#TheJourneytoCompete:
Your NIKE Cross-Country/Track & Field Newsletter, Issue #17,
January 30, 2026
#TheJourneytoCompete is a celebration of all things athletics (cross-country and track and field), now focused on Indoor Track & Field, and a collaboration between #NIKErunning and #RunBlogRun.
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Indoor season is on Fire!
Cam Myers sets Australian record, World leader at 3,000 meters, Cooper Lutkenhaus wins NIKE Pro debut and sets Junior AR for 800 meter indoors!
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Cooper Lutkenhaus races in his first race indoors, as a NIKE Pro,
at the Dr. Norb Sander Invitational, January 24, 2026,
photo by John Nepolitan
| A Steve Prefontaine poster, from NIKE communications (circa 1974) | |
Deep thoughts from Steve Prefontaine, Quote #17
Steve Prefontaine was one of the very first NIKE-sponsored athletes. Steve also worked in NIKE sports marketing. At the time of his death, Steve held American records in outdoor running from 3,000 meters to 10,000 meters. Indoors, Steve also held the 2 mile Indoor American record.
Steve Prefontaine raced indoors on many occasions, from the mile to the 2-mile. His 2 mile races indoors were, well, classics!
In 1973, at the Portland Indoor, Steve Prefontaine ran a then-American record at 2 miles. In his book, PRE!, author/NIKE Pre meet director (1983-2022) Tom Jordan noted that Steve Prefontaine was running by himself at world-record pace for several laps. Tom noted that "Steve looked to be in a trance, in his own world". That race, Steve ran 8:22.4, breaking the American record once again!
On February 17, 1974, Steve Prefontaine set his American indoor record of 8:20.4.
Here's is our Deep Thought from Steve Prefontaine, for Week 17:
"Don't let fatigue make a coward of you." ~ Steve Prefontaine
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Steve Prefontaine, with Coach Bill Dellinger, circa 1974,
from the NIKE archives
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Jakob Ingebrigtsen winning 5,000 meters at Sound Running track meet,
photo by Kevin Morris @KevMoFotofor Sound Running
What I Eat: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: Jakob Ingebrigtsen
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Jakob Ingebrigtsen tells us what he eats! (from the @YouTube channel for Jakob, which we highly recommend!)
In this podcast, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, two-time Olympic gold, two-time World Champs gold, World Champs silver, eight-time European cross-country champ, indoor 1,500 meters (3:29.63) and Indoor Mile (3:45.14), plus world records outdoors at 2000 meters (4:43.14), 3000 meters (7:17.55) and 2 miles (7:54.10) tell us how an elite athlete eats on a daily basis, meal by meal!
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Cooper Lutkenhaus ran 1:45.23, A new American Junior indoor 800 meter record,
in his debut as a NIKE Pro athlete at the Dr. Norb Sander Invitational on January 24, 2026,
photo by John Nepolitan
| NIKE Training Tip #1 for Week 17! | |
Coach Juli Benson speaks on Training,
artwork by Mike Deering @theshoeaddicts for @runblogrun
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The Big NIKE Training Tip of the Week: Tempo Runs:
Break them up into Chunks of running, concentrate on the pace, and also manage the rest! They do not have to be complicated.
Check out the suggestions from NIKE NIL Coach Juli Benson on this Microclip:
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Coach Juli Benson speaks on Training,
artwork by Mike Deering @theshoeaddicts for @runblogrun
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The Big NIKE Training tips from last week:
REST and HYDRATION,
Key to your survival as a serious athlete!
Remember: Athletes do not get better on their hard days, they get better when they allow their bodies to recover fully, by keeping Easy Days Easy and focusing on Hydration: Always have a Water bottle!
Here is how Coach Juli Benson, NIKE NIL coach who advises many of NIKE NIL high school runners, talks
about Rest and Hydration:
| | | Will you make the standards for the NIKE Indoors? | |
The Journey to LA Begins, March 12-15, 2026,
artwork by Runnerspace & NIKE
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photo by stadiumjourney.com
The NIKE INDOOR NATIONALS is the final meet of the indoor season, and where bragging rights are established and friendships are made. The NIKE Armory is the center of all things high school track & field. Do not miss this meet! @Runnerspace will be showing the meet, STREAMING and LIVE on March 12-15, 2026,
www.NIKEIndoorNationals.com
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Patrick Richie and Natalie Kile take RunBlogRun through the
2026 NIKE Track & Field Spike Line,
artwork by Mike Deering @theshoeaddicts
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Patrick Richie and Natalie Kile sat down with RunBlogRun last Fall and showed us the ENTIRE NIKE Track & Field Line
for 2025-2026 and what is in the pipeline for 2026!
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The NIKE Journey to Compete, Issue 17, the BIG Interview:
Grant Fisher,
from #SocialingtheDistance, Episode 139
recorded January 26, 2024
| Grant Fisher, artwork by Mike Deering for The Shoe Addicts | Grant Fisher broke the world record in the 2,000 meters on Saturday, January 24, 2026, running 4:49.04 and placing second! On Sunday, February 1, 2026, Grant Fisher, Olympic bronze medalist at the 10,000m and 5,000m in Paris, World record holder at the 3000m indoors (7:22.91) and 5000m indoors (12:44.09), is racing the two-mile, where he holds the American indoor record of 8:03.62 indoors. Grant has alot to say on training and his journey as an athlete! | | | |
Grant Fisher shown setting World record for the 3,000 meters, February 2025,
photo by Kevin Morris @KevMoFoto
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Athletics on TV
NB Indoor Grand Prix, January 24, 2026
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Cam Myers, after setting Australian NR of 7:27.57, a meet record,
World Leader and Australian indoor record,
photo by Kevin Morris @KevMoFoto
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Two world records, 2000 meters (4:48.74), 800 meters (1:42.50), and a new Australian record by Cam Myers in the 3000 meters (7:27.57),
full results here:
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Dr. Norb Sander Invitational, January 24, 2026
Cooper Lutkenhaus wins 800 meters in his NIKE Pro Debut, in 1:45.23, a new American Junior Indoor record, breaking the preview record by Donavan Brazier, 2019 World Champion. Full results here! https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/618617/results
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Cooper Lutkenhaus winning Dr. Norb Sander Pro Elite 800 meter Mens, in 1:45.23,
January 24, 2026,
photo by John Nepolitan
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Meghan Hunter wins the Dr Norb Sander Women's elite 800 meters in PB of 1:59.70! January 24, 2026,
photo by John Nepolitan
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Millrose Games on TV!
February 1, 2026, on NBC! Grant Fisher and Cole Hocker lead a great field in the Millrose Games 2-mile. Grant Fisher told RunBlogRun that the field is hot with 1,500 meter stars! The pace should be fast!
Do not miss it! February 1, 2026, on NBC!
Grant Fisher and Cole Hocker lead a fantastic 2-mile field!
| | Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker, Millrose Games 2025, photo by Kevin Morris @KevMoFoto | |
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23 European Indoor Meets, FREE LIVE Streaming in US!
From January 19 to March 7,
European Athletics is sponsoring FREE LIVE Streaming via @YouTube and www.european-athletics.com
Here's the link to the schedule:
| | | | And finally, More Training Tips from NIKE elite athletes! | |
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Mo Ahmed at NIKE Pre Classic,
photo by Kevin Morris @KevMoFoto
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Did you see our ten training tips on making your season better from some of NIKE's best distance runners?
Mo Ahmed, Canada, is an Olympic silver medalist and World Champs bronze medalist at the 5,000 meters and a great cross-country runner. Moh is one of the interviews!
Here's the interviews:
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Back Issues for #TheJourneytoCompete: The NIKE Indoor Track & Field Newsletter, Back issues, 1-16:
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BREAKING NEWS:
Natasza Dudek, winner of NIKE Cross, was named GATORADE Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year! Congratulations Natasza Dudek!
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Natazsa Dudek, Nike Cross Nationals champion,
photo by Brian Eder @CameraAthletica
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artwork by Runnerspace/NIKE
You have just read the NIKE XCTF newsletter, issue #17, #TheJourneytoCompete, a newsletter celebration of all things athletics (cross-country and track and field). Have suggestions on what to cover?
Please email us at fortiusmedia@gmail.com with the subject NIKE XC!
For more information, please go to www.nikerunning.com
We will publish #JourneytoCompete: Indoors weekly, on Fridays, from January 23, 2026, to March 15, 2026!
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We will sign you up!
We post archived copies of the NIKE Newsletter at runblogrun.com and RunningNetwork.com
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Photo Credits:
NIKE Communications
Kevin Morris @KevMoFoto
Brian Eder @Camera Athletica
John Nepolitan
World Athletics
European Athletics
stadiumjourney.com
#TheJourneytoCompete Staff:
Newsletter Production: Chuck Bartlett
Copy Editor: Kathleen Camara
Writers: Deji Ogeyingbo, Stuart Weir, Larry Eder
Stats: Gemini Artificial Intelligence
Editor: Larry Eder
Copyright 2026 by Fortius Media Group, LLC.
The #JourneytoCompete is a collaboration between NIKE Running and RunBlogRun.
To learn more about RunBlogRun, please go to www.runblogrun.com.
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