Saying Aloha To Wednesday Runs
Friday - April 29, 2009
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Eleven years ago I was one of a handful of employees at Niketown who decided to meet once a week for a run through Waikiki.
A few months later, marketing manager Keala Peters joined our staff and opened our weekly run to the public.
The group grew to about a dozen runners and then throughout the following years multiplied in size to about 120 to 150 runners, both local and tourists, each week.
The success of this free Wednesday night run club resulted in the addition of a Saturday run, as well as the start of run clubs at many other Niketown stores throughout the U.S.
But as Nike has announced the closing of its store in Honolulu, it also means goodbye to this popular club.
Runners and walkers of all levels are invited to join in on the last Niketown Honolulu Run Club happening today (April 29) at 6 p.m.
The group meets at Niketown (2080 Kalakaua Ave.) and you can choose distances of 2 miles, 3.75 miles or 4.7 miles.
“I’ll miss it,” says long-time Nike Run Club member Twain Newhart, who joined the group in February 1999. “There’s the health benefit and the social aspect, but one thing I know I’ll miss is that chance to see where I’m at in time relative to other runners.
“Through this running club, Nike created this atmosphere where it’s casual and non-aggressive, yet if you wanted to push yourself, there it was.”
As of last week, Newhart logged more than 2,150 miles with the Nike Run Club, and at one time recorded more miles than anyone at any of the other Nike run clubs in the country.
“Here I have met many people with whom I’m friends with today,” adds Newhart. “This really is the end of an era for runners here.”
The Nike Run Club also served as a place for new runners to learn more about the sport. Among the many regulars were some of Hawaii’s top runners, and on the last Wednesday of each month, the club featured a guest speaker to share their expertise on various health and running Eleven years ago I was one of a handful of employees at Niketown who decided to meet once a week for a run through Waikiki.
A few months later, marketing manager Keala Peters joined our staff and opened our weekly run to the public.
The group grew to about a dozen runners and then throughout the following years multiplied in size to about 120 to 150 runners, both local and tourists, each week.
The success of this free Wednesday night run club resulted in the addition of a Saturday run, as well as the start of run clubs at many other Niketown stores throughout the U.S.
But as Nike has announced the closing of its store in Honolulu, it also means goodbye to this popular club.
Runners and walkers of all levels are invited to join in on the last Niketown Honolulu Run Club happening today (April 29) at 6 p.m.
The group meets at Niketown (2080 Kalakaua Ave.) and you can choose distances of 2 miles, 3.75 miles or 4.7 miles.
“I’ll miss it,” says long-time Nike Run Club member Twain Newhart, who joined the group in February 1999. “There’s the health benefit and the social aspect, but one thing I know I’ll miss is that chance to see where I’m at in time relative to other runners.
“Through this running club, Nike created this atmosphere where it’s casual and non-aggressive, yet if you wanted to push yourself, there it was.”
As of last week, Newhart logged more than 2,150 miles with the Nike Run Club, and at one time recorded more miles than anyone at any of the other Nike run clubs in the country.
“Here I have met many people with whom I’m friends with today,” adds Newhart. “This really is the end of an era for runners here.”
The Nike Run Club also served as a place for new runners to learn more about the sport. Among the many regulars were some of Hawaii’s top runners, and on the last Wednesday of each month, the club featured a guest speaker to share their expertise on various health and running topics.
“It was a nice place for people to get together and run together,” says U.S.A. Track & Field Hall of Famer Gerry Lindgren. “I was one of the original 10 or so runners here and watched the group grow to where it is today. Every week I’m here I get to meet people from all over the world. I’ll miss it.”
While this week will be the last Niketown Honolulu Run Club, Niketown running specialist David Carlsson hopes to continue what Nike started with a new local weekly running club. Details are still in the works. For more information, visit www.ultradaveruns.com.
Until then, lace up your shoes and see you tonight!
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