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Thailand’s cultural Marathon, ING Thailand Temple Run on March 19, 2005
The race course leads through the idyllic countryside of rural Thailand past Buddhist temples, through coconut and banana plantations, rice paddies and typical Thai villages
2005-03-08
The Thailand Temple Run is a member of AIMS, the worldwide organisation of international running events.It is one of over 200 events in 70 countries represented by AIMS. We would like to present this race to you - maybe you will be their guest next year at the race, getting to know a different culture, the country, and its people.
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In its fourth edition, the race which offers a Marathon, Half Marathon and a 10.5 k Fun Run is a relative newcomer on the international running scene and still somewhat of a secret among runners.
Beautiful location
The ING Thailand Temple Run is held in the picturesque location of Samut
Songkram province approximately 85 kilometers outside Thailand’s capital
Bangkok.
The race course leads through the idyllic countryside of rural Thailand past
Buddhist temples, through coconut and banana plantations, rice paddies and
typical Thai villages.
Traditional bands
Along the course more than 15 Thai traditional bands perform and motivate the
runners making the ING Thailand Temple Run a true cultural marathon.
The start and finish area is located within one of the more than 300 temples in the province and a traditional Buddhist opening ceremony will be conducted there by the abbot of the temple.
ING new title sponsor
Thanks to the new title sponsorship agreement with ING the race has experience
a big boost locally and internationally. ING already sponsors among others the
New York City Marathon and the Amsterdam Marathon. For this year organizers
expect more than 2000 runners including more than 300 foreign runners from 25
different countries.
Thailand’s elite expected to shine
Among the 2000 runners will be all of Thailand’s elite runners including
Boonchu Chandecha, runner-up at last year’s Bangkok Marathon with a
personal best time of 2:22 hours, Southeast Asian 5000m champion Boonthung
Srisang and last year’s ING Thailand Temple winner Jirasak Sutthichart.
No foreign elite runners will be invited as the organizers want to focus on
local elite runners.
Wheelchair athlete on world record bid
An elite athlete of a different kind is William Tan from Singapore. He will be
the first wheelchair athlete ever to compete at the ING Thailand Temple
Run.
William Tan is on a bid to become the first wheelchair athlete to complete seven marathons on all seven continents and to gain entry into the Guinness Book of Records.The former Paralympian who is also a doctor wants to raise money for child cancer treatment.
New safety standards for Thailand
One of Austrian race director Raimund Wellenhofer’s main objectives for
the race is to set new standards in course safety, water station set-up &
course marshalling in Thailand.
Driven by that objective the ING Thailand Temple Run is the only marathon in Thailand which has a medical team on site and a traffic free course. With a strong vision for the future the event is set to grow in popularity and importance in Thailand and overseas.
More information on the ING Thailand Temple Run can be found on
web: www.thailand-temple-run.com
email: raceinfo@thailandmarathon.org
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