Early on a Sunday morning, thousands of Puducherrians gathered, to run around town and show their solidarity on global warming. The Puduvai Marathon 2010, organised by the Rotary Club of Pondicherry Charitable Trust and Marg Swarnabhoomi, received a whopping response, with around 8500 people “going green to save the earth.”
The enthusiasm was high at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Uppalam where the contest was flagged off.
Marathon numbers, T shirts, caps and saplings were given to participants from 4 a.m., and the marathon was flagged off exactly at 6 a.m. by Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) B. Srikanth. Apart from the registered participants, many others joined the event. They started to run their respective circuits around town, with many managing to finish the marathon. Revenue Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, who also holds the Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio and Director of Tourism P. Mathew Samuel were among the familiar faces who joined in.
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Chairman of the organising committee, Alphonse Ligouri, said that 34 water booths were set up along the circuits, for the convenience of the runners. Five hospitals supporting the event had sent teams to provide medical aid.
The organisers had also insured all the registered participants against any injury they may suffer during the marathon. Around 200 NCC cadets were involved in the regulation of the event. The circuits and the stadium were all cleared of litter soon after the marathon, he said.