- To help decide what tattoo design to get on her right arm, professional runner Nikki Hiltz, who is competing in the 1500 meters at the world championships, launched an Instagram contest to crowdsource ideas.
- The winning tattoo idea was the quote “legs are feelin’ good,” a phrase coined by Chris Chavez of Citius Mag and Sports Illustrated.
Most of Nikki Hiltz’s tattoos represent people in her life who have inspired her. For the middle distance star’s latest design, she turned to her fans for ideas.
At the suggestion of her 11.6K Instagram followers who voted in favor of the tattoo in a social media contest, Hiltz had the quote “legs are feelin’ good” (a phrase coined by Chris Chavez of Citius Mag and Sports Illustrated) tattooed onto her right arm.
“This was a cool, creative way to involve the people that have supported me,” Hiltz, 24, told Runner’s World.
There’s no question that Hiltz’s legs are indeed feeling good, considering the breakthrough year she’s had. At the USATF Outdoor National Track Championships in July, Hiltz finished third in the 1500-meter final, which landed her a spot on the U.S. team headed to world championships in Doha, Qatar, later this month.
In the roughly two months between USAs and worlds, Hiltz said she wanted to get another tattoo to complete her forearm sleeve, but she couldn’t decide on a design. When the runner asked her Mission Athletics Club teammates in her current hometown of San Diego if they had any ideas, the group suggested that she crowdsource options on Instagram by way of a design contest. The follower with the best idea, she decided, would win with a pair of Adidas arm sleeves.
On August 29, Hiltz posted the details of the contest on Instagram and asked her followers to pitch their tattoo ideas in the comments. A few days later, she narrowed the ideas down to her top eight favorites: a crown, bumblebee, hummingbird, paper airplane, palm tree, eucalyptus branch, pot of honey, and the phrase “legs are feelin’ good,” which was suggested by fan Hannah Thorn.
The quote started as a joke but grew in popularity when Chavez said it on his personal Instagram story. When he noticed other runners saying the phrase, Chavez created an Instagram account dedicated to the quote as a running mantra.
“I think it’s super relatable. We all have those moments where you pop a great workout or you crush a long run and you’re pretty optimistic about your training and fitness,” Chavez told Runner’s World. “Sometimes it’s just a natural reaction and a very easy and simple way to sum it up.”
In April, Chavez interviewed Hiltz on the Citius podcast about her experience handling success as a young pro, being openly gay, and training with her girlfriend and fellow University of Arkansas All-American, Therese Haiss.
Hiltz ultimately left the tattoo decision up to her followers, who voted for their favorites in polls she posted on her Instagram stories. The hummingbird and “legs are feelin’ good” were the final two contenders. The quote won easily.
On Sunday, September 15, Hiltz visited Buju Tattoo, her favorite tattoo parlor in San Diego, and had the quote written above her elbow. Hiltz’s right arm now holds a collage of meaningful designs: along with the new tattoo, she has a sailboat for her grandmother who taught her how to sail, a California poppy to represent her home state, and a redwood tree.
“I hope that they [tattoos] show that I care a lot about those people around me, and the people that have impacted my life at one point or another,” Hiltz said.
Going into the preliminary rounds of the 1500 meters in her first ever world championships—which kicks off on September 27 in Doha—Hiltz will have a little extra encouragement from the running community up her sleeve.
“I know how hard it was to make that team. I know how competitive the women’s 1500-meter field is in America, so I don’t want to take it for granted,” Hiltz said. “I really want to make the most of it and enjoy the experience.”
Be Cool Without the Ink
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
