At last year’s NIKE women’s run, I trained with the Nike+ Coach and finished my first-ever half marathon in 2 hours and 8 minutes. For this April’s NIKE WOMEN’S HALF MARATHON-TPE, I’ve decided to follow the Nike+ Coach who earned my trust once again and break my half-marathon record!
(This article was also published on Sports Note.)
Life is always full of surprises. That’s exactly how I ended up on this running journey. I used to exercise only in PE class—I even counted walking to the bus stop and sightseeing on foot while traveling as exercise. Yet last year, I took on the challenge of completing my first half marathon at NIKE WE RUN TPE, then boldly declared that I would break my record this year and start working toward a full marathon. The contrast was so dramatic that my mom cried, my grandpa thought his presbyopia was playing tricks on him, and my friends were completely stunned!
But honestly, before signing up for the NIKE WE RUN TPE women’s half marathon last year, the farthest I had ever run was a single 10K. Then this huge sports PARTY created especially for women came along, and magical words like “limited edition” and “exclusive” instantly reeled me in. Add a little encouragement from the people around me—“You can definitely run a half marathon! No problem!”—and I was sold. (Fine, I was really just waiting for someone to say that.) So I gritted my teeth and signed up. But filling out the registration form was one thing; facing the unknown 21K afterward was the real challenge. As the old saying goes, “Instead of sitting around trembling, get up and do something.” When I know there’s a challenge ahead, making no effort and doing nothing to solve it IS NOT MY STYLE.
So the women’s half-marathon 12-week training plan I set up with Nike+ Coach immediately became my ultimate guide to preparing for my first half. I treated the workouts like collecting points and faithfully completed every session on time from Week 1 through Week 12 without missing a single one. (I was never this diligent or had such perfect attendance at school.) It noticeably and steadily improved my cardiovascular fitness, speed, and running frequency, while NTC workouts strengthened my core at the same time. I also kept telling myself, “If I can complete all 12 weeks of training without interruption, I should definitely have enough perseverance to run 21K without stopping.” In 2014, Nike+ Coach didn’t just train me—it gave me the confidence to face the challenge.
As soon as I registered for the NIKE 2015 women’s run on 2/2, I saw that NIKE had once again prepared a 12-week training program for the women taking part. This time it was even more diverse—like a fully stocked training toolbox—with features including:
- My Transformation Journey (weekly training progress and missions)
- Sports Wardrobe (training outfit coordination)
- Workout Playlist (recommended music for running, NTC, and the trip to your workout)
- NIKE+ Training Center (registration for NIKE+ APP and in-person training sessions)
It basically covers every possible training need in one place!
12-Week Transformation Journey website:https://www.niketaiwanevents.com/missions/
(Log in to your Facebook account first to begin the journey.)
● My Transformation Journey
Honestly, just hearing the words “12 weeks of training” is enough to make you gasp. Finding time every week to keep running and doing NTC is a long and genuinely challenging process. But NIKE’s Transformation Journey cleverly breaks those 12 weeks into small weekly missions, turning training into a game. Simply follow the instructions for each level, complete the assigned cute mission, and upload a photo. You’ll get a series of photo records decorated with beautiful lettering or graphics. Naturally, photos this pretty have to be shared—and just like that, mission accomplished!
The missions are also divided into three categories this time—RUNNING, TRAINING, and LIFESTYLE—so girls who enjoy different kinds of exercise can all receive missions of their own. Of course, the ideal training plan is to get all three wishes at once! With fun missions guiding you each week, training feels less rigid and much more purposeful, doesn’t it?
Step1 Open My Transformation Journey from the menu, then choose one of the three MISSIONS you want to take on first.
Step2 Your mission is served! The first week’s task is to “set a target finishing time and capture that goal in a fun photo.” There will be a different mission every week after that. I can’t wait to find out what each one will be—it feels like following a weekly TV series!
Tip: Tap the ＋ in the middle to upload an image from your computer or phone. If the image isn’t square, it will automatically be cropped into a square, but you can’t reposition it. Crop it beforehand if you want the best-looking result.
Step3 The photo preview lets you check whether the uploaded image’s resolution and positioning are correct. If you upload a portrait-oriented photo in particular, take a look at how it has been cropped. If everything looks fine, tap “Confirm.”
Step4 That week’s mission graphic will then be added automatically.
Tip: If the result doesn’t look good—or your face is even covered up—quickly tap “Back” and upload the photo again. Once everything looks right, you still have to tap “Complete Mission” for it to count. After submitting, however, you can’t edit or re-upload the photo. One upload decides your fate.
Step5 Mission accomplished! Here, you can either share it directly to FB or save the image and create your own post for sharing and safekeeping.
I chose to save the image and write my own post. The photo represents my goal of finishing a half marathon in under two hours. (Too bad my fist missed its mark…)
● Sports Wardrobe
When I first started running, I didn’t understand the importance of wearing proper sportswear. Then I tried professional running shoes and clothing made from breathable materials such as DRI-FIT, and there was no going back to the days when I wore pajamas as workout clothes. (Or was that just me…?) As my activities gradually expanded from running to yoga, NTC workouts, and cycling, I began to notice that every type of shoe and garment is designed with functions suited to a particular sport. Extra cushioning is added in key areas to reduce the risk of injury, and you can really feel the difference. Whatever the sport, one thing remains the same: workout clothes are getting better and better looking, with increasingly bright and appealing colors and patterns. Girls can now look gorgeous while exercising and turn the entire running track into our runway.
That’s why the Sports Wardrobe struck me as an incredibly useful feature for girls the moment I saw it. It regularly updates complete workout outfits organized into RUNNING, TRAINING, and LIFESTYLE categories, with clear recommendations based on functionality. Girls can also swap individual items and colors to create a look that suits them. Try as many combinations as you like—they’ll all be saved for you to browse later. Your outfit, your call!
Step1 Open Sports Wardrobe from the menu, and you’ll immediately see three clothing categories to choose from: running, training, and lifestyle.
Tip: Choose the category that matches the exercise you’ll be doing. For example, if I wear training shoes for running, I can clearly feel that the forefoot sits too close to the ground and doesn’t offer enough protection. If I wear running shoes for NTC, the forefoot grip isn’t as good, making plank-based variations more difficult. Protecting your body is what matters most!
Step2Using the Lifestyle Wardrobe as an example, the current outfit appears on the left and consists of four items. The right side lists each item and its available colors.
Step3You can tap any of the available colors to swap them, and the result will immediately appear on the outfit shown on the left.
Step4The menu directly lists the product name and features of each item, so there’s no need to take screenshots and ask customer service. (Though for prices and store availability, it’s really best to contact the store directly.)
Tip: Once you’ve finished choosing, tap “Save to My Wardrobe,” and the outfit will be saved in My Wardrobe. (Er…that means your “My Wardrobe,” not my “My Wardrobe.”)
Step5 Tap “My Wardrobe” in the menu on the left to view the outfits you’ve saved. You can also share your combinations directly with friends or save the images for later.
● Workout Playlist
Every moment deserves a theme song that matches your mood—especially during the emotional ups and downs of 12 weeks of training, from anticipation and hitting the wall to exhaustion and breakthroughs. Having a song that speaks to how you feel can encourage you to keep moving toward your goal. Girls who think NTC has no vibe without music, or who love listening to music while running, will definitely enjoy NIKE’s specially curated workout songs. A new track is added every week, chosen to match that week’s training intensity and provide just the right motivation. As thoughtfully as ever, the music is divided by activity type, including an overall training theme song, tracks for running and NTC, and music for the journey to your workout—all available through Spotify. (Don’t worry, registration there is free too.)
For the first week of training, NIKE recommends “Let’s Get Started,” an upbeat song with motivational lyrics. Hearing “Let’s Get Started” over and over makes me want to change into my workout clothes and start running to the music. “Not ever give it up”—no one can make me stop. I think the moment we sign up for a road race, we’re always excited and full of anticipation, but also a little uncertain. That’s the perfect time to listen to this song and begin NIKE’s 12-week program, giving your training goals a clear direction!
● NIKE+ Training Center
Whether I was attempting my first half marathon last year to challenge myself or trying to break my personal record this year, this clueless runner still had no idea how to prepare. Once again, I could summon the Aladdin-like coaching feature in the NIKE+ app as if rubbing a magic lamp, open the complete half-marathon training plan, and follow along. Meanwhile, there were also weekly in-person NTC and NIKE+ RUN CLUB training sessions with professional coaches offering guidance. With many different types of classes suitable for runners at every level, the combination of in-person and virtual training is an amazing resource for female runners!
Open “NIKE+ Training Center” from the menu on the left to view complete information about the training sessions.
Scroll down the page to find details about NIKE+ RUN CLUB’s in-person sessions and activities, then tap “Reserve” to register.
On the registration page for NIKE+ RUN CLUB’s in-person events, you can view each session and see immediately which ones are full. If spaces are still available, simply tap “Reserve a Spot”—super easy! (You’ll need a NIKE+ account to register. Girls who don’t have one yet can sign up for free.)
Running a half marathon is like taking a journey. For me, registering for the NIKE WOMEN’S FALF MARATHON was like booking a ticket for a trip of my own. Once I had made that decision and set the goal, I began working hard to prepare for the journey ahead. NIKE’s professional support and progress tracking stayed with me throughout, like an experienced mentor sharing a wealth of information and preparing alongside us, giving us even more confidence for the journey. So open the NIKE+ RUNNING APP now, set up a 12-week half-marathon training plan, and complete it by following the missions and working toward your goal!
The above content was published with sponsorship from Nike.
