Víðavangshlaup ÍR
Our second event was Víðavangshlaup ÍR, the Icelandic National 5K Championship, and
to this day it remains one of our favourite HUMAN+ memories.
It was a cold spring day in downtown Reykjavík, but the atmosphere made everyone forget about the weather.
Hundreds of runners gathered around the start area, with music playing from the stage and an energy you could feel the moment you arrived. One of the highlights of the course was the opening section across the bridge over Tjörnin, where watching the runners stream across the lake created an unforgettable scene.
We arrived early and spent our time walking around, meeting people and introducing them to FLOW. At that point we didn't even have branded clothing or anything that identified us as HUMAN+. It was simply two people talking to runners and offering them something new to try.
Very quickly, we learned an important lesson.
Most athletes don't like changing anything before a race.
They have their trusted shoes, their routines, their nutrition, and complete focus on the moment the starting signal goes off.
Several runners thanked us, took a sample and said they would try it at home instead.
Then one runner did something different.
After finishing another conversation nearby, something told us we should go and speak with him. We introduced FLOW, explained how it worked, and his response surprised us.
"Sounds good. I'll take one... Actually, can you put it on for me? I'll race with it."
He smiled, we applied the strip, wished him good luck, and watched him head to the start line.
About 20 minutes later, the announcer's voice echoed across the finish area.
"The first finisher is approaching!"
It was him. Stefán Pálsson crossed the finish line as the winner of the entire race.
We found ourselves laughing as we congratulated him.
"See? It was the FLOW strip!" I joked.
For maybe two seconds, it almost felt as if HUMAN+ was already standing alongside brands like Adidas or Garmin, supporting elite athletes at major
events. Maybe it was just my imagination running a little wild, but it was an unforgettable feeling.
We gave Stefán one of the few full packs we had brought with us that day. Originally, it was there to show people what the product looked like.
Instead, it ended up in the hands of the new Icelandic 5K national champion.
The odds were almost unbelievable. Out of hundreds of runners and only
a handful of people we had spoken with, we happened to meet the eventual winner.
Even today, Stefán still enjoys using FLOW, we've stayed in touch, and it's always a pleasure seeing him at races around Iceland.
Sometimes all it takes is one conversation to create a story you'll never forget.