Rockin' and running
Six bands were set up along a 10K route around USC for Nike's Run Hit Wonder race.
Michelle Young
Issue date: 9/26/05 Section: Lifestyle
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The Nike Run Hit Wonder race returned to Los Angeles for the third year in a row with its fusion of running and live music.
Participants chose between the 5K route and the 10K route that began in front of the Rose Garden, ran down the Row, continued around campus and ended at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Stages were set at every mile along the routes for performances by The Donnas, Chingy, Nina Sky, Fountains of Wayne, The Aquabats and DJ Z-Trip.
The Donnas performed a few songs at the starting line before the USA Track & Field Southern California Championship 10K race, which began 15 minutes prior to the Nike run.
The wheelchair competitors got a 2-minute head start before the master of ceremonies, comedian Kathy Griffin, started the race by air horn at 6 p.m. and joined the race herself.
Bands played at different times throughout the course to get the runners pumped. "Each type of music produces a unique kind of run, and that's what Nike Run Hit Wonder is all about," according to Nike's Web site.
Participant Andrew Yick, a graduate student in electrical engineering, said people were getting into the bands and even raising their hands while running when the bands asked them to do so. Runners couldn't enjoy the bands for very long, however.
"I guess it's hard to see the bands," Yick said. "You hear them for a minute as you approach and run off ... then nothing."
Water stations kept runners hydrated with water and Gatorade. And "energy stations" were set up along the course, including the USC Song Leaders and Japanese Taiko Drummers, to keep the participants' spirits up.
Participants ran through the tunnel of the Coliseum and onto the field to reach the finish line at the 50-yard line.
All participants received a silver finisher medal with the name and date of the event upon completion of the course.
Some runners went home after crossing the finish line while others stayed to enjoy a post-race concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
A brief awards ceremony was held to honor the top three men and women and the top wheelchair participant with Fender Squier Stratocaster guitars.
All participants had to pay a $35 registration fee. Registered runners were given packets including a Nike Dri-FIT shirt and a timing chip that runners were required to wear during the race.
A Nike Run Hit Wonder kickoff event was held at the Santa Monica Pier on Aug. 9 with a performance by Nina Sky, and starting Aug. 13 free training runs were held at different Southern California locations throughout the weeks before the race.
The Lyon Center was one of the Wednesday training run locations. "The whole front of the Lyon Center was kind of taken over," Yick said. "They had tables, shoe racks and speakers and DJ equipment."
Pacers led 1-, 3- and 5-mile training runs around campus. Participants could leave their student IDs or driver's licenses as collateral while using new Nike shoes during the training run.
"I tried a pair and I really liked them," Yick said. "So their marketing worked. I'm going to buy them."
After the run, participants were given free food and free socks, he said. Nike also raffled off a $100 Nike gift certificate.
Free shoe trials were also held at the Nike Run Hit Wonder Shoe and Apparel Expo at the Coliseum, which was open to the public Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the race.
"Attendees had the opportunity to see and purchase the latest Nike gear and register for the race after online registration closed," said Ilana Finley of Nike Inc. "Runers also had access to tattoo stations, a T-Shirt bar, and hair and make-up stylists to help kick off this year's event."
This year's race didn't sell out all 20,000 spots like last year. "I think it's going to grow and they're going to see more numbers next year," Tania Kucera of Fleishman-Hillard said, "because they're slowly building awareness."
"L.A. runners have shown great support of the event since its inaugural year in 2003," Finley said. "The race continues to get bigger and better every year."
Though it was called a race, Yick said it didn't feel like one because of the large number of participants.
"It's a surreal feeling to be running in a huge pack of people," he said. "I thought it could have been better sectioned off because a lot of slow people went to the front (at the starting line), and I spent the first mile weaving in and out of them."
Despite the complaints, "it was a lot of fun," Yick said.
Proceeds from the race will support NikeGo, a national community affairs initiative committed to encouraging physical activity in youth.
