Nike Pays Homage to the Athletics West Running Team in New Cortez Pack

Founded in 1977 by Bill Bowerman, Phil Knight and Geoff Hollister, the Athletics West running team provided a definitive platform for competition for runners outside of college programs, while also helping to jumpstart the running boom that followed shortly after. At the very center of the movement was the Cortez silhouette, the first track shoe created by Nike which was built to provide a comfortable and durable solution for both distance training and road running. Now as a tribute to the iconic AW team, the sporting giant has unveiled six archival colorways of the sneaker, the most famous of which is the white/red/blue iteration donned by Forrest Gump. To go along with Swoosh branding, Nike also applies the team’s logo along the insole to complete the retro-inspired design. Purchase all colorways at select accounts including SNKRS now.