What would you do if Nike reached out to ask if you were free for the ultimate four-day outdoor training travel adventure? No further details. Oh, and they said it was top secret.
You know what you’d say? You’d say hell yes.
You’d say, I will do whatever I have to do to make this happen. You’d say, I will quit my job. I will pay all the money. I will… well, you get the point.
And this is exactly what happened to Keighty Gallagher, the leader of Vancouver’s Tight Club Athletics.
She had no clue what this adventure would be all about until the Friday before the pre-determined date – all she received was an itinerary to fly to Calgary. And then, the night before her departure, she received a “travel kit” containing full head-to-toe Nike gear branded Project North.
And top secret it was – you couldn’t find more information until it was all happening no matter what your Googling and hashtag-searching skills.
Arriving in Calgary, Keighty met the rest of the Project North crew, all specially selected by Nike. The group was combined of Instagram influencers, a few bloggers and media members, a couple of pro athletes, and running leaders all flown in from Chicago, New York, and Toronto.
Keighty was holding it down for all of Vancouver, though; she only person chosen from the entire West Coast.
Looking like a ski team in their matching Nike Project North ensembles, the group still didn’t know where they were headed… but they were guessing Banff.
Wrong.
Officially back in B.C., they arrived in The Bugaboos where two Nike helicopters were waiting. Flying over the snowy ranges, the group arrived at the Bugaboo Lodge in the middle of what seemed like nowhere.
Over the next four days, they were given an overall mission: winter was on their side and the elements could be their training partner.
They were put through rigorous training activities and challenges lead by Canada’s only Nike Master Trainer, Eva Redpath, in the seemingly picturesque winter landscape.
A seven-kilometre run in the snow, anyone?
Keighty says it was like running in sand. Every session had the group decked out in various (still matching) product and training themes testing their endurance and discipline.
For Keighty, the experience was life-changing. Not only to be one of a few to take part in such an exclusive and well executed experienced, but also to learn about the history of our country’s great outdoors. Once a logging lodge, the Bugaboo Lodge is actually where heli-skiing started.
Though Keighty mostly used Nike’s N+TC App for inspiration until now, she will definitely bring a new facet to what she delivers at Tight Club after learning about the culture around Nike Running and Master Training.
Still don’t believe it? Search the hashtag #projectnorth on Instagram – one of the few places you’ll find a full look into what went down.
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