Gritti, the revolutionary social fitness company, has launched its Global Running Infinity Tour (GRIT), a series of online and offline running events around the world. Headlining the tour is the world’s first ‘Metathon’, which will allow runners from all walks of life to enjoy metaverse-based running events curated by Gritti in parallel with prominent live marathon events such as the Abbott World Marathon Majors (Boston, Berlin, Chicago, London, New York, Tokyo).
With an estimated market value of over US$500 billion, the marathon and sports industry is a major building block of the global economy. Gritti’s Metathon is set to democratize participation in marathons, which have historically had a very high barrier to entry. Notably, the ticket cost of entering into one of the “Six Major” Marathons can be well over US$3,000 per runner, and the need for qualifying times leaves many amateur runners unable to participate.
With Metathon, Gritti will significantly lower entry barrier for all runners and create many inclusive and community-driven marathon events globally. Runners who may have previously been unable to participate in marathons due to physical, financial, or logistical limitations can now join the community, perform their best, and celebrate their accomplishments with others.
Metathon contestants will be given the opportunity to earn the inaugural NFT Medal (Soulbound) as well as a physical medal as a representation of their amazing accomplishments. This convergence of digital and physical worlds exemplifies Gritti's mission to connect web2 and web3.
The NFT medal is a soulbound NFT with a Gritt twist.
It is transferrable: instead of owners not being able to transfer the NFT medals, we link each NFT medal to the original mint wallet so as long as you prove ownership of the original mint wallet, all in-app utilities associated with the NFT medal (to be announced soon) will still be valid even if the NFT medal is no longer held by the user. Why should anyone restrict your ability to show off your medal in the digital realm?
It is irrevocable: instead of issuers having the ability to revoke ownership or certain privileges associated with soulbound NFTs, Gritti’s NFT medals are not revokable. It will record important running stats such as event categories, completion time, segmented pace stats, and rankings; so all your achievements will be recorded on-chain.
Why is this important?
Ensuring the authenticity, traceability, and tamper resistance of sports data are of paramount importance in the marathon industry. Currently, marathon organizers rely on the data certification of the athletics association and the timing chip service provider for offline events. However, Gritti believes that the future of the industry lies in the integration of blockchain technology. Using Metathon Tokyo as a test case, with many more events to follow, Gritti is set to transform the marathon and sports industry and cement its position as a leader in sports technology innovation.
Medal Designs
One of the most unique aspects of the event is the design of the NFT medal that combines two of Tokyo’s most famous mascots, the Maneki-Neko and the Daruma doll.
The Maneki-Neko is a common cat-shaped lucky charm that symbolizes wealth and fortune in Japanese culture, while the Daruma doll is a traditional Japanese doll that is believed to bring good luck and wish fulfillment. The medal’s design also features a circuit board, which represents web3 roots but is also a nod to Japan’s technological advancements and its reputation as a leader in innovation.
The design process for the medal was a collaboration between Gritti and MUA Dao, a leading creative collective. This collaboration ensured community involvement in while also traiditional Japanese culture and values. We are focused on making Grittizens global but also local.
“At Gritti, we believe in the importance of bringing people together for a shared goal, the Metathon is no exception as we’re thrilled to offer participants a first-of-its-kind NFT medal that combines two of Tokyo’s most famous mascots,” said a spokesperson for Gritti.
The Gritti Metathon is set to take place between March 5-18, and early bird registration is now open. Running enthusiasts from around the world are invited to join the race and become part of the running revolution.
For more information about the Gritti Metathon, visit:
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Company Name: Gritti
Contact Person: Emma Zhang
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Website: https://www.gritti.io/
