Music takes center stage the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s biggest one-day running event taking place on August 31, 2008. The race brings together the power of sport and music to inspire and connect runners from every corner of the planet. Participants in this unprecedented event will experience an exclusive music performance by some of today’s top artists in each of the 25 designated race cities. In Austin, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals are scheduled to perform at the post-race concert. Runners will take to the streets passing the city’s most famous landmarks during the 10K route before ending in front of the Texas State Capitol building where Congress Avenue meets 11th street. Harper’s performance is just one of the exciting elements contributing to an unprecedented day of races and activities around the globe to start in Taipei, ending in Los Angeles and including cities across Europe, Asia and North and South America.

In London, runners will be treated to an exclusive performance by world-renowned American DJ, songwriter, musician and singer Moby in the city’s famed Wembley Stadium and Grammy award winning hip-hop artist, Kanye West will perform in Los Angeles for the Human Race grand finale. Other all-star artists confirmed to play at the Nike+ Human Race include R&B songstress Kelly Rowland in Paris; dance-electro-pop duo The Pinker Tones in Madrid, Turkish pop sensation Kenan Dogulu in Istanbul; the Fantastic Four in Munich; Mexican-born rock and pop singer Julieta Vanegas in Argentina; Beijing-based singing duo Yu Quan in Shanghai; Boy Likes Girl in Singapore; and Bracia brother in Warsaw. Beyond running and music, the Nike+ Human Race is also an opportunity to give back.

Participants will be able to run for a worthy cause and support the three official Nike+ Human Race charitable partners: the Lance Armstrong Foundation – uniting people in the fight against cancer; WWF - the global conservation organization reducing the impact of climate change; and the UN refugee agency's ninemillion.org campaign – bringing sport and education to refugee youth. Together, Nike and runners will raise funds to donate at least USD $3 million to the Nike+ Human Race charities. Money will be raised via givebacks from registration fees, a percentage of Nike+ Human Race t-shirt sales and a donation of USD $1 million from Nike. The Nike+ Human Race will also feature an online pledge tool so individual runners can donate additional funds to the cause of their choice and invite friends and family to contribute on their behalf. “As a committed runner and a cancer survivor, I’m proud to be participating in the Nike+ Human Race,” Lance Armstrong said. “The race offers the best of both worlds by bringing together a global community to run together and support worthy causes like the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the UN refugee agency’s ninemillion.org and WWF in our combined efforts to have a positive impact on the world.”

Nikeplus.com will be the official destination for the Nike+ Human Race and for all pre-race training needs. Here, runners can create a personal profile page or stay motivated by sampling and downloading the latest in Nike+ Sport Music offerings. Sport Music offers runners the best in original Training Run and Coaching Mixes designed specifically for treadmill and road runs. Beginning this month, runners will also be able to visit Race City pages covering local race info and news, Training pages for information and links to in-city training runs, events with official race partners including 24Hour Fitness and Starbucks and Nike+ Coach training. Gear pages covering the latest in Nike performance training gear and Nike+ product will also be offered.