ASICS is inviting teams of up to six people to ‘run together to uplift the world’ by completing the ASICS World Ekiden 2021. The Japanese inspired Ekiden is a virtual relay race designed for people of all abilities to get out and move together for body and for mind.
Spilt into six legs of varying distances (three of 5K, two of 10K and one of a 7.2K), the race sees teams pass a digital tasuki – a narrow band of fabric associated with traditional Ekidens – between them as they run a combined virtual marathon.
Following on from last year's inaugural event, which brought together over 56,000 people from 179 different countries ASICS is once again calling on runners all over the world to unite and run together with their team between 10-22 November 2021.
This year, everyone who signs up to be part of the ASICS Ekiden will automatically raise funds for organisations championing movement for positive mental health.
Gary Raucher, Executive Vice President, ASICS EMEA said, “ASICS was founded out of adversity. A direct response to a world in crisis in 1949. Our founder Kihachiro Onitsuka recognised the power of sport to lift people’s spirits.
“Throughout 2021, ASICS is on a mission to inspire as many people as possible to experience the uplifting impact of movement on the mind as a way of achieving a sound mind in a sound body. Back for its second year, the ASICS World Ekiden 2021 is one of the many events we’re hosting across the year that we hope will inspire people to get involved.
“We’re excited for runners of all levels and abilities everywhere to unite in their teams and combine their collective efforts as they race towards the virtual finish line.”
There are also great prizes up for grabs, including an all-expenses paid trip to the Paris Marathon 2022, as well as R18 000 in ASICS vouchers from Totalsports, more info, here.
