adidas Runners, a running community operated by adidas in 15 cities around the world including Berlin, Germany and London, England, started in Japan as "adidas Runners of Tokyo" on September 17, 2016. What kind of runners gather there and what kind of training menus are provided? And what is the attraction for participating runners? Members of HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB♡ visited the launch event that marks the beginning of this community!
The venue for the launch event was a huge warehouse on the Tokyo Bay coast.
The launch event of "adidas Runners of Tokyo" was held in a huge warehouse in a certain part of Tokyo's bay area. HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB♡ members arrived at the venue and snapped a commemorative photo wearing matching T-shirts with the "adidas Runners of Tokyo" logo in the background. The "adidas Runners of Tokyo" logo looks pretty cool.
From left to right, HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB ♡ Director Enomoto (writer), club member Mayu (office worker), club member Lisa Lisa (office worker), and deputy director Yamamoto (HOUYHNHNM's deputy editor).
But why is a running event held in a warehouse? I wondered, and when I proceeded inside, I found ......
A large number of runners in dim lighting!
Of course, everyone was wearing running shoes by Adidas.
By the way, the members of HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB♡ were only told to come because "there is a running event coming up ♡" and were not told the details of the event. What on earth is going to take place here? Well, since it is a running event, I guess running is running. ......
For the time being, the members of HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB ♡ will also follow behind the group of runners and wait for the event to start.
The judges for the main event were those Olympic athletes!
After a few moments, the emcee took the stage to the accompaniment of loud background music and announced the opening of the event. An overview of this event was presented.
According to the moderator's explanation, after everyone first did a "workout" and a "warm-up run," a "team running battle" was to be held in this warehouse. It is not just a speed race, but more like an obstacle race, with jumping, bouncing, and lifting heavy balls up and down at various points. Hmmm...I guess it is not an endurance type race where you have to run 5 or 10 km, but one where instantaneous force is required.
And the winning team of the team running battle will receive the latest running shoes from adidas, and the runner with the most memorable performance during the race will be invited to the Boston Marathon 2017 for free. What? The Boston Marathon? HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB♡ members are suddenly very excited to hear that. The Boston Marathon is one of those events that runners from all over the world long to run someday. We want to be chosen as "the runner with the most memorable performance," let alone win the marathon! And I want to go to the Boston Marathon♡!
The runner with the "most memorable performance during the race" goes to.
Kayoko Fukushi is the top runner in the Japanese women's marathon and competed in this year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics! We have to show our best effort for her in the team running battle.
Hard, hard, hard! A tough workout by a devilish coach from Berlin.
So, we started with the first menu, the "workout". We did some circuit training things, such as doing thigh raises and squats on the spot to the movements of the "adidas Runners of Berlin" running coach and captain, who lectured on the stage. ......
This is harder than I imagined! And it takes longer than expected (laughs). After completing the entire menu, I thought that was the end of it, but then I heard a voice saying, "Yes, next! I thought I was done with my workout, but then the next menu started again at ....... The workout lasted more than 20 to 30 minutes, and all the members were already exhausted from the hard workout on the muscles that they do not usually use for running.
The pace was too fast to be considered a warm-up. It was all I could do to keep up with the pace!
Once the workout was over, we went outside for a "warm-up run. Led by a pacer, we decided to run about 3 km on the surrounding road.
Since this was supposed to be a "warm-up run," I thought it would be a leisurely jog pace, but the pace was unexpectedly fast! The pace was so fast that it was not just a warm-up run, but a heart-pumping run, and it was all I could do to keep up with the pace. I could sense the seriousness of the adidas Runners of Tokyo in their commitment to running.
The "Running Battle of the Teams" has finally begun. How did it turn out?
Next, the main event of the day, the "Running Battle of the Teams," will begin.
Take me to the Boston Marathon ♡" Mayu and Lisa Lisa are very motivated. Will they be chosen as the "Most Memorable Runner"?
Then the "running battle between teams" began!
As mentioned earlier, this "Running Battle between Teams" is a so-called obstacle race, in which runners run with a kind of paratrooper on their backs that is provided along the way, or ......
Raising and lowering a heavy ball filled with water or ......
You have to go over the ropes laid out in the shape of a ladder while taking the prescribed steps. ......
You can wrap something like a rubber band around your leg and do a repetitive horizontal jump. ......
The participants had to complete each of the various attractions as they linked their tasuki (a sash) to each other. This was also quite hard, and I had to work hard on muscles that I do not use in my daily running (I suffered severe muscle aches the next day).
Unfortunately, as a result, we were not able to win the race, nor were we selected as the "runner with the most memorable performance," but it was different from our usual running and racing, and we enjoyed it in a game-like way.
This is a shot from the award ceremony. The winning team looks great.
Run for Beer! The after party was a great success.
After the "Running Battle of the Teams," the after-party started directly after the event!
All the participants toasted together, surrounded by pleasant music and light. Many runners were seen actively communicating with each other. Even runners who have never met each other before can quickly become friends because they share the common language of "running.
Of course, we also promised to be there!
This is what I'm talking about. It is the best drink after a workout. It soaks into the five and six internal organs.
The "adidas Runners of Tokyo" launch event ended with a great deal of excitement. The event was a great success, and the event was a great opportunity to see how serious adidas is about running, and to experience the potential of adidas Runners as a running community, which has been developed globally and finally arrived in Japan. As a runner, I can't help but have high expectations for future developments.
Connect with the run. Runs spread. A new community begins here.
The "adidas Runners of Tokyo" will be based at the adidas Brandcore Store Shibuya, adidas RUNBASE TOKYO, and SteP SPORTS Shinjuku store, and in addition to running sessions three times a week, will also provide runners who are highly conscious about running with We provide high-level programs. In addition to running content, the program also offers dietary advice and fitness programs to support runners from all angles. The number of locations is scheduled to gradually expand from 2017 onward.
Becoming a member of this community and participating in events such as running programs is free of charge! Members can also connect with adidas Runners members in Japan and around the world through events.
Details on the schedule of running sessions and how to register as a member can be found on the website below, so please check it out, whether you are a regular runner or a beginner who wants to start running!
