This year’s LONGEST RUN, due to COVID-19, was carried out in the untact manner (photography source. LONGEST RUN homepage).

LONGEST RUN, the LONGEST RUN that changes the world, is an online/offline eco-friendly social contribution campaign Hyundai Motors started in 2016, celebrating the 5th anniversary this year. Participants can use the campaign app to take part in environment protection through running, riding bicycle, etc. This year’s ‘LONGEST RUN’ focused on ‘untact’ in consideration of social distancing due to COVID-19. Let’s look back on the 2020 LONGEST RUN journey that spanned over 5 months; starting from the blazing hot summer to early winter.

The Beginning of 2020 LONGEST RUN, Untact Race

The Untact Race was carried out so that the participants could finish the run at their desire locations.

The ‘Untact Race’ in July kick started the 2020 LONGEST RUN. The Untact Race was carried out from July 3rd to 10th, having participants freely and consecutively run their desired course at desired hour for 10 days, with each run completing 10km. Completing the run was awarded with a mobile certificate and eco-mileage for the distance they cleared. The eco-mileage accumulated with the LONGEST RUN app could be used in the mileage shop; various products like eco-friendly products to Buds Plus, Garmin watch, etc., could be applied for or purchased at discounted prices with the mileage, which was quite popular among the event participants.

The eco runner race package, including a wooden medal, an eco-friendly t-shirt, etc., was provided to paid participants (photography source. LONGEST RUN Instagram).

This year’s Untact Race, which involved over 9,300 participants, was categorized into free participation and paid participation. Applications for paid participations with 10,000 KRW donation were completed in seconds, which showed how popular the 5th LONGEST RUN was. 3,000 paid participants were provided with the eco runner race package, consisted of a wooden medal, a number ticket, an eco-friendly t-shirt, etc., to encourage their participation. All the donation was used to create a children’s running track, which was also produced with recycled materials, to add more meaning to the eco-friendly campaign.

Building Running Tracks with Upcycle Items and Waste Seats & Tires from Automobiles

‘2020 LONGEST RUN’ participants’ donation created this children’s running track in the Seoul Children’s Grand Park.

Untact Race donation was used to create a children’s running track. This running track project was even more meaningful in that it was an enterprise and civil joint project. Not only that, this track was made with waste seats and tires in collaboration with Hyundai Motors and a global recycling consulting firm. 330kg waste seats and 2,100kg waste tires were received from Hyundai Transys then recycled for the project.

Car seats were cleaned and separated before being used for the lower pad for artificial grass in the track as well as the rubber track production while waste tires were used in making the tracks. Rubber chips originally used to make tracks were replaced with pulverized waste tire chips, allowing more than 60% of running track to be produced with recycled materials.

Products from the Untact Fun Race are used to produce upcycle goods (photography source. CUECLYP homepage).

Aside from the aforementioned running track, the LONGEST RUN campaign tried to encourage virtuous cycle of resources and eco-friendly living habits. LONGEST RUN Untact Fun Race banners and other products were also delivered to the upcycle production company so that they could be used to manufacture upcycle products. Using tumblers, picking up trash, etc. also were rewarded with eco-mileage, and the eco mileage shop sold bamboo toothbrush and other upcycle products to encourage use of eco-friendly products.

The End of the Long Journey of 2020 LONGEST RUN, Untact Fun Race

The Untact Fun Race, held at the Seoul Children’s Grand Park, consisted of running with various missions to complete.

After the eco-friendly Untact Race that began in July, on 29th of October, the final event for 2020 LONGEST RUN, the ‘Untact Fun Race’ took place. The concept was about having a picnic in the nature. The event took place in the Seoul Children’s Grand Park; just like the one in July, the untact race was a required condition. The 1st Untact Fun Race took place from October 29th until November 1st while the second race took place from November 5th to 8th, 8 days in total. It was a first come first served reservation system via the LONGEST RUN app. Also, 50~70 people were allowed to take part for each time slot so that it would not get too crowded. About 3,000 people took part in the Untact Fun Race, thoroughly enjoying a new type of no-contact mission run.

The Untact Fun Race limited the number of people who could participate for each time slot to assure that it would not get crowded (photography source. LONGEST RUN Instagram).

When a participant visited the Seoul Children’s Grand park at the applied date and time, the Untact Fun Race start button of LONGEST RUN app was activated, and the race was automatically initiated. It wasn’t just a race; you pressed the start button and then had to go through various points displayed in the map, solve may quizzes and complete AR missions within 60 minutes to get through the whole race, which made the event a lot more fun. Also, getting through all the 20 points in the course awarded the runners with mileage which could be used to apply for prizes in the mileage shop of LONGEST RUN app. All participants were given a small prize at the Seoul Children’s Grand Park distribution center; the commemorative medal was made in an emblem (accessory that could be sewn onto clothing or items), which grabbed many people’s eyes. Those who completed the run also received a mobile coupon for a small snack.

It’s the must-environment era; participate in the healthy ‘movement’ with Hyundai Motors.

The run we did together and separately is over, but the LONGEST RUN isn’t yet. ‘Ionic project,’ which donates saplings depending on the accumulated distance of the participants, just rounded up their forest establishment project and planted 23,000 saplings in the Incheon Cheongna metropolitan no. 2 reclaimed land. How about we all participate in the healthy ‘movement’ with Hyundai Motors in this ‘must environment’ era?