Sri Chinmoy Mara-Fun Relays

Centennial Park Sydney

Run the classic marathon distance solo or in relay in idyllic parklands.

A unique event combining teamwork, camaraderie, fitness and fun
Superb venue: Australia's most famous park in the heart of the city
Run 42.2km solo or combine in relay with friends, family or colleagues
Enjoy the groves and ponds of the parklands
Refreshment station with water, sports drink and fruit every 2km
Electronic chip timing with full splits for every leg
Friendly, supportive atmosphere ideal for first-time solo marathoners
Each team determines its own running order and rotation strategy
Abundant divisions and categories
Full post-event pancake breakfast for all

About the event

Yes, a marathon can be fun!

The Sri Chinmoy Mara-Fun Relays in Centennial Park, Sydney will be staged for the 5th time on Sunday 20 October in 2024. Runners cover the full 42.2km marathon distance solo – or in relay teams of 2 to 4 members.

Enjoy the thrill of completing the marathon with family, friends or colleagues.

NOTE THE EARLY START TIME

Both the Solo Marathon and Relay Mara-Fun will commence at 7am, with Registration (number and baton collection) from 6am to 6.45am alongside the McKay Sportsground, near the Robertson Rd Gates.

Free parking is available anywhere along Grand Drive, within Centennial Park.

ONLINE ENTRY WILL OPEN HERE AT 8AM ON WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH 2024.

Previous results

Distance

42.2km
View course map »

Start time

  • 7am

Cost

  • Before 7pm, 20 Sept: Solo Marathon $47; Relay Teams $120
  • Before 5pm, 18 Oct: Solo Marathon $70; Relay Teams $160
  • On the day: Solo Marathon $90; Relay Teams $200

Contact

Prachar Stegemann
0404 071 327
Send Email

Award categories

  • Awards for Solo Runners: 1st 7 Under 50; 1st 3 50-59; 1st 2 60-69; 1st 70+ (all M & F)
  • Medallions for all Solo Marathon finishers
  • Awards for 1st 3 All-Female, Mixed and Open Teams (all ages), and 1st team 50+ & 60+

Divisions and Categories

Solo Marathoners

Solo Marathoners will race in the following categories:

  • Solo Male and Female Under 50
  • Solo Male and Female 50-59
  • Solo Male and Female 60-69
  • Solo Male and Female 70 and Over

Relay Team Divisions

Relay teams will race in three Divisions:

  • All-Female
  • Mixed (to qualify as a Mixed Team, a minimum of 5 relay legs must be completed by female team members)
  • Open (includes all-male, and mixed teams with less than 5 legs completed by female team members)

Relay Team Categories

Each of the three Divisions contains three Categories:

  • All ages
  • All-Over 50
  • All-Over 60

The Course

The course is a 4km loop exploring the ponds and groves of Centennial Park's southwestern precinct. Registration and the start/finish area is alongside the McKay Sportsground.

View the course map

The full marathon comprises 10 full loops and one partial (2.2km) loop – 11 legs in total. The partial (2.2km) leg will be run first, followed by the 10 full (4km) loops.

Relay Rules and Protocols

Each Relay Team may include 2, 3 or 4 members.

Each Relay Team must nominate a Team Name and a Team Captain on the online entry form.

Mixed Teams may contain any ratio of male and female members, however to qualify as a Mixed Team a minimum of 5 relay legs must be completed by female team members.

Each team will collect its team baton and individual runner chest numbers from the Registration marquee between 6am and 6.45am. Every team runner must wear the team race chest number on the front of their clothing throughout the race. Race belts are permitted.

The timing chip is attached to the relay baton. Each team runner must carry the baton whenever they are running, and hand the baton to the next team runner within the designated baton change-over zone.

The baton must be exchanged at the completion of every loop. No relay runner may run consecutive legs.

Each relay team member must complete a minimum of one leg, and may complete up to 6 legs.

The order, rotation of members and number of legs to be run by each team member is entirely up to the team.

Each team is responsible to record the names and sequence of relay runners on a form which will be issued at Registration, and to return this form with their timing baton to the Registration marquee upon completion of all 11 laps.

There will be a $20 fee for the non-return of any baton or timing chip.

Course Records

Solo Male Under 50: 2:50:22 – Jody Wall (21/10/2018)
Solo Male 50-59: 3:08:11 – Soonchul Shin (27/2/2022)
Solo Male 60-69: 3:25:01 – Victor Correa (21/10/2018)
Solo Male 70 and Over: 5:23:30 – Ray James (20/10/2019)
Solo Female Under 50: 3:21:18 – Sarah Hately (20/10/2019)
Solo Female 50-59: 3:43:14 – Vicki Jeffreys (27/2/2022)
Solo Female 60-69: 4:49:02 – Jane Trumper (27/2/2022)
Solo Female 70 and Over: (not yet claimed)

Fastest leg Solo Male Under 50: 15:47, Jody Wall, (21/10/2018)
Fastest leg Solo Male 50-59: 17:18, Soonchul Shin, (27/2/2022)
Fastest leg Solo Male 60-69: 17:29, Victor Correa, (21/10/2018)
Fastest leg Solo Male 70 and Over: 25:55, Ray James (20/10/2019)
Fastest leg Solo Female Under 50: 18:27, Sarah Hately, (20/10/2019)
Fastest leg Solo Female 50-59: 20:47, Vicki Jeffreys, (27/2/2022)
Fastest leg Solo Female 60-69: 23:31, Jane Trumper (27/2/2022)
Fastest leg Solo Female 70 and Over: (not yet claimed)


Relay Teams

All-Female Team Under 50: 2:45:22 – "HURTs Girls" (Greta Truscott, Ruth Wilde, Sonya Van Beek), (21/10/2018)
All-Female Team All Over 50: 3:32:54 – "Rejoov Zebras" (Susan MacCallum, Cathy Rowney, Mary Stringer, Lisa Studencki), (20/10/2019)
All-Female Team All Over 60: (not yet claimed)
Open Team Under 50: 2:23:17 – "Sota Maehara YouTube Squad" (Chris Gatt, Sota Maehara, Patrick Bleasel, Aran Sandrasegaran), (27/2/2022)
Open Team All Over 50: 2:50:44 – "The Run Squad Vintage Boys" (Adrian Kotzen, Brad Sharp, Gerard Walsh, Warren Williams), (20/10/2019)
Open Team All Over 60: 2:55:07 – "The Sizzling Sixties" (Tetsundo Kato, Jose Carvalho, Kieron Blackmore, Mike Morrissey), (27/2/2022)
Mixed Team Under 50: 2:38:58 – "The Forrest Gumps – TRS" (Keith Broadfoot, Amy Lam, David Mizrahi, Sara Rathborne), (20/10/2019)
Mixed Team All Over 50: 3:04:48 – "Change of Plans" (Louise Arnott, Ron Schwebel, Robyn Basman), (27/2/2022)
Mixed Team All Over 60: 3:26:32 – "Beauty and the Beast" (Donna Drew and Glenn Dewhurst), (20/10/2019)

 

Relay Leg Records

Fastest leg for a Male Under 50 team runner: 12:54, Daniel Carson ("Two tortoises and a hare"), (15/10/2023)
Fastest leg for a Male Over 50 team runner: 15:22, Gerard Walsh ("Run Squad Vintage Boys"), (20/10/2019)
Fastest leg for a Male Over 60 team runner: 15:02, Jose Carvalho, ("The Sizzling Sixties"), (27/2/2022)
Fastest leg for a Female Under 50 team runner: 14:50, Isabella Natale ("the tachyarunthmics"), (15/10/2023)
Fastest leg for a Female Over 50 team runner: 17:04, Louise Arnott ("Change of Plans"), (27/2/2022)
Fastest leg for a Female Over 60 team runner: 19:18, Donna Drew ("Beauty and the Beast"), (20/10/2019)