretty much taken up with games, and this was on top of training for at least four days during the week. Soccer can easily become your lifestyle. I was ready for it, my parents were ready for it, but it was a choice.&nbsp;

TR: Your path across the country has given you a look at different soccer cultures nationwide. You went to UNC to play for a storied program, and you got a taste of ACC soccer.&nbsp;SK: Growing up in SoCal was a great place to prepare for competition all over the country. There was never an easy game in SoCal. I didn’t ever remember teams having this wide gap of talent from one team to another. That’s exactly how it felt in the ACC. It’s one of the best conferences in the country. Every game was a battle. Going in as a freshman, I felt confident because of how LA prepared me.&nbsp;TR: You probably start to pick up on how different areas of the country play the game. Like, when you traveled overseas for international play, did you see little differences in how national teams play?SK: A lot of teams like Japan and Spain, I’ve found to be very technical. Those are the hardest kind of teams I’ve found to play against. Some teams are more direct, like Nigeria. Germany is very physical. The U.S. is a nice mixture of technique and physicality.&nbsp;TR: You’ve had the chance over your career to play with clubs that are characterized by their togetherness. You think about U.S. Soccer, but then you think about a legacy program like UNC, and now for Angel City, you’re building a new culture of togetherness for a pretty new team.&nbsp;SK: The USA team we had during the U20 tournament in Columbia was one of my standout international experiences because of how unified we all were. We essentially played three 120-minute matches back to back to back, and every single game was a battle. It was crazy. It took blood, sweat and tears to pull out a bronze medal.&nbsp;That culture to do whatever it takes is superimportant. Everyone on that squad put the team before themselves. You need people who want to be as great of teammates as they are individuals. And that starts with relationships off the field, getting to know them, connecting with them, strengthening ties with them. We’re around our teammates more than our own families. For people who aren’t from LA, it’s easy to feel alone in a brand-new, huge city. I want to be the kind of leader who’s there for my teammates who feel like outsiders to LA.TR: What does it mean to you to be back training with Angel City again?&nbsp;SK: It means the world. It’s been a crazy journey trying to get back here. I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me eight months ago that I’d be playing again so soon after having open heart surgery. I learned it was hard for me in knowing how much my scare affected other people, like my family, my friends, my teammates. It eases my mind knowing that the people I love can see me back out on the pitch again, because there are only so many ways I can verbalize that I feel great. Them seeing me play is the proof.&nbsp;TR: Do you feel like your experience has added to your definition of what success looks like? For someone as competitive as you, there’s the literal winning at the highest level, like winning a title, winning gold — all of those are still true. But hearing you talk, you seem to care just as much about the person who was influenced deeply by your story.&nbsp;SK: Success and gratification are closely connected for me now. I’m so thankful that I’m even here, alive. When you’re an athlete, it’s easy to take wins and victories for granted. You can get lost in the routine of what’s turned into a career. The thing you used to be happy about, winning, can turn into complacency. Now that I’m back, success is much more broad. If your happiness is only being determined by the big wins you want to accomplish, you miss out on the little things that make the journey so special.&nbsp;

The Angel City FC Defender is back on the pitch after surviving an episode of cardiac arrest. Today, she’s playing for more than a zip code.

Savy King Is Playing for a Bigger Team Now

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A graphic image takes on new life in the hands of Mark Smith. The power of pictures takes the retired VP of Special Projects in Nike Innovation and longtime Jordan collaborator back to 2005, when he was briefed on an important milestone to the Jordan signature line: the Air Jordan XX, a shoe that would pull out all the stops in honoring 20 years since the debut of the AJ I. The key feature of the shoe would be midfoot straps laser engraved with an unprecedented collage of images from MJ’s career. Smith would later describe these details as a living tapestry, a purposefully designed mosaic of images. The graphic had to somehow contain an entire life story within its borders, rendered with the precision that only one tool could then provide.“At the time we designed the AJ XX, I couldn’t believe the exact detail we could achieve through laser engraving,” says Smith. “I was exploring single pulses with the laser, and comparing the precision to what I could do with the tip of my sharpest pen. The laser tools were going beyond what we could produce with the human hand.”

The Story in the Strap

Smith’s remarkably detailed, laser-engraved graphics helped produce some of the most milestone-worthy shoe releases from the original Nike laser launch in 2003 and across the two brands, like the AJ IV Laser, “tattooed” Air Force 1s, and of course, the AJ XX.This time, the silhouette is packed with more meaning on the occasion of <a href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/doernbecher-freestyle-20-collection" rel="noopener noreferrer">Doernbecher Freestyle’s 20th anniversary</a>: a limited-edition AJ XX with newly created iconography on the midfoot straps that celebrates the 122 patient-designers who’ve participated in the program since it began.

Smith is no stranger to Freestyle, which grants six patient-designers at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon the opportunity to design their own Nike shoes. In 2006, he teamed up with other Nike colleagues to manifest patient-designer Lance Dillon's vision for a tattoo-inspired Nike Dunk Low. Dillon, a shy 17-year-old, had been diagnosed with leukemia. (“The first time I met Lance, I held it together through the meeting,” says Smith. “Then I went home and bawled my eyes out. This was the coolest, most important thing I could be involved in.”) Smith would design a special Air Max 90 for Freestyle’s 5th anniversary back in ‘08 as well as two other patient-designed sneakers, in addition to a commemorative AJ XII in 2015.“Sneakers have always been connected to storytelling for me,” says Smith, “but when it hit me that Freestyle could potentially change a child’s life for the better, that’s when I became deeply emotionally entangled.”

Air Jordans — and Smith himself — have longstanding roles in commemorating special anniversaries in the Nike and OHSU Doernbecher Freestyle relationship. In 2015, to recognize the 12th year of the program, Smith created a dozen exclusive Jordan XIIs for the Doernbecher Freestyle event.

Each pair featured Smith’s personal application of the shoe’s original sketches.

The 12 pairs were then auctioned as part of that year's OHSU Doernbecher Freestyle reveal, with all proceeds benefitting the hospital.

Celebrating with a Silhouette

Mark was approached by friends at OHSU Foundation (OHSUF) to support the 20th anniversary of Doernbecher Freestyle once more. These conversations brought back memories of another silhouette that made magic with the number 20, which then kicked off a partnership between Mark, the OHSUF and NIKE, Inc. to transform the stories from Freestyle’s decades-long history into one stunning visual.Understanding which icons, images, and emblems to use in the two-strap collage was the earliest challenge, says Smith. He brainstormed over video calls alongside key figures of the program, like Freestyle Founder and Doernbecher Philanthropy Board Life Member Michael Doherty, his son Connor who helped conceive of the program, OHSUF Board Chair Kelly Schrader and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Dana Braner. They discussed orienting details like first names, last names, doctors, dates and more. But design needs to work within parameters, and there simply wasn’t enough room for all those elements to be arranged in such a specific order. Smith had to take a different, more fluid approach.&nbsp;“I went back to the original graphic on the AJ XX,” says Smith. “With the living tapestry for MJ, we wanted the assortment to feel almost like a dream state, when you lose a sense of chronological order and are transported down a path of key memories. There’s no start or finish. You navigate it on a personal level.”

A storytelling sneaker canvas that originally documented the life and career of MJ, the Air Jordan XX returns with a one-of-a-kind twist for the Doernbecher Freestyle 20th anniversary.

Designed by Smith, the symbols on the midfoot strap represents the history of Doernbecher Freestyle and the 122 patients and their families who have participated in the program.

Each of the shoe's 20 pairs arrive in a limited-edition box, the design of which mirrors the laser-etched tapestry from the strap.

The custom graphic permeates through the shoe, including on the collar lining and the heel counter.

Exploring the Air Jordan XX Doernbecher Freestyle

The one constant would be each child’s initials engraved somewhere on the straps. Soon, the icons practically found themselves: the names of two OHSU therapy dogs, Davis and Casey. Popsicles, which are one of the few foods that children can eat after surgery. The famous aerial tram across the Willamette waterfront that overlooks the hospital. Just a few of the many icons added to the tapestry.A perfectionist at heart, Smith kept early mockups close to the vest. He created a dozen versions featuring different layouts, typefaces and scales. The responsibility inherent to the project — to sufficiently represent the spirit of each patient designer within a constellation of other personal stories, full of hope and triumph — is energizing to Smith, and it reminds him why he loves what he does.“When I create these living tapestries, I’m working on behalf of people to materialize their stories. Doernbecher patients, athletes, celebrities, the responsibility is the same: I’m in service of their stories,” says Smith. “I have to hear their stories and act almost like a satellite, pulling in the visuals that are both essential to the subject and that will be recognizable to a broader audience. Striking that fine balance is very important to me. In the end, it’s not about me at all.”

The Air Jordan XX Doernbecher Freestyle

The final result, a stunning collage engraved onto the midfoot straps, will appear on each of the 20 pairs of the AJ XX set to be auctioned on the Sotheby’s site. Each pair is accompanied by apparel and a matching laser-engraved wooden box, all featuring the same Doernbecher iconography from the shoes. The auctions run from October 21 at 9:00 a.m. PT to October 30 at 9:00 a.m. PT. The best part? All proceeds benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.And yet, in spite of the high price each pair is sure to fetch, for Nike employees who volunteer their time and talent freely, the money raised is still no measure of the program’s true value.“Shoes transform into something else with Freestyle,” says Smith. “I don’t know how to describe it. The moment a child sees a vision for their own shoe become a real object, they’re instantly transported from the uncertainty of their situation into the literal healing energy of creativity.” He continues after a pause, “It’s not ironic that the base of the shoe is called the sole, and it’s the one piece that touches the earth.”More information can be found at <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/the-air-jordan-xx-doernbecher-freestyle?locale=en&amp;lotFilter=AllLots" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sothebys.com/DB20</a>

The Air Jordan XX receives a special treatment for the 20th anniversary of Doernbecher Freestyle, created by the legendary designer Mark Smith.

An Unforgettable Canvas: The Making of the Air Jordan XX Doernbecher Freestyle

Run meetups over bar meetups. Discovery jogs to explore a city (maybe your own). Trading screens and calls for trails and greenery. A new wave of people are embracing running through the lens of health, community and fun, and you have ever reason to join them, says Nike running coach Dora Atim. 

Here, Atim — the trail-exploring, run-loving, self-proclaimed "hype gurl" — shares the immediate benefits she says running can give you.

You Get a New Way to Express Joy I feel like we're in a new “running boom” — the third or fourth one I've seen since I've started running, but this wave feels different. There’s a new generation of runners, and they’re into health and wellness, looking for ways to connect with one another. I mean, people still party. But it’s more for celebration — say, we’ve traveled to another country to do a race and now we're gonna party. And there’s movement in that too, right? We're celebrating because we have achieved something. It’s a beautiful space to be in and I feel like I belong in this this kind of shift. I started running because I wanted to get healthier, fitter, but I also wanted to make it accessible to me — the music, the vibes. I used to rave three or four nights a week. Raving — dancing and moving — is catharsis, and running is the same thing. And it’s like you have a new generation that’s taking the rave to the road.You Make Unexpected Connections What I’ve seen from being lucky enough to travel around the world doing races is that, while you have people from all walks of life, all cultures, there’s this common constant of the run, this common bond and love and challenge. And you build this diverse community that you would otherwise never have had if not for running.You Find New Parts of Yourself Running has helped spark my creative streak. I used to feel like I wasn't a creative person. And my friends would say, “What? You’re so creative!” And now I believe that, because I'm doing something that I enjoy, it doesn't feel forced, and because of it, my creativity just flows. I’ll run and think of some new unlock, be inspired to try something new.

"Bags down, shoes on," says Nike Running Coach Dora Atim. Here she's hitting the trails in the Black Forest ahead of the "Nike: Form Follows Motion" exhibition opening at the Vitra Design Museum.

Dora Atim Nike Athlete - Run Basel

You Find New Parts of Your Home I was born and raised in London. I am a true Londoner. And I feel like running around London is truly iconic. You run through new streets, discover new restaurants, you get to see how everyone moves and people watch, and if you’re me, you think “what a crazy place and I love it.” A run is discovery. I remember, during lockdown, running around Canary Wharf, and I saw this building that I always used to notice and draw pictures of as kid. You know kids in school draw fields, the sun, or Big Ben or whatever, but for me it was this building, because I was fascinated by this flashing light that was always on. We’d drive by it, me and my family, and I’d ask my parents, “Why does this light never turn off?” Flash forward 20 years, and as I’m running around Canary Wharf, I take a turn, look up, and there was the building. And suddenly I was young Dora again and I thought, oh my god, that light is still on and flashing! And that’s running. It makes me look at London differently ever time.You Connect With Nature Growing up, all I knew was concrete jungle, fast-paced environment. And years ago, I was living in east London and I went for a trail run. I got so lost, I was absolutely fuming because I see myself as tough and strong and I’m like, I’m not following my phone, I’m gonna follow the trail and take in the nature. My friends call it “Dora’s scenic route,” which means I’m not going to navigate. And suddenly, I round a bend and I see this park and I felt like I wasn’t in London, like I was transported somewhere else.&nbsp;I see this lake — I've never seen such a big lake in London — and the way the trees were just surrounding it and the sun was beaming through it, it looked like a painting. And I thought, I get to see this because I allowed myself to get lost on a run.Wherever You Go, You Become a Local When I travel, I come right off the plane and it’s bags down, shoes on. One of the first things I do is go out on run. And it’s this awesome experience to be able to explore and learn and take a city in — while doing my thing, getting my movement — and it makes me feel like I know the place. Like I’m the local.

For more runner tips and inspo, follow Dora Atim on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/doradontexplore/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@doradontexplore</a>.

Nike running coach Dora Atim has six reasons for you to put on your shoes now.

Fan 101

The Instant Benefits to Being a Runner

In Chicago, you never run alone. A robust, diverse running community keeps the city flush with activity, from its picturesque parks and neighborhood routes to its miles of paved waterfront paths. You’ll see run clubs and solo striders, elite athletes and first-time racers, dawn patrollers and run-to-coffee regulars.

We know this because we spent a week with <a href="https://about.nike.com/en/stories/chicago-run-team-windrunners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Windrunners</a>, a local run team powered by Nike that’s working to break down barriers for the next generation of female runners, fostering community one mile at a time. As Chicago’s first all-female, sub-elite racing team, they know a tip or two about how to best run their city. Here are their seven must-see spots.

This <a href="https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/lakefront-trail" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">impressive path</a> hugs the shore of Lake Michigan for 18.5 miles, making it a top choice for long runs, sightseeing and, if you’re lucky, a tailwind heading back toward downtown.

Lakefront Trail

Recharge like a local:

After checking out this famous footpath, Windrunners athlete Amanda Zubricki recommends indulging in another Chicago staple: the city’s famous deep-dish pizza.“After a long run or race, I love to treat myself to some pizza,” she says. “As we all know, Chicago has the best pizza in the United States. You’ll hear a lot of passionate debates over who has the best deep dish, but I can settle that easily: it’s <a href="https://pequodspizza.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pequod’s Pizza</a>.”

This bustling neighborhood on Chicago’s Lower West Side is steeped in Latino culture, recognized for its public art and lauded among Windrunners as a top running destination.&nbsp;

Pilsen

Alejandra Ruales, who lives in the neighborhood, still finds herself running a 5K route she created last year as part of a fundraiser she organized to collect winter clothing for migrants arriving in the city. "The route is meant to be savored," she says. "It can be a recovery run for both beginners and seasoned runners alike, inviting everyone to immerse themselves in the captivating artistry of Pilsen.”

Ruales favors her local <a href="https://mandalacafeil.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mandala Café</a> for a post-run pitstop. “I usually order their cafe de olla latte and a pandebono [type of Colombian bread] as a post-workout treat,” she says. “Both are to die for!”

Channel your inner whimsy while lapping this city park, named for the late L. Frank Baum, a onetime Chicago resident who wrote the famed children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”“For short runs, I love running around Oz Park,” Zubricki says. “See if you can find all of the Wizard of Oz statues throughout, from Dorthy and Toto to the Cowardly Lion. The park also features a large hill if you need that training.”

Oz Park

One of the Windrunners’ favorite running shops, <a href="https://heartbreak.run/pages/chicago?srsltid=AfmBOorTECK00RKW3ddy7l8OoCvfqz4yECf5YU2OQo-P-9SI0yFsDq54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heartbreak Hill Running Company</a>, sits a block away from Oz Park, and is a go-to gear spot for Zubricki. "Heartbreak is great because they offer free community runs, such as&nbsp;speed runs on Thursday and long runs on Saturday, that are open to the public," she says. "During the summer, they also have a water station on the lakefront path where you can snag a drink, electrolytes and Swedish fish!" Inside the Heartbreak store, Zubricki also recommends trying Nike Form to get a running profile with the Nike Sport Research Lab. “You run on a treadmill for two minutes and after analyzing your form, they send you personalized Nike Training Club exercises and footwear suggestions.”

For a scenic 5K or tempo workout, you can’t beat The <a href="https://www.the606.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">606</a>, an old rail line transformed into an elevated, 2.7-mile path featuring gentle turns and elevation changes, along with distance markers every tenth of a mile. A bonus: You'll find a water fountain and public restroom along the path. (“A runner’s dream!” as one Windrunner put it.)With an out-and-back approaching 6 miles, multiple Windrunners also use The 606 for 10K workouts. “The miles seriously fly by on this beautiful path,” Zubricki says.

The 606

Take home a taste of Chicago by stopping by a <a href="https://www.darkmattercoffee.com/pages/locations-mobile-ordering" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dark Matter Coffee</a> location for a bag of local beans or grounds, Zubricki suggests. “My favorite spot for coffee before a run is in my apartment, as sleep is a very important source of recovery,” she says. “I try to give myself all the extra time to sleep before going out for a run, so I make my pre-run coffee at home with Dark Matter Coffee beans.”

The city’s largest park is best seen on foot, with miles of trails introducing runners to spectacular views, sculptures, green spaces and… zebras? The Windrunners recommend timing your outing to the Lincoln Park Zoo’s operating hours, allowing you to pass through the zoo and score a peek of its resident striped equines. Just make sure to study your route ahead of time to avoid navigational hiccups. “Lincoln Park is a great place for a 10K route,” Ruales says. “You can truly find it all and get lost around its paths, see beautiful city views and trails and even get some great views of the zebras at the zoo.”

Lincoln Park

While Chicago is a top-tier running destination, it’s also an amazing city to explore on two wheels. Channel some cycling inspiration from a Windrunner favorite: <a href="https://www.heritagebikesandcoffee.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heritage Bikes &amp; Coffee</a>, where Susannah McCloskey goes for pre- and post-run joe. “They have tasty food and lattes, and it’s a more intimate space, so it’s great for a smaller group," she says.

While Navy Pier demands inclusion in any Chicago first-timer’s itinerary, runners intent on soaking in the city’s lakefront should look to the iconic pier’s less-touristy brethren. The Windrunners recommend the <a href="https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/north-avenue-beach" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">North Avenue</a> and <a href="https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/montrose-beach" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montrose</a> piers, which allow you to savor sprawling Lake Michigan panoramas as you set your pace — either speeding up, with the water as inspiration, or slowing down to soak in the scenery.

North Avenue and Montrose Piers

From the North Avenue pier, head due west to <a href="https://coreysbagels.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Corey’s NYC Bagel Deli,</a> which, despite its name, even local LaLonde says is the best bagel in town, touting it as “fast, carb-packed and forever friendly.”

Chicago is comprised of unique, diverse neighborhoods, and to get the full vibe, venture outside of the city’s central core. This South Side gem, the site of World's Columbian Exposition, more commonly known as the Chicago World's Fair, has miles of historic streets and trails to explore.

Jackson Park

Cool down with a visit to <a href="https://www.sipofhope.com/locations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sip of Hope Coffee’s Hyde Park Café</a>, where all proceeds support mental health education. “Drink delicious coffee and try tasty pastries while supporting an amazing cause,” Zubricki says. Win-win.

Photos by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatskmac/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kelcey McKinney</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ladyist/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ashley Armitage</a>.

Chicago’s running scene offers parks, paths and neighborhoods that beg to be explored on foot. We asked the Windrunners, a local run team, to highlight their seven must-see spots.

A Local’s Guide to Running Chicago

A Local's Guide for Where to Run in Chicago

It’s the weekend before the 2024 Chicago Marathon and in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood you can already feel the energy in the air. At 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the sun has just begun peaking above the horizon and the light breeze and 60-degree weather are perfect for the nearly 200 runners who have gathered to take on a familiar route: the last nine miles of the Chicago Marathon course, whether they’re running the actual race or not. Leading the pack are the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmDd-lWGdMA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Windrunners,</a> the city’s first all-women, sub-elite racing team. Their mission: To inspire the next generation of female runners to find their place in the sport.Led by Head Coach Robyn LaLonde and Coach/General Manager Kelcey McKinney, the Windrunners are a collective of 14 women, three of whom are running this year’s Chicago Marathon. The group is Chicagoan through and through; <a href="about.nike.com/en/stories/where-to-run-in-chicago" rel="noopener noreferrer">if anyone knows how to run this city, it’s them</a>. Their infectious passion and heart for running, plus their hella speed, has drawn people from run clubs and crews across the city to meet up today.

The Windrunner Magic

To deliver on their mission of inspiring more women to run in Chicago, and around the world, the team lives by three equally important pillars: competition, coaching and community. While there are time standards Windrunner hopefuls must meet –– like running a 5:39 mile or a 3:09:30 marathon — there’s much more to making the team. Windrunners must also empower and inspire other runners.

“We don't always have great representation of what we can become,” says LaLonde. “Every member of the Windrunners works a full-time job, we have many moms and people who do things on top of being an elite runner. And you can do it. Having an awesome team makes it easier, but this could be you and that is the whole point.”

The Windrunners are named after Nike’s iconic Windrunner Track Suit, which is designed to protect runners from the elements, including the infamous Chicago winds.

The pack runs through Pilsen on their way to Chinatown with Windrunner and photographer Kelcey McKinney, at left, capturing images along the way.

Robyn LaLonde is a Windrunners coach and owner of Edge Athlete Lounge, home to the Windrunners.

The crew crosses the south branch of the Chicago River on the Cermak Bridge.

Member Susannah McCloskey brings the positive vibes to Windrunner runs.

The runners of Chicago value camaraderie over competition and many runners are members of multiple run clubs.

For LaLonde and McKinney, what makes the Windrunners special is the team’s focus on giving back and showing up. They support myriad community initiatives, including International Women’s Day this past spring, when they collaborated with local Latino run crew Chingonas to host more than 150 women on a group run. They also craft programs like “Find Your Fast,” in which 37 women followed a six-week training journey to run their fastest mile. And they look for new members who are driven to do the same.“We want individuals who are going to show up for their teammates in the dark, give someone a ride on the way to practice,” LaLonde says. “It's that athlete who’s going to show up for their city.”

Kelcey McKinney on the Grit of Chicago Runners

A Chicago For All Runners

At the intersection of Taylor and Halsted, near the University of Illinois Chicago, as the crowd of runners prepare to take off, LaLonde and McKinney offer running tips, warm-up moves, stories. It’s a grassroots event –– the bag check is LaLonde’s car –– and the community pride is evident in the T-shirts and hats repping run clubs and crews across Chicago. There’s healthy competition too: the Windrunners are fast and they’re pacing the pack.

Afterward, everyone hangs out, chats and refuels near the Chicago Marathon finish line, talking about the week — and race — to come. The conversation loops back to the city and what it has to offer runners. The beauty of Chicago, the Windrunners say, is that one moment you can be running through a vibrant neighborhood where music’s blaring and the next you’re by the placid shores of Lake Michigan or dwarfed by architecture that’s second to none.

The city’s running community, too, lures you in. “You can go to any event and everybody has a genuine support and love for each other,” says McKinney. “They'll hop to different groups and it's not a weird thing. They might go for one run club Monday, another one Tuesday, the next Wednesday, Thursday, and then back to the one they went to on Monday that weekend.”

It’s this Chicago running spirit that the Windrunners want to bring –– welcoming newcomers to feel part of the team, led by the power of women. “There is a culture for everyone,” McKinney says. “Community helps to level you up. You might do well by yourself, but you're 1,000 percent going to do better if you have folks alongside you that are like-minded and helping you get through.”

Follow the Windrunners on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/windrunnerschi/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@windrunnerschi</a>.Photos by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatskmac/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kelcey McKinney</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ladyist/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ashley Armitage</a>.

Meet the Windrunners, the city's first all-women sub-elite racing team.

Feature

A Chicago Run Team That Makes Everyone Want To Run

Seeing Eliud Kipchoge fly by at a 4:34 marathon pace is catching just a glimpse of the greatest of all time honing his craft. Most of his running career hinges on the thankless, unglamorous, but essential training sessions that build his reserve for breaking records. The Kenyan marathoner is synonymous with the Vaporfly and the Alphafly, the pinnacle of Nike’s racing products. In reality, Kipchoge uses many different shoes during training for different workouts — long, easy runs, fartleks, hills, and more. He doesn’t just need a super shoe. He needs a super trainer —&nbsp;a shoe that borrows traditional components from racing footwear, like carbon fiber plates and unique midsole geometries, and translates them into a more durable shoe for year-round training.&nbsp;<a href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/zoom-fly-6-official-images" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Zoom Fly 6</a> is Eliud’s latest addition to his training quiver for those days when he needs to push the pace. The silhouette is also emblematic of Eliud’s commitment to test, improve and validate Nike Running’s full lineup of race footwear. According to Elliott Heath, Sr. Expert of Running Footwear at Nike, Eliud’s product knowledge borders on the professional.&nbsp;

“We've started to call Eliud our Product Line Manager on the ground,” says Heath. “He’s doing hand sketches and writing dedicated notes about our prototypes — That’s his baseline. Over the last couple years, he’s gone to the next level of building feedback sheets, giving them to his running camp teammates and asking them to give their own notes. <a href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-and-eliud-kipchoge-celebrate-20-years" rel="noopener noreferrer">He’s the world’s best marathoner</a>, but he actually feels like a member of our product team.”In the past, Eliud has incorporated the Zoom Fly into his rotation, especially the 5, which was a perfect trainer for his easy Monday runs; he’ll step outside his front door and go anywhere from 12 to 18 miles. When he tested the 6, he immediately noticed the lighter weight and more comfortable upper, both of which he relayed to Heath in his soft-spoken, methodical manner. He’s willing to give constructive feedback, too, but always graciously, such as when he recommended adding a slightly more durable material along the outsole, helping the shoe better withstand a rigorous training schedule. “It’s worth giving a thought,” he scribbled in his notes.

Other cues from Eliud, says Heath, are less obvious but just as revealing. A thoughtfully long pause between sentences. A decisive nod of the head about a feature that’s working. Most notably — and this is what happened with the Zoom Fly 6 — he simply smiles, turning the shoe over in his hands.

Eliud Kipchoge on the Zoom Fly 6

Watching Eliud so eagerly review every shoe in Nike’s lineup is inspiring for Heath and his team. Eliud’s notes help ensure that every Nike silhouette serves a distinct purpose. No one’s as qualified to give that precise, attuned feedback as the greatest marathoner of all time.“Eliud’s commitment to testing our shoes is a testament to how we partner with athletes all the time, not just on race day,” says Heath. “What you do in a race is 5% of your running journey. Anyone who’s racing marathons is spending 95% of their time in other shoes, gritting their teeth through the easy and hard miles that aren’t glamorous. Anytime an athlete wants us to be a part of their 95% as well as their 5% on race day, that’s when we have the real potential to better serve our runners.”

How does Nike use athlete feedback? See and hear marathon GOAT Eliud Kipchoge’s line-by-line and word-for-word notes on your next best training shoe.

Hear From Our Ultimate Wear-Tester on the New Zoom Fly 6

Where there is style, there is sport — and athletes leading the new culture of fashion. That means if you're University of Connecticut All-American Paige Bueckers and it's Fashion Week in New York City, you've got a front row and court side seat to the hottest shows, events and games in town. We asked the Nike athlete to play guest editor, narrating her NYFW experience and giving a behind the scenes look at how she sees the intersection of style and sport. All yours, Paige.

Paige Bueckers at New York Fashion Week 2024

Paige Bueckers at NYFW 3

"Glasses are giving a little bit sophisticated."

Paige Bueckers at NYFW 2

"Getting my tie right for this track suit look."

"At the Nike Look of Victory event. Was cool to see a little section of the exhibit about me."

"Of course made time for a Nike shoot. BTS of the BTS. "

"Imagine getting Off-White buckets! Waiting for the show to start in my fit that came right off the Fall ’24 runway."

Paige Bueckers at NYFW 1

We give the UConn do-it-all guard an off-court assignment: Guest editing her whirlwind tour of NYFW.

An Unforgettable Canvas: The Making of the Air Jordan XX Doernbecher Freestyle

The Instant Benefits to Being a Runner

A Local’s Guide to Running Chicago

A Chicago Run Team That Makes Everyone Want To Run

Hear From Our Ultimate Wear-Tester on the New Zoom Fly 6

Behind the Scenes of Paige Bueckers' New York Fashion Week

Matching Bebe Vio to Her Ultimate Fencing Tool

How a Marathon Can Turn a Life Around

Born Tenacious: How Tatyana McFadden Became the Champion She Is Today

Tatyana McFadden Is the Fastest Woman Alive — the Nike Sport Research Lab Wanted to Help Her Get Faster

Stronger Together: Kaia Gerber and Kirsty Godso are Twin Flames

A’ja Wilson and Dawn Staley On Their Coach-Player Bond