650. Run Your Way with Nikki Hiltz

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Fitness, Sports, Running, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2023

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"I'm really confident in myself and I believe I can do it. But it's not gonna be easy. That's why I love this sport. I love racing."

What a treat to get to catch up with fan-favorite Nikki Hiltz in the middle of their first-ever European racing circuit and ongoing hot streak. We talked the day before Nikki made their Diamond League debut at a meet in Oslo. (In case you missed it, Nikki finished fourth in the mile, running 4:18, a personal best!) In this conversation, Nikki talks about what's fueling their racing these days — including how they stay mentally strong when feeling physically terrible during a race. Nikki is a lululemon-sponsored professional athlete who identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Nikki also talks about what Pride Month means to them, what it's like coaching girlfriend Emma Gee, and so much more.

SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite shoe!)

What you'll get on this episode:

Why it's a big deal for Nikki to be racing in Europe for the first time (2:00)
On being on a hot streak (6:10)
How Nikki handles racing when it all feels terrible (8:15)
Broadcasts, pronouns, and how it all affects Nikki's racing (10:20)
On LGBTQ+ representation in professional running (16:00)
What Pride Month means to Nikki (19:00)
What Nikki's partnership is like with lululemon, one year into their sponsorship — and which shoes Nikki is racing in these days (24:30)
Nikki's decision to donate their prize money at the USATF Road Mile Championships to the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund (32:00)
What it's been like coaching girlfriend Emma Gee in the steeplechase (35:00)
How Nikki is feeling about the 1500m talent pool in the U.S. right now (38:15)
What does it mean to run the Nikki Hiltz way? (42:20)

For more, check out:

Nikki Hiltz, lululemon Athlete, May 2022

Love on the Run with Nikki Hiltz & Emma Gee, February 2022

The Latest From Nikki Hiltz, October 2020

Catching Up With Nikki Hiltz, November 2019

LIVE at RunnerCon with Nikki Hiltz & Allie Ostrander, September 2019

Follow Nikki:

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Alley on the Run Show is brought to you by New Balance.
0:03.8	Go to newbalance.com slash running to check out New Balance's newest releases for the season.
0:14.5	Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show. I'm your host, Alley Feller, and this is Run Your Way.
0:20.2	The premise of this series is simple. If the best way to run is your way,
0:24.2	which I totally think it is, what does that actually mean?
0:28.4	My guest today is a returning Alley on the Run Show favorite Nikki Hiltz.
0:32.4	Nikki is a Lulu Lemons sponsor of Professional Athlete who competes primarily in the 1500
0:37.3	meters on the track and the mile on the roads. And they are on a hot streak.
0:42.8	Nikki is having a heck of a year earning multiple wins, national titles, and more.
0:48.0	So today, before Nikki lines up to compete at their first Diamond League meet in Oslo,
0:53.1	we get to hear all about what has led to this all-star season of racing.
0:57.7	It's Pride Month, so we talk about what that means for Nikki, who identifies as transgender
1:02.2	non-binary and uses they-them pronouns. We talk about pronouns. We talk about what it's like
1:07.5	racing in Europe. We talk about what shoes Nikki is racing in these days. And of course,
1:12.9	we talk about what it means to run the Nikki Hiltz way. So let's do it.
1:17.9	Yeah.
1:25.9	Yay, all the way from Europe, Nikki Hiltz, welcome back to the show for probably like the
1:31.1	10th time at this point. Always a joy to have you here, especially right now, because we have so
1:35.9	many awesome things to talk about. You're crushing it. Where are you and how are you feeling?
1:41.5	Oh my gosh. I'm in Oslo, Norway right now, which is wild. I've never been in Norway before.
1:48.8	It's very beautiful. So yeah, I'm doing great. I'm thriving.
1:53.3	You're thriving. This is your first European circuit. Can you explain to the everyday listener?
	...

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