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After suffering the consequences of drinking unsafe water during a surf trip to Indonesia, Joshua Goodson realized the importance of having access to clean water — a basic human necessity lacking in much of the world.
In 2015, Goodson, Jeremy Razonable and Casey Moore — all runners — organized Water for the World Run, an international noncompetitive race series for runners and walkers to raise awareness of the issue. The 5K run/walk will be held for second time in Honolulu on Friday, starting at the Waikiki Shell.
“Every minute a child dies to a water-related disease,” Goodson said. “This fact is preventable and we can do something about it.”
Participants carry a 9-pound bag of water during the race to simulate what it’s like for Third World families who have to fetch water on a daily basis. “The average woman in a developing country walks about 3-1/2 miles to get water and that’s just a little more than the distance of the run,” Goodson said. “Roughly 663 million people worldwide lack access access to clean water. We take things for granted. Water is life.”
Gates open at 8 a.m. for check-in and registration. The run/walk starts at 9 a.m. followed by a dance party with bands, food booths, interactive games and a beer garden from 10 a.m. to noon.
The entry fee is $34.99, which includes a water bag, T-shirt, mini drawstring backpack, sunglasses and other swag. A portion of the proceeds from the event is donated to water.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to safe water and sanitation, and Veterans Without Orders, a nonprofit group that combats the global water crisis by mobilizing military veterans. Go to waterfortheworldrun.org for more information or to register for a run.