The Hello Kitty Run road race boom combines with the immense popularity of Kitty

 

This limited-edition Hello Kitty RUN, themed around the global debut of “The Power of Sweet” by the “Sweet Queen” Hello Kitty, is scheduled to take place on January 11, 2014 (Saturday) at 6:00 AM at Dajia Riverside Park and Taipei Children’s Amusement Park. The 5-kilometer course attracted 12,000 runners from both Taiwan and abroad, all starting their sweet run alongside Hello Kitty.

On the day, in addition to Hello Kitty and her A-list celebrity friends making appearances, the event also featured Taiwan’s triathlon godfather Lai Hsiao-chun, polar running queen Lin Fang-chen, activity ambassador Sasa who was running her first ever race, as well as children from the Child Welfare League Foundation and families from the Lishin Shelter. This symbolized that whether you’re a pro, a beginner, a child, or a family, everyone was there to sweat it out and spread this positive energy across the world.

 

Sasa, herself a huge Hello Kitty fan, dressed up in a sporty yet sweet style to match Hello Kitty’s vibe, even topping off her look with a large bow in her hair, looking especially adorable and dreamy. This also showed how the run attracted many Hello Kitty fans, reigniting the passion for exercise among those who usually aren’t very active. Sasa mentioned she not only snapped up tickets the moment they went on sale but also gathered many friends to join in the fun.

Lee Ming-hsun, General Manager of Sanrio Taiwan, said: “This run is of great significance as it’s the world’s first. Department heads from Sanrio branches in eight countries around the globe came to observe. Mainly, Hello Kitty has always had the sweet image of staying in store windows, but we hope this run will bring a lifestyle attitude and message, giving those who have never taken the first step into sports a new breakthrough. That’s a form of sweet power unique to Hello Kitty.”

 

Regarding the high ticket price of NT$1,280, the organizers responded with generous giveaways and carefully planned event details. Sanrio Taiwan announced the long-awaited six-item gift set, and runners will soon receive a beautifully packaged Hello Kitty RUN exclusive six-item gift box. On the day of the event, besides experiencing a semi-professional race-level sports itinerary, participants will also enjoy little surprises from Hello Kitty along the way—like a mysterious token at the turnaround point, and upon reaching the finish line, hot ginger tea and specially made handmade apple-shaped cookies to recharge your energy. More importantly, the organizers also launched a sweet running app, which all runners can download to get the latest updates, as well as access navigation and parking information.

 

Great care was also put into the design of the race route and venue. Choosing Dajia Riverside Park and the Children’s Amusement Park itself symbolizes the streetscape along the Thames River, the hometown of Hello Kitty. The giant Hello Kitty balloon arches at the start and finish lines, along with 10 different Hello Kitty Q&A character cutouts along the route telling little stories about Hello Kitty, all serve to cheer on the hardworking runners. There were also cheer squads at every kilometer, expressing determination through dance and music.

 

The post-race party was also quite lively, featuring recent album-releasing artist Chen Shih-an singing his hit song “The Queen,” dedicated to the sweet queen Hello Kitty; the lead singer of the “Legend of Zhen Huan” theme song “Tears Collapsed,” Yi Fan, also warmed the runners’ hearts with her soothing voice. Additionally, there were multiple lucky draw prizes including round-trip tickets to Japan (including admission to Rainbow Land), iPad Air, mobile phones, and more. At the end, participants could also enjoy the children’s park for free, reliving childhood memories.

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