Adidas launches first city running store in Tokyo with race dictated by traffic data
Adidas Japan and TBWA\Hakuhodo created the Green Light Run Tokyo to celebrate the opening of the Brand Core Store Harajuku, the brand's first store focused on city running.
The run offered the opportunity to complete a full marathon (42.195km) through Tokyo, with the pace being dictated by data from traffic signals. Tokyo has 15,772 traffic signals, must higher than New York or London, making it impossible to complete an uninterrupted urban run.
The urban race through the streets of Tokyo was brought to life with traffic data provided by the police, and taking traffic light patterns, distance, timing and safety into account.
The route showcased landmarks such as Asakusa, the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower.
The marathon was held from midnight to dusk, with 30 runner selected from 180 applicants across the country. The runners were tracked and alerted when they were in danger of missing the next green light. The rule, “Get Stopped, Get Dropped,” required runners to keep up to a fast pace, with those stopped by a red light being eliminated from the race.
