Portland OR - Athletes competing in the Nike Cross Nationals Championship were given the royal treatment at Nike headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Most athletes flew in Wednesday night or Thursday morning, and have since been ushered into a life centered around cross country. The athletes were first picked up at the airport by their own private Nike van. They were taken to the Nike Campus, home of numerous professional athletes sponsored by Nike. The lavish campus pays tribute to past Nike running greats such as Michael Johnson and Steve Prefontaine.
Competitors were then taken to the Tiger Woods Center to begin their trek to the Championship race. They were all presented with unique Nike gear and running supplies that included a limited edition backpack, jacket, and beanie hat released only to NXN qualifiers. They then proceeded to opening ceremonies, highlighted by a unique twist on a traditional dunktank, where athletes could dunk their coaches in a NXN branded dunktank.
On Friday, after athletes were treated to breakfast at the Embassy Suites hotel, they were transported to their first run-through of the course at Portland Meadows; a converted horse-racing track, filled with man-made hills and hay bales littering the field. Before being allowed on the course, the athletes were assembled inside the grandstand to hear one final address. Highlighted by a speech from Meet Director Paul Limmer, as well as encouraging words from Nike Elite Athlete's Laura Fleshman, Dathan Ritzenheim, and Chris Solinsky.
Coaches and athletes alike were both shocked and in reverence of the course upon first encounter. Many teams who have ran in the years prior, made sure to comment on the quality of the course. Unusually sunny weather for the Portland area has led to some of the best conditions the course has possible ever seen. Gone is the typical mud drudge from years past, replaced with a solid course that can promise fast times and great competition. Over the next two hours, the athletes gained much needed experience on the course they would call their own in less than 24 hours time.
Athletes were then ushered back to the Nike Campus. The Tiger Woods center had been transformed into an cross country athletes paradise. Nike set up shop center stage with NXN apparel, framed by a chandelier made of bibs from the athletes' qualifiers. Also available was an athlete lounge, complete with a ping pong table, Nike-integrated facebook stations, and a Portland version of the virtual race first seen at VPXC in New York. Finally, athletes were treated to a race gear customization station, where athletes can add graphics and logos to their unique club uniforms.
The day concluded with an athlete meet-and-greet, where athletes can line up to get autographs and race advice from some of the Nike Elite athletes. Notable Elite athletes included Olympians Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan, and Andrew Wheating along with several other Olympian and World's competitors. All the training, all the racing, all the hardships and successes come to a conclusion for many teams tomorrow. The Nike Elite athletes, as well as all of us here at MileSplit, wish all athletes a great race and a great competition.
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