ELLIE RUNS in Auckland

Despite my only exercise being pushing a mouse around, I was lucky enough to take part in ELLIE RUNS, a Nike event combining music with running as UK singer Ellie Goulding tours the world – including Auckland…

Ellie, 25 years old and already a Brit Award winning indie-pop artist, is clearly very fit. She also has a good sense of humour and wanted to stop for a pint at the pub in Victoria Road where punters cheered as on, as we ran by.

We met at Cheltenham Beach and ran the streets and main road of Devonport before the lovely ‘surprise’ of a run up North Head (not through any war tunnels, though) to look at the city and harbour view, before running the grass track down and along the beach to icy drinks at the finish. Ellie graciously posed for photos with every runner, and talked to the fans who had won places to join in the run and received Nike sneakers and running kit to keep as well as tickets to her Auckland concert on 25th October. Apparently over 400 runners turned up to Nike Britomart last week (Nike also flew up runners from Wellington and Christchurch to join in the special run) to secure a spot to meet Ellie at the Nike+ Run Club and attend her concert.

“My label found out I was really into running, and we all came up with this idea around how I can meet fans in a way that’s really interesting, unique and special. It’s become an institution for me now,” says Ellie. “Auckland is beautiful, it’s a really calm and peaceful place with good energy – I’ve got a feeling this is my kind of place!”

I asked Ellie if she used running to write her songs but she said no, never. She’s heard a lot of singers do that, but she just enjoys running, and and well as this run, has been working out at the Auckland hotel gym and is surprised to find others using it – which they never do in other countries. I asked about her hair and she said it’s "crazy pink" and she just gets it done, and puts conditioner in. Clearly quite low-maintenance for a pop star- although she had black eyeliner and lipgloss on for the run.

We all ended on a total high with a palpable buzz in the air as we posed for a team photo. In the music industry famed for sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, you couldn’t think of anything more healthy than a beach run with Ellie.
With – or without – that pint on the way.