Running is the soul of Nike: the company's founders were a runner and his coach. Unsurprisingly, running is Nike’s single biggest performance business unit. The recent running boom has been driven by millennials. They use running as a release and to keep fit but for the most part don’t run competitively. Millennials run but don’t see themselves as “runners.” all the while still inspired by incredible athletic performances. The problem is they feel a distance between themselves and Nike - they see the brand as distant and invincible. Nike wanted to engage with this new breed of millennial runners, and because the act of running has such a universal appeal, it was the perfect platform for a sporting moonshot that would capture the imagination of the country. It demonstrated that Nike’s belief in the power of sport to take on the impossible resonates and engages not just athletes but popular culture.