Professional runner Nikki Hiltz is a force on the track. The 1500-meter specialist was a 7-time NCAA all-American in college, went pro in 2018, made the World Championships team for Team USA in 2019, and won gold at the 2019 Pan American Games later that year. But Hiltz’s influence has always reached beyond races: In addition to being one of the fastest middle distance runners—competing in races that are roughly one or two miles—in the world, they are one of the few openly transgender, nonbinary professional athletes in the sport of track and field.
Fueled by a desire to represent trans athletes on the sport’s biggest stage, Hiltz uses their platform to speak out about equal rights, educate track-and-field fans, and organize their Pride 5K, which will be held in person for the first time this fall in Flagstaff, Arizona—all while training to represent Team USA on the track.
And now the 27-year-old’s platform is getting even bigger. On Thursday Lululemon announced its partnership with Hiltz, who signed with the company as an ambassador; Hiltz is the first nonbinary, trans athlete the company has signed. This continues Lululemon’s expansion into the track-and-field space, as it has recently signed other athletes, including long jump record holder Tara Davis and Paralympic bronze medal sprinter Hunter Woodhall, and released its first line of running shoes in March.
“I’m just so excited and happy and relieved,” Hiltz tells SELF. “I feel like it's the dream brand, and I'm just kind of in shock that it all came together—especially the timing of it being USAs this week.”
“USAs,” or the USA Track and Field (USATF) Championships, kick off on June 23 in Eugene, Oregon—meaning Hiltz has an extra busy week ahead. Hiltz, a 2019 World Championships finalist for Team USA with a 1500 meter personal best of 4:01.52, hopes to make their second World team this weekend in that event. The top three finishers in each event at the USAs will qualify for the World Championships in July.
SELF caught up with Hiltz a few days before their partnership was announced to chat all about their role with Lululemon, representation in sport, and what they’re hoping to achieve at the USA championships.
SELF: What does this partnership with Lululemon mean for you and your running career?
Nikki Hiltz: I’m still a professional runner, I’m still going to try to be the best athlete I can possibly be and try to make as many Olympic and World teams as possible. I feel like I have nothing to lose now when I’m on the track. Before, with the previous model of sponsorships, you’re under a lot of pressure to have these performances or run these times. And that pressure is not there anymore. It’s more about a holistic approach, and Lululemon really sees their athletes as people, not just athletes.
How does it feel to have this new partnership come together right before the USA Track and Field national championships this weekend, all during Pride Month in June?
It’s so funny, in my career, big things usually happen in June—that’s just the way our schedule is [in track and field]. I love it. There was a Pride event in Flagstaff this weekend, and I just feel like I can really tap into that. The energy, excitement, and the love that Pride brings—every time I’ve gone to a Pride event, I always leave feeling like my heart is so full. And that really helps me on the track as well. I’ve been able to harness that energy of Pride, and we also opened Pride 5K registration on Friday too, so it’s even one more thing to add to the excitement. It’s definitely my favorite month of the year.
You were sponsored by Adidas coming out of college in 2018 until earlier this year. Knowing that athletes depend on sponsorship as a way to have a more reliable income and to help with the cost of training and events, it's huge to nail that kind of partnership so early in your professional career. How long did you run unsponsored, and what were some of the challenges that came with that?
It was five full months, basically from January to May. It was really hard to go from being a sponsored athlete for the past three years to unsponsored, but I really leaned in to the fact that I could wear whatever I wanted to wear. This indoor season, I got to wear a trans, nonbinary artist’s work that said “protect trans kids” [on my racing kit].
It gave me a lot of perspective [that running is what] I want to do, whether I’m making money or not. I want to be here, showing up as myself, continuing to educate people in the sport. The time unsponsored was challenging, but I gained a lot of perspective from it for sure.
How is your partnership with Lululemon important for building trans visibility in sport?
For me, representation is huge. The more I can be seen, the more trans kids out there can see themselves in a sport that maybe they love too. Lululemon using their platform to showcase me as a trans athlete will only help.
How do you see the future of representation in sport?
The Olympics this past year had the most out athletes ever, and I think that’s just going to continue to happen. I feel like when I was growing up, everything was very white and cis and straight, and now it’s shifting. You just see more and more representation at all levels.
What’s it been like for you since coming out as trans a year ago?
It’s definitely been a transformative year. There are ups and downs. I feel so seen, and I feel so affirmed when people use my correct pronouns. I just feel freer.
I also feel scared at times, and I feel not safe in spaces. It’s been a rollercoaster of self-discovery, and I don’t know if people are educated enough to know what nonbinary means, and so that’s been hard. At the end of the day, I’m so happy to be out and living my true self, but it hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine.
What do you think of the current climate for trans athletes in sport?
I think there’s a lot of fear right now. I hate that it’s being reframed as “we’re protecting women’s sports.” That’s just bullshit. If you were really caring about women’s sports, you’d be focusing on equal pay. I’ve competed in women’s sports my whole life, and of any of the hurdles I’ve ever faced when it comes to being in that category, none of them have ever been about trans women. I think it’s really sad that [“protecting women’s sports”] is a narrative that’s being told.
Fear can be a really powerful thing. People are really afraid of trans people for whatever reason. And it is really sad. I would love it if we could just get people to realize that this is just about kids. This is literally just about kids wanting to play a sport in their gender and wanting to play sports with their friends. I think we can all get behind that because, like anyone who’s ever done sports knows, sport is this incredible thing that can open so many more possibilities. Gatekeeping that from anyone is not the answer.
Does running for a bigger purpose motivate you as an athlete?
I think it’s definitely something that I really leaned into. I think I am at my root an advocate, and when things aren’t fair, I do want to speak up. It is really true to who I am to want to create safe spaces for people, and especially because of my lived experiences, I know how important it is to be able to show up as yourself.
Track and field is so mental, it’s like, how do I get in this flow state or this mindset? I definitely have been able to tap into my advocacy to get those things. In a race before, I’ve thought, Okay, if you make it to finals, maybe there’s one more trans kid watching who gets to see you the next day. It’s really powerful when you can tap into those things when you’re on the track. I’ve leaned into it, like this is my superpower when I’m competing. I have this entire community behind me.
How’s your training going? How are you feeling heading into this weekend’s races?
I moved to Flagstaff in March, so it’s been a solid three months of training. I’m training with Rachel Smith and Elly Henes, really badass 5K runners, so I feel like I’m getting really strong. Living at 7,000 feet definitely helps with strength as well. I’m definitely doing things I’ve never done before in training, which is really exciting, so I hope that means I can do something on the track I’ve never done before.
What are your goals for the USATF Championships this week?
I definitely want to be top three on Saturday. I don’t care about time anymore, it’s irrelevant now. It’s just about beating people and that’s always really exciting. I’ve always been more of a racer than a time trialist. I would say that’s my goal for sure, and outside of that, just trying my best and showing up as myself—those are always my goals—and then, I think if I do that, I think a top-three finish is definitely possible.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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