Here’s the thing: if your boss ever asks you if you want to fly to Italy, be dressed head-to-toe in Salomon, and interview people while running a 10K through the streets of Milan, your answer should always be: “Uh, YES.”
That was my exact response when I was asked to cover Salomon’s New Shapers Run for Complex News. And while I wouldn’t say it was a walk in the park (because it was very much a run through one), it was easily one of the best experiences of my life.
Here’s how I spent 24 hours in Milan preparing for and running this 10K (6.2 miles) that celebrated the close of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
What’s jet lag?
When I got to my hotel room, there was a package waiting for me from Salomon. Not in a casual, “Oh cute, merch” way. In a full, “You are now an athlete” way.
Inside I found new Aero Glide 4 Grvl sneakers, a Shakeout Fly wind jacket, Shakeout Core tights, a Shakeout Core tee, and Grvl crew socks, plus my bib and full race kit. I laid everything out on the bed like a flat lay begging to be photographed (which I absolutely did).
There’s something about seeing your race bib for the first time that makes it real. Like, okay, we’re actually doing this.
After my mini hotel-room shoot, I headed to Viale Giorgio Byron at the historic Arena Civica Gianni Brera to officially check out the expo village and customize the free tee every runner received.
This wasn’t pre-race chaos. No mass stretching. No start-line nerves yet. It was calm and organized with a steady flow of runners popping in to grab their bibs, pick up race kits, and move on with their day.
You could feel the anticipation, though. Not loud. Not overwhelming. Just a quiet build.
Nearly 4,000 runners from across Italy were registered to take part in the 10K to celebrate the Olympic closing weekend. Some traveled hours just to be there. Even in that low-key pickup moment, it felt bigger than a typical race packet line.
That evening, we linked up at the Salomon store in Porta Nuova for a pre-race “Shakeout Run.” Three miles total, two easy, one dedicated to drills and sprints. A DJ was spinning, sneakers were available to test, and runners were introducing themselves like an online group chat had finally stepped into real life.
I was kitted out in head-to-toe Salomon, including the Aero Glide 4 GRVL. First step? Immediate bounce. That thick midsole had serious energy return, like the ground was politely handing my stride back to me. The rebound made the shakeout feel light. Effortless.
Post-run: Aperitivo, music, and a final hype before race morning.
The vibes were high. People were laughing, stretching, taking photos, channeling Olympic closing ceremony energy. I interviewed runners while lining up. Many had traveled from different parts of Italy just to be part of this moment.
It wasn’t about medals. It was about participation, movement, and celebration.
Since I was busy filming and chatting for Complex News, I started near the back of the pack. Honestly? It was perfect. I had zero plans of sprinting. I hadn’t run over 4.5 miles since my last half marathon in 2020. Before that, I’d done three halves and at least five 10Ks. But in my very loose “training” for this race, I hadn’t gone past four miles.
Shockingly? The first mile felt long.
I looked down at my watch thinking I had run at least three miles. Nope. Just one.
But instead of panicking, I zoomed out. I was literally running through Milan. With thousands of people. Cameras rolling. Music in my ears via my Oakley Meta glasses (so I could still hear and interview runners without ripping out earbuds every 30 seconds).
That’s my favorite part of races like this: moving as one giant wave through a city.
“Okay… still four miles to go.”
Mathematically discouraging. Physically? Still solid. My breathing was controlled. My legs felt steady. I kept stopping for quick interviews, asking runners how they were feeling. Some were chatty. Some were like, “Respectfully, no.”
Fair.
The halfway point. This is where something shifted.
We were running toward the iconic Arco della Pace, and I could feel the runner’s high creeping in. A couple people next to me said they were starting to fade. Meanwhile, I felt… lighter.
There’s something surreal about passing through historic architecture mid-race. It’s not just pavement and timing chips. It’s centuries-old monuments casually watching you question your cardio decisions.
At around 4.5 miles, it fully hit. That runner’s high.
I had all the happy endorphins rushing in. I had wanted to run the streets of Milan the last time I visited, but I was too busy working and, honestly, too cold to commit. And now? I was doing it. For work.
Filming b-roll, interviewing runners, capturing a Complex News episode… all while pacing myself through a 10K.
Balancing production and performance should’ve made it harder. Strangely, it made it more fun.
This was the “lock in” mile.
I started hyping up runners around me: “We’ve got just over a mile left!” Some appreciated it. Some absolutely did not want a microphone in their face at that moment.
But when we ran past Sforza Castle, it felt cinematic. The architecture. The crowd noise bouncing off the stone. Europe just does race backdrops differently.
Right before the final stretch, we entered back into the Arena Civica, and I swear it felt like I was walking into the Colosseum. Very Russell Crowe in Gladiator energy.
The last 0.2 miles looped around the track. As we rounded the final curve and I saw the finish line straight ahead, I looked at my videographer and said: “Sprint to the finish?”
He, reluctantly, did. And that’s how I crossed.
What I didn’t mention? Before the race, I had confidently told my team this would probably take me 90 minutes. I hadn’t trained past four miles. I was filming. I was interviewing fellow runners.
I crossed in 60.
I grabbed my medal. Took a deep breath. And waited for the exhaustion to hit, but It never really did!
In fact, I felt like I could run another six miles. Which immediately made me question why I trained so aggressively for past half marathons. Was it mental? Was it the Italian air? The pasta carb loading the night before?
One runner told me it was the community vibes. She said, “Everyone shapes you and pushes you to your limit. It’s like a big family. Everyone pushes each other to go further.”
That’s what this felt like. Not just a race. Not just content. Not just a brand moment. A shared experience.
About an hour and a half after the race, it hit me: The Salomon New Shapers Run was easily the greatest 10K I’ve ever done. The setting. The production challenge. The fact that I got to run through Milan while filming a Complex News episode. The Olympic closing-week energy in the air.
But what made it unforgettable wasn’t just the course, it was the people.
Nearly 4,000 runners from across Italy showed up not to podium, not for PR, not to prove anything, but to be part of something. Strangers hyping each other up. Quick mid-race high fives. Someone pacing a friend who wanted to quit. Someone else clapping for runners they didn’t even know.
That’s what this campaign was really about: New Shapers.
Not just shaping your own limits, but shaping each other. You could feel that in real time.
In a world where fitness is usually solo—headphones in, eyes down—this felt different. It felt communal. Running into the arena at the end, surrounded by everyone who had just accomplished the same 6.2 miles, wasn’t just a finish line moment; it was proof that you can go further as a community than you ever could alone.
So if my boss asks me to run another 10K? The answer is still: Uh, YES.
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