ASICS World Ekiden Challenge

The inaugural ASICS World Ekiden 2020 is happening again! This ultimate running challenge will see teams of up to six people from across the globe come together to complete a combined marathon. Inspired by a century of Japanese running culture, the race will be split into six legs of varying distances, making it perfect for runners of all abilities and experience.

What’s best is that you don’t have to be together physically to be running together.

Bringing people together virtually

The ASICS World Ekiden 2020 will combine the best of real-world and virtual racing thanks to a new race platform using both Race Roster™ and the ASICS Runkeeper™ app.

You can track your team progress in real-time on your Apple Watch, Garmin or Fitbit device. See your ranks on live online leaderboards and enjoy a customised in-race audio experience. You will experience the excitement, connection and motivation of team competition no matter how far apart you may be.

You will even have to pass your very own digital tasuki – the narrow band of fabric used in traditional Japanese Ekidens – to each other at the end of every leg.

We know people are missing the motivation and connection they get from team sport, so we are really excited to bring people together from all over the world to train and compete together in pursuit of a shared goal.

 

In the true spirit of the Ekiden, anybody can take part, and nobody will be running alone

Yasuhito Hirota, President & Chief Operating Officer, ASICS

How to sign up

The ASICS World Ekiden 2020 is a virtual relay marathon split into six legs, including three legs of 5km, two of 10km and one of a 7.2km. Once all the legs have been completed, the team would have finished a full 42.2km marathon.

Teams of up to six people can compete in the ASICS World Ekiden 2020, with a total of six legs to be completed by the team as a whole.

Simply sign up for free using Runkeeper or the ASICS hub here. Teams must complete their relay race between 11th and 22nd November 2020.

What else you can expect

Trusted voices within their community, ASICS has founded two regional teams to be part of ASICS World Ekiden 2020.

The first team include ASICS’ regional celebrities and influencers including Singapore actor Zong Zijie, radio host Aishah Sinclair from Malaysia, Indonesia actress Sahila Hisyam, Thai actors Toey Pongsakorn and Neng Sarun Naraprasertkul, Miss Universe Phillippines Gazini Ganados.

Athletes such as Singapore marathoner Serena Teoh, Malaysia marathoner Michelle Chua, Indonesia racewalker Hendro Yap, Thai sprinter Jirapong Meenapra, National Olympian Mary Joy Tabal from the Philippines, and Vietnamese long-distance runner Nguyen Van Lai will form the second team.

Sign up now to be on the leaderboard with them!

Images : Shutterstock, ASICS Ekiden