Knowing how much I love Super Mario, a friend signed me up last August and helped me unlock my very first road run milestone. I used to think that running was something you only did at the gym or on a track. But once I received the race kit and happily unboxed all the themed merchandise, I realized how appealing road run events have become. No wonder they’re so popular!
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◦ SUPER MARIO First Run in Asia
SUPER MARIO: RUN TO THE GOAL is an officially licensed running event that’s set to take place in major cities around the world — and Taiwan was chosen as the very first stop. From December last year to January this year, the event was held in New Taipei City, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. I joined the Kaohsiung race on January 25.
◦ 5 Highlights of SUPER MARIO
01｜Exclusive Limited-Edition Merchandise
Unboxing the race kit was easily the happiest moment for me! As a first-time participant, I was genuinely surprised by how well-designed and detailed the merchandise was. No wonder road run events are so popular these days — though maybe it also has something to do with this being an officially licensed event? My friend signed up for the NT$1,380 Super Mario package, which included a T-shirt, baseball cap, badge holder, sports towel, crossbody bag, keychain, and race bib. Before the race, participants received a digital runner’s guide, and after finishing, we were given a finisher’s certificate and a medal.
Honestly, while unboxing everything, I kept thinking how incredibly worth it the package was — especially items like the T-shirt, cap, sports towel, and crossbody bag that you can actually use in everyday life. The T-shirt was a moisture-wicking one made by Uniqlo, the cap had a firm, high-quality structure, the towel was highly absorbent, and the crossbody bag had neat stitching with no rough edges at all. It completely shattered my expectation that race kits would be made with just average materials.
02｜Nintendo Switch™ 2 Game Experience Zone
The event was scheduled to start at 6:30 a.m., and I arrived right on time. As soon as I entered the venue, I was immediately drawn to an entire row of Nintendo Switch™ 2 game experience booths — all featuring the latest Mario titles. I was absolutely thrilled! I have to say, Nintendo was incredibly generous. For the more complex stage-based games, each session lasted up to 15 minutes, while the turn-based racing games allowed 5 minutes per round. After finishing, participants could even receive small gifts. It made the waiting feel completely worthwhile — no complaints, just pure fun.
03｜A Route for All Ages
As soon as 7:30 arrived, the first group started right on time.
Since this was a family-friendly fun run, the scene was pretty entertaining — some people were pushing strollers, others were walking their dogs, and for the first stretch, everyone was basically moving at a walking pace. The atmosphere honestly felt a lot like a Mazu pilgrimage procession. It wasn’t until I passed the families and pet groups that it finally started to feel like an actual run.
04｜Plenty of Interactive Photo Spots
The Kaohsiung course was 4 kilometers long, and along the way were many adorable photo backdrops and distance markers. They attracted lots of Mario fans who stopped to take pictures and check in along the route. After finishing the run, the venue also featured many character backdrops. With staff guiding everyone to line up properly, the flow stayed orderly. Honestly, organizing a large-scale event that keeps everyone happy is no easy task.
05｜Fan Meet-and-Greet
The biggest highlight of the entire event was the fan meet-and-greet after the race! Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Yoshi were all there that day. The lucky participants who got to go on stage were chosen through a random computer draw. Even though I wasn’t selected, just seeing the characters I’ve loved since childhood up on stage, laughing and playing with everyone, already made me incredibly happy.
In conclusion, my first-ever road run experience was amazing. Over the past few days, I did some Googling and discovered just how diverse themed runs can be — from Doraemon, to U.S. beef–themed events, to runs combined with cherry blossom season in Nantou. Every single one of them made this newly converted runner feel extremely tempted to sign up again.