The oceans, which once teemed with life, are today increasingly empty, slowly killed by the tonnes of plastic dumped into the water every year, by the overexploitation of fish populations, unsustainable aquaculture practices, the introduction of non-native species and, of course, by climate change, which has altered their chemical composition. The enormous quantity of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere is rapidly increasing ocean acidity and could soon make the seas uninhabitable for the majority of marine creatures. To help safeguard the oceans and denounce the threat posed by plastic waste, Adidas and Parley for the Oceans, an organisation dedicated to protecting ocean ecosystems, have organised a race that brings together runners from across the world every year.

Runners from around the world united for the oceans

The initiative, called Adidas x Parley Run for the Oceans, which takes place during the month of World Oceans Day, is open to everyone. The aim is precisely to demonstrate how sport has the power to change lives and promote positive action, raising public awareness with every running step.

How to take part in Run for the oceans in Milan

To take part in the Milan edition on 29 June, simply register here. By running at any time during the week, participants will accumulate a number of kilometres that will be added to those covered by all the other runners around the world who are part of the movement.

Motivational audio

To encourage participants and familiarise them with the delicate ocean ecosystem and the strategies to be adopted for its conservation, a dedicated story run has been created by Runtastic. The term "story run" refers to motivational stories to listen to while running, narrated by professional actors, with a specially designed soundtrack, and they have been developed exclusively for Runtastic.

The goal of World Oceans Day

8 June marks World Oceans Day. It was proposed by the Canadian government in 1992, at the Earth Summit held that year in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2008 the occasion has been recognised by the United Nations (UN). In 2018 dozens of events were held: at the UN's Glass Palace in New York, the founder of Parley for the Oceans, which brings together artists from around the world, also took part. One of them, photographer Chris Jordan, made his film Albatross freely available to denounce the devastating effects of plastic on albatrosses.

Adidas and Parley against plastic waste

In 2015 the German sportswear company entered into a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an organisation whose purpose is to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the oceans, in order to combat the alarming phenomenon of plastic waste in seas around the world (which causes the death of 1.5 million animals every year). "Plastic waste is one of the main threats to the oceans," said Eric Liedtke, member of the Adidas board of directors. "Two years ago we demonstrated our commitment to tackling this problem; we managed to carry out some important initial steps aimed at eliminating virgin plastic from our supply chain. But we need to do more. We aim to create a global movement to prevent the oceans from succumbing under the weight of plastic."

Running towards change

A simple, natural and instinctive gesture such as running becomes the means to spread a message of hope, against single-use plastic and with the goal of fostering positive change for the oceans. "Run for the Oceans is a celebration, a moment of reflection, a peace parade," commented Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans, "an opportunity to be aware of every breath we take."