#TheJourneytoCompete, A cross-country newsletter, Issue 6, November 14, 2025
#TheJourneytoCompete is a celebration of all things cross-country and a collaboration between #NIKErunning and #RunBlogRun. We will publish #JourneytoCompete weekly, on Fridays, from October 10, 2025, to January 15, 2026! To subscribe, send an email with your email address to runblogrun@gmail.com. We will sign you up! We will post archived copies of the NIKE Newsletter at runblogrun.com and RunningNetwork.com
| NIKE NXR Heartland, photo 1, photo by NIKE communications |
NIKE Pegasus PLUS
The Pegasus PLUS is the second shoe in the Pegasus 41 shoe channel. It is fast and light, with just the right amount of cushioning for cross-country season: tempo days, interval days, hill days, long run days, and yes, even easy days. Learn more about the #NIKEPegasusPLUS at www.nikerunning.com
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NIKE #TheJourneytoCompete Feature! - Be Like Jakob!
| Jakob Ingebrigtsen, photo by Diamond League AG |
Jakob Ingebrigtsen is one of the most popular athletes in the world!
How do you write about King Jakob?
At this time, Jakob Ingebrigtsen owns World Indoor records at the mile, 1,500 meters, 2,000 meters, 3,000 meters, and 2 miles on the short track!
Outdoors, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has set World records at 2,000 meters, 3,000 meters, and 2 miles! The two-mile record, 7:54.10, blows my mind, two consecutive miles at 3:57 mile pace!
I have interviewed Jakob since 2019, and I have to tell you, he is sure a lot of fun and he likes to talk to the media who know track and field.
At the Olympics, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has won gold at the 1,500 meters (Tokyo 2021) and the 5,000 meters (Paris 2024)
Many athletes love Jakob because he races a lot and he fears no one! Jakob has lost big races, but he has also made those athletes run their very best!
In our interviews, Jakob Ingebrigtsen talks to me about the confidence he gets from racing, and he loves racing cross-country! His cross-country strength, in my belief, helps Jakob race from 1,500 meters to 5,000 meters so effectively!
Among his many feats, Jakob has won seven European Athletics Cross-Country Championships! Of cross-country, Jakob told the media at the 2024 EA champs:
“Cross-country is something that I really enjoy. It’s very different from my other competitions; there’s something special and exciting about around 100 people going for the first turn at the starting line. There’s a lot of fighting and pushing and shoving; there’s a lot of things that could happen. The course was very challenging, tactical, and technical. It’s all about using the energy wisely and trying to maneuver”.
Last year, Jakob ran cross-country, then European Indoors, and World Indoors. He sustained injuries and raced himself back to fitness for Tokyo, running the 1,500 meters heats and the 5,000 meters final! Watch Jakob race well in 2026! In Tokyo, he told his friends that he was there to “have some fun”. Jakob is always realistic: He knew that Tokyo was going to be an experience and he wanted to be there, even if he was not fully fit!
Here’s a story by Stuart Weir on the 2024 European Athletics Cross-Country Championships.
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The SPAR European Athletics Cross-Country Championships will be held on December 14, 2025. Here's a new story about Jakob Ingebrigtsen competing for his eighth title!
Can anyone stop Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the SPAR European Crosss-Country Championships?
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The NXR Heartland Regional (November 9, 2025) - NXR Heartland, photo by NIKE communications
And here is our RunBlogRun Photo gallery on NXR Heartland, with photos courtesy of NIKE communications: CLICK HERE
| Cooper Lutkenhaus, Micro Clip 1, Going Pro | |
Cooper Lutkenhaus is the Track & Field News Male athlete of the year for 2025. Cooper set the World Under-18 and American Under-20 World records for the Men’s 800 meters, with his time of 1:42.37, taking second in the USATF Outdoor 800 meters.
In this clip, Cooper spoke about going professional during this past summer and foregoing his eligibility as a high school athlete. Cooper is training daily with his high school teammates, who are his friends and classmates.
| | Cooper Lutkenhaus, photo by Kevin Morris | | From Issue #4: Cooper Lutkenhaus, the RunBlogRun Interview | | To listen to the entire interview of Cooper Luktenhaus, | |
From Issue #3: Connor Mantz Breaks AR for the Marathon with his 2:04:43, and eyes a bid for the U.S. World Cross-Country team! | |
The NIKE Interview: Connor Mantz, new American record holder, Marathon (2:04:43). On October 12, 2025, Connor Mantz, who was 8th in the Paris Olympic marathon, finished fourth at the #BankofAmericaChicagomarathon, breaking the 23-year-old American record of Khalid Khannouchi! Here’s the story!
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From Issue#2: Sinclaire Johnson is the new American record holder for the Mile!
| Sinclaire Johnson, photo by Kevin Morris | This interview was conducted just before the Tokyo World Championships, where Sinclaire competed in the 1,500 meters. A state high school cross-country champion, Sinclaire Johnson, is an excellent example of how cross-country helps build middle-distance runners! Enjoy the interview by Larry Eder. Sinclaire Johnson is sponsored by NIKE. |
The NIKE Vomero 18 is the first of the three shoes in the Vomero channel. Well cushioned, the Vomero 18 gives the runner a cushioned ride while being sturdy enough for the hard miles you put in the fall as you build fitness for cross-country! Learn more about the Vomero 18 at www.nikerunning.com!
| Cross-Country History Lesson Number 7, “Become One with the Mud!” Lynn Jennings | Nike ad of Pat Porter and Lynn Jennings, from NIKE archives |
Lynn Jennings is one of the finest American distance runners of all times! From 1986 through 1993, Lynn did not miss a World Cross-Country Championships, winning in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Lynn’s cross-country prowess gave her nine U.S. cross-country titles-no one has come near that! And Lynn Jennings was a racer-a fierce racer, who could come from behind, take the lead, and knew how to race internationally. I recall watching her win medals indoors at the WA Indoor champs over 3,000 meters (bronze in 1993 and silver in 1995!).
Over the cross-country course, and in the 10,000 meters, Lynn Jennings was a sight to behold. Lynn won the 1992 World Cross Country in Franklin Park, Massachusetts. In the snow, and against a global field that was hot, hot, hot, Lynn Jennings took her third straight gold at the World Cross-Country, in front of her home crowd! In fact, Lynn Jennings has won several high school cross-country titles in this very park!
In 1992, in Barcelona, Lynn Jennings won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters, setting an AR of 31:19.86, which she held until 2002!
The quote, “Become one with the Mud,” is from Lynn Jennings. I believe it was from a Runner’s World story in about 1987. I was at Runner’s World at the time, and we did our first calendar, featuring Lynn Jennings and a few other amazing cross-country shots!
Only two other women have matched Lynn Jennings' three World Cross golds! Only the late, great Grete Waitz (Norway) and Edit Masai (Kenya) have equalled that feat!
Lynn Jennings took her running prowess to sculling, winning the gold medal in 2012 and the silver medal in 2011. An accomplished historian, you may read her works if you request them here: https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/dsp01rx913r15v.
I miss seeing Lynn Jennings on cross-country courses around the world! Will you be like Lynn Jennings?
| Special Cross-Country Bonus: Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan talk to fans, NIKE House of Innovation, November 3, 2025! | Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan, November 5, 2025, photo by NIKE | Interview with Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan, by NIKE’s Coach Bennett, November 5, 2025, NIKE House of Innovation. | The Pegasus 41 is a great entry-level training shoe from NIKE. Fast, sturdy, good for trails and roads, the NIKE Pegasus 41 is the perfect entry level shoe for the beginning high school runner. Many elite runners love the Pegasus 41 for its sleekness and suggestion of speed! To learn more, click on www.nikerunning.com |
From Issue #1: How did Nike Cross Nationals begin? Here’s the story!
How did the NIKE Cross Nationals begin? Here’s a great story on the celebration of high school team cross-country! Read this story on Twenty Years of NIKE Cross, by Deji Ogeyingbo!
For nearly two decades, the Nike Cross Nationals, or NXN, has been the stage where America’s most promising high school cross-country runners measure themselves against the very best. The event has grown into a national institution, drawing athletes from all corners of the United States to Portland, Oregon, where Glendoveer Golf Course becomes the proving ground for speed, strategy, and determination.
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#ForShoeGeeksOnly, Do you need a great cross-country racing shoe? Here you go! Check out the NIKE DragonFly XC 3!
| Artwork for DragonFlyXC interview art by Mike Deering/The Shoe Addicts |
#ForShoeGeeksOnly: What’s the Matumbo? Read on, curious readers
| The Matumbo story is classic NIKE. Bernard Lagat, 2007 World Champion at both the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters, told Johnny Truax, a former NIKE shoe geek, this story about the “Matumbo”. NIKE PLM for Track & Field, Patrick Richie, with the encouragment of NIKE PLM for Track & Field and Road Racing, Natalie Kile, told #RunBlogRun this story that should go Viral! | Artwork for DragonFlyXC interview, art by Mike Deering/The Shoe Addicts | Jane Hedengren sets two course records in her first two races for the College Cross-Country powerhouse, BYU! | Jane Hedengren, photo by BYU |
In her second college cross-country race, Jane Hedengren won the Big Twelve Cross-Country Championships, setting a course record of 18:29.6 and leading the Brigham Young women to their third consecutive cross-country team title. Jane’s 18:29.6 is her 6,000 meters cross-country PB!
Watch Jane this weekend (November 14-15) as she and the Brigham Young University Cougers fight for NCAA supremacy!
Go Jane Hedengren!
| From the RunBlogRun ARCHIVES: The Finest of Cross Country Stories, From the Archives, The Story of Janet Bristol, The Roads Not Taken: The Untold Story of Janet Bristol, one of America’s most promising distance runners, a story by Rich Englehart with photos by Jeff Johnson | |
Janet Bristol, 1970 New England AAU Cross Country,
photo by Jeff Johnson, used with permission
| Faith Kipegon, photo by NIKE |
Faith Kipyegon just loves the NIKE Vomero Premium! Have you taken a run in the most cushioned shoe from NIKE?
Faith Kipyegon loves it. Connor Mantz loves it, what are you waiting for? Learn more at www.nikerunning.com
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A Quote from Steve Prefontaine, Week #6:
| Steve Prefontaine, photo by Nike Communications |
Steve Prefontaine led the Oregon Ducks to the NCAA Cross-Country Championships in 1973 and, before his death, owned the American records for the 2000 meters-10,000 meters, as well as the 2 miles-6 miles.
Dave Wottle, the 1972 Olympic gold medalist at 800 meters, told me the story of battling "Pre" over the mile at Hayward Field, which was not even "Pre’s" best distance!
“Pre,” as his fans called him, had an unquenchable desire to challenge himself. Here is our quote for Week 6:
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." ~ Steve Prefontaine
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If you like the ride of the NIKE Pegasus 41, and the swift feel of the NIKE Pegasus PLUS, then, you will love the cushioned ride of the NIKE Pegasus Premium. A good long run shoe, easy day shoe, the NIKE Pegasus Premium is the third of three wonderful shoes in the NIKE Pegasus channel. To learn more, go to www.nikerunning.com.
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The NIKE Cross Nationals 2025-Has Your Team Signed up Yet? Just Do it!
The NIKE Cross Nationals 2025-Has Your Team Signed up Yet? Just Do it!
We are in weekend 2 of the Nike Cross-Country regionals! You can watch them on www.runnerspace.com November 14-15 (requires a subscription for the NXRs, but NXN viewing will be FREE).
The NIKE Cross Nationals are the ultimate cross-country event, celebrating the team spirit and great tradition of the sport. For more information, please go to: www.NIKECrossNationals.com
| The NIKE Cross Nationals 2025 | |
The NIKE Cross Nationals are the ultimate cross-country event, celebrating the team spirit and great tradition of the sport. For more information, please go to: www.NIKECrossNationals.com
The regional schedule and registration information for the 2025 NIKE NXN Regional series can be found at www.NIKECrossNationals.com.
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November 9, 2025
NXR Heartland Regional - Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
States include: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. CLICK RESULTS HERE
November 14-15, 2025
NXR Northwest Regional - Spokane, Washington
States include: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
November 16, 2025
NXR Midwest Regional - Terre Haute, Indiana
States include: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.
November 22, 2025
NXR Southwest Regional - Mesa, Arizona
States include: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.
NXR Southeast Regional - Cary, North Carolina
States include: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and District of Columbia.
NXR Northeast Regional - Wappingers Falls, New York
States include: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
NXR New York Regional - Wappingers Falls, New York
State included: New York.
November 24, 2025
NXR South Regional - The Woodlands, Texas
States include: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi.
Nike Cross Nationals Information
December 6, 2025
Nike Cross Nationals - Glendoveer Golf Course, Portland, Oregon.
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The NIKE XC newsletter: Back issues. Please share with your teams and friends!
Issue 5, November 9, 2025 NIKE XC Presents, #TheJourneytoCompete, Cooper Lutkenhaus clip, Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan at NIKE House of Innovation, link
https://runningnetwork.com/index.php/news/447-thejourneytocompete-a-cross-country-newsletter-issue-5
Issue 4, October 31, 2025, NIKE XC Presents,
#TheJourneytoCompete, A cross-country newsletter, Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan, beginnings in cross-country, Cooper Lutkenhaus Interview, Eliud and Sifan Interview,
https://runningnetwork.com/index.php/news/446-thejoussue4
Issue 3, October 24, 2025, NIKE XC presents, #TheJourneytoCompete, A cross-country newsletter, Conner Mantz Interview,
https://runningnetwork.com/index.php/features/444-thejourneytocompete-a-cross-country-newsletter-issue-3-october-24-2025
Issue 2, October 17, 2025, The NIKE XC Newsletter, #TheJourneytoCompete, Sinclaire Johnson Interview, AR holder Women’s Mile, http://www.runningnetwork.com/index.php/features/443-thejourneytocompete-a-cross-country-newsletter-issue-2-october-17-2025
Issue 1, October 10, 2025, The NIKE XC Newsletter, #TheJourneytoCompete, 20 Years of High School Cross-Country Excellence, the story of the NIKE Cross Nationals, :http://www.runningnetwork.com/index.php/news/440-nike-xc-newsletter-journey-to-compete-issue-1-october-10-2025
The #JourneytoCompete is a newsletter celebrating cross-country for high school athletes and providing weekly updates on the NIKE Cross Nationals and NIKE running shoes.
You have just read the NIKE XC newsletter, issue 6, #TheJourneytoCompete, a newsletter celebrating all things cross-country! 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
Photo Credits: NIKE Communications, Kevin Morris, Brian Eder and Jeff Johnson.
The #JourneytoCompete is a collaboration between NIKE Running and #RunBlogRun. To learn more about RunBlogRun, please go to www.runblogrun.com.
Copyright 2025 by Fortius Media Group. LLC
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