The early morning started off overcast, breezy and cool: just perfect for running.

The Sri Chinmoy Mara-Fun Relays offers a rare opportunity for runners – whose sport is usually an individual, and sometimes lonely pursuit –  to experience the joys of a team sport.  To ensure the whole team stays alert and involved, the baton must be exchanged after the completion of every 4km lap.

Excitement was high throughout the event, with lots of joy and smiles at the changeover points, led by a sizeable contingent of Japanese teams, who would surely get the prize for the most enthusiastic supporters, closely followed by a smaller Korean squad. Every team runner was spotted from afar, and met with cheering aplenty, congratulations and a warm jacket to don while they awaited their next stint.

Some family teams started with the youngest running the first lap, followed by another one or two laps thereafter.

All the while that the relay teams were switching from this runner to that runner to this runner to that, the solo marathoners were peeling off lap and lap after lap… It was pleasing to note that several solo runners chose this event to complete their first marathon, while a few have completed over 400 marathons!

Our special thanks to stand in Race Director, Amalendu Edelsten, who flew down from the Sunshine Coast to oversee proceedings and support the runners.