THE Rexona Suva Marathon continued its growth yesterday, attracting about 1,200 runners across its different events.
Suva Marathon Club timekeeper and race official Ed Hawkes said participants came from across Fiji, with runners from Suva, Sailevu and the West, as well as several international entrants.
The event featured a 42-kilometre marathon, 21km half-marathon, individual 10.5km event and a team event involving four runners.
In the team event, the times of all four runners completing the 10.5km course are combined to determine the overall placing.
Hawkes said the Suva Marathon began in 2013 when a group of volunteers wanted to create one of the biggest running events in the Pacific.
He said the event had continued to build over the years and reaching 1,200 participants was a significant achievement.
Hawkes said the marathon was not just about winning or running fast, but also about encouraging people to enjoy the outdoors and stay active.
“We want people to come out, enjoy the beautiful Suva and the outdoors,” he said.
He said the supportive atmosphere was one of the highlights of the event, with spectators cheering runners along the course and food and prizes adding to the experience.
Hawkes encouraged more Fijians to take up running and participate in future events.
He said the Super Marathon Club also hosts the Namosi Challenge in June, giving runners another opportunity to get outdoors and improve their fitness.
“It’s just great to be outdoors and celebrate getting fit,” Hawkes said.
