On Running Celebrates Summer Solstice With Global Relay
On Running's 24-hour global relay will cross 24 time zones with help from athletes around the world.
Photo provided by On Running reflects the 24 locations the brand's global relay will visit on June 21, 2018.
24 Time Zones In 24 Hours
Swiss running shoe company On Running announced this week that it will celebrate the arrival of summer with a global relay, a creative way to make the most of the longest day of the year. Starting at 6:30 p.m. in Apia, Samoa, the relay will pass through multiple countries—including On's home base in Switzerland—and 24 time zones over the course of 24 hours before concluding in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Along the way, On's community of professional athletes will share their stories from the road before passing the virtual baton to the next runner.
In addition to serving as a nod to the launch of the summer season, the relay will also recognize the latest addition to the On shoe family with the official launch of its new Cloudace, a shoe that features the brand's Zero-Gravity heel "Clouds." Every athlete participating in the relay will wear a pair of the Cloudaces, including athletes like Olympian Sarah Attar (who will run one of the 24 relay legs in San Francisco, Calif.), On's founder Olivier Bernhard (who will pick up the virtual baton in Zurich, Switzerland) and elite marathoner Jane Fardell (who will take the "running on clouds" theme literally by running her portion of the relay onboard an airplane).
Related: On Running Releases Its Latest Shoe: The Cloudace
The relay will also feature participants who are heavily involved in expanding the running culture within their own communities. First up will be Seti Afoa, the director of Samoa events who has introduced marathons, ultras, running festivals, a weekly run series and more to Samoa's capital. Women in Kathmandu, Nepal's Exchange and Empower Program will later introduce On's relay to the Himalayas. Free to Run's Kabul, Afghanistan chapter will also run with the virtual baton, as will Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Urban Runners.
Each baton pass will represent a new story that shares the ways in which running has impacted the lives of many. To learn more about the global relay and to find the full list of participating runners, visit On's website—or participate by running a leg of the virtual relay yourself and tagging #seriouslyace on social media.
How Much Water Do You Really Need During The Summer Months?
Optimize Summer Hydration With These 5 Electrolyte-Rich Fruits
Editors' Picks: Best Stories of 2022 at Women's Running
Take a Sneak Peek into 'Born to Run 2'
Our 10 Favorite Running Moments from 2022