Run with Nike. Advertise them for free.

I just got this invite from "Nike running club" in Beirut. They are organizing a run on Nov. 5th 2013. Point of the matter is, in the invite, there's this sentence "Please confirm your attendance before Sunday November 3rd and send us along your shirt, shorts and shoe sizes as you will be receiving a full Nike running club well suited outfit." And a light bulb flickered above my head.

Sure, that's the whole point of the exercise. Pardon the pun. I mean, it's not to get us bloggers in physical shape (no offence, but when Rolling Stones referred to Gino as being Beirut's "biggest blogger", I thought they were referring to his gut size) or to help some of us get faster out of trouble (me when being attacked by advertising agencies for uncovering their theft, Abir Ghattas for fleeing political convoys, Habib Battah for taking photos and escaping before being attacked, etc...).

Nope! I am sure the intentions were to transform us into willing walking billboards. Sure, as much as any other man I'd like Nike running shoes (in case they are wondering 40 is my right size, 41 is the one that fits best in running shoes as they all run small to size - hint for Nike people :) ). So, I expect a lot of tweeting with #nikerunningclub or #nikerunningclubbeirut I expect a few blog posts with photos, and a total reuse of the gear during Sunday barbecues (apparently this is a favorite passe-temps for Lebanese bloggers and tweeps with instant instagram sharing in tow).