THE ZERO GRAVITY MINDSET

Releasing October 9, during the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2025, Mental Athletic and Nike present Rise Above — The Zero Gravity Mindset, a 216-page book marking the debut of the Nike Vomero Premium.

More than a launch, it is an invitation to retrace the legacy of Nike’s marathon shoes, pushing the dialogue between running culture and experimental design into new territory.

Unfolding through cutting-edge visuals and never-before-seen gems from Nike’s archive—spanning the 1970s to today—the book is punctuated by exclusive interviews and cultural essays. Together, they celebrate and deepen the long-standing bond between Nike and the Chicago Marathon while highlighting the brand’s pivotal role in shaping running culture and driving innovation over the past decades.

“Nike’s influence outside athletic environments reflects a wider shift in cultural codes. Sneakers and sportswear no longer sit apart from workwear or formalwear but have reorganized dress codes around comfort, flexibility, and performance. They embody a way of life where the body is always in a state of becoming, whether dashing between showrooms during Paris Fashion Week or racing to catch a red-eye flight. In this sense, Nike’s message is not confined to sport but infiltrates daily life, suggesting that every moment is a performance and every performance requires the right gear.”

From: The Swoosh Effect: Innovation, Identity, and the Modern Self
by Samuel Trotman

Michele Fossi: You’ve been with Nike for over 20 years. What moment most shaped your philosophy?


Seema Simmons: My philosophy has always been rooted in doing what’s right for the consumer and working as a team to keep the consumer at the center of everything we do. It begins with listening to the voice of the athlete to understand their needs, their dreams, and their challenges. From there, it’s about delivering the best products and experiences to help them reach their potential. That belief has guided me since day one.  A recent moment that helped reinforce this was Nike’s Breaking4 project, where our team helped Faith Kipyegon go after her moonshot of breaking the 4 minute mile barrier. Her courage to push the limits and her message of “Dare to Dream” to inspire women and girls was profoundly moving, especially as a mother of two daughters. Dare to Dream captures the essence of sport and the essence of Nike.  It’s about inspiring the next generation, breaking barriers, and ensuring athletes all around the world feel seen, supported, and empowered to chase their dreams. Michele Fossi in conversation with Seema Simmons, Vice President of Global Women’s Running and Training.

From: The Heart of What We Do

Michele Fossi in conversation with Seema Simmons, Vice President of Global Women’s Running and Training.

Featuring original artworks by Sven Harambasic, photography by the Nike DNA Archive and Mattia Greghi, and words by Ashley Campbell, Michele Fossi, Kevin Gunawan, Deepa Ramprasad, Sami Reiss, Seema Simmons, and Samuel Trotman, Rise Above—The Zero Gravity Mindset is both a time capsule and a manifesto for the future of running.