Back in 1921 when Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company was established, travelling to the moon was the stuff of fiction, but by the time this well-established firm diversified into the health and nutritional products niche in 1946, the idea of moon travel didn’t sound quite so crazy.
Since then, men have walked on the moon, while on Earth, nutritional advancements in products that help athletes perform better and stay healthier have also blossomed. As a tribute to both outer space and running, the 5th Annual Pocari Sweat Run will climb to new heights, so if your head is in the clouds while your feet are firmly ensconced in running shoes, you can aim for the stars by joining fellow “astronauts” at The Float @ Marina Bay Singapore on 23rd July to run the marathon of the future.
The Details of Your Flight
Can you land on the moon simply by landing on your feet on the Marina Bay course? It’s possible. This event offers everything a runner could ask for: two popular run distances (5k and 10k), the usual amount of high-profile entertainment, fellow competitors eager to show that they can run like rockets, and thematic elements crafted to transport runners from athletes to astronauts without undergoing the effects of zero gravity!
Space age refueling stations dispensing bottles of Pocari Sweat await thirsty runners, and space experts will be on hand to talk about future exploration of space. While your personal lunar expedition may be earth-bound as you run your favourite distance, you’ll want to keep your ambitions and aspirations sky-high as you achieve your personal best goals and acquire your medal.
Make Sure Your Timing is Perfect
Don’t be left off the space shuttle, procrastinators! Early bird promotional registration fees are only available until 30 April so you haven’t much time to get on board. Race registration closes on 1 July or sooner if all slots are grabbed up by athletes eager to compete for cash, bragging rights and more.
Why the moon? For too many reasons to count! Singapore runners are more enthusiastic than most when it comes to a collective eagerness to excel to heights that are far-reaching, so if you show up at base camp on 23rd July, you may be seeking more than just a victory. After all, athletes and astronauts have plenty in common: bravery, an adventurous nature and spirit and who could imagine a single astronaut ignoring his own health and well-being?
There’s More to Celebrate!
Every runner participating in the event helps support Pocari’s Lunar Dream Capsule Project, the culmination of which will come when Otsuka Pharma sends a Pocari Sweat capsule to the moon — literally — in the near future! Why send this product to the moon? Because nothing comes as close to emulating a body’s most critical need for hydration than this perpetually popular beverage among athletes.
Since both runners and astronauts must struggle to stay hydrated while hurtling toward the moon or the finish line, hydration can mean the difference between thriving and becoming ill, and since Pocari Sweat is the closest beverage on Earth and beyond to water, it stands to reason that everyone striving to stay healthy can’t do without it.
But, there’s more at stake here than just staying hydrated: there is a symbolic connection between this race to the finish line and the race to the moon: over the course of the past four Pocari Sweat Runs, competitors collectively covered 300,000 km of distance — that’s 75-percent of the distance to the moon. One of the goals of this race is to help amass the remaining 80,000 km so every participant symbolically helps bridge the difference.
What Can You Expect From This Other-Worldly Experience?
Since every step you take while running is counted toward that goal of 80,000km, you also earn the right to say, “I contributed to a race that amassed enough distance to reach from the Earth to the moon.” Prepare yourself for your run by getting into optimal condition by attending “space training” conducted by the sponsor where you will meet up with fellow space travellers. These clinics will condition your body and your mind for the journey ahead.
Of course, you’ll receive the usual Earthly race entitlements that include a runner’s bag filled with an ASICS singlet, water bottle, 5 envelopes of Pocari Sweat powder, 2 SoyJoy snacks and other surprises. Finish the race and receive an E-Certificate, finisher medal and the chance to win a free trip to Japan. We know what you’re thinking: How come there’s no chance to win a trip to the moon instead? Maybe next year!
Why Should You Participate?
For too many reasons to list here! In addition to becoming part of the Pocari Lunar Dream Capsule Project simply by registering to run this race and being part of the effort to amass that 80,000km, you also assist the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company’s philanthropic efforts, all of which are dedicated to supporting the international healthcare community in as many ways as the moon has craters.
Among the most ambitious of these priorities are supporting patients incapable of paying for their own health care, investing in talented medical students who may someday serve runners on earth and on-board future spaceships, and by developing the products that sustain better health throughout the globe. You know you want to soar. This is your chance to do just that!
So what are you waiting for, sign up for the Pocari Sweat Run Singapore this year and look forward to your contribution of bringing the first beverage to the moon!
