More than 2,000 boys, girls, men and women made a healthy decision on Sunday morning by participating in the marathon the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University had conducted. Showing the green flag for their decision was the University Vice-Chancellor K. Ramasamy at the stadium.
The 1,200 boys (less than 18 years old) from various schools were the first among the participants to run.
Awareness
The fourth year B.Tech. Energy and Environment Engineering students had organised the Ecofest marathon to create awareness on energy and environment-related issues, said R. Mahendran, Assistant Professor, Bio Energy.
In the men (over 18 years of age) category, 400 persons participated.
In the women (over 18 years of age) category, 100 participated.
In the girls (less than 18 years old) category 350 persons had participated.
Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, a third year engineering student, said that he participated in the marathon to reply to his elder brother who teased saying he would not be able to complete the nine km run.
“His taunt kept me going till the finish line,” he said and added that the larger picture, of course, was to run for environment.
S. Darshini, a class X student, said that she participated to experience a marathon. And, the absence of special class only helped.
The men runners started from the university stadium, passed through Periasamy Road, D.B. Road, Cowley Brown Road, Thadagam Road, Alagesan Road, Venkitapuram, Saibaba Colony and returned to the starting point to complete nine km.
Those who ran for seven and five km did not touch Venkitapuram and Saibaba Colony, said Mr. Mahendran, adding that the runners had to pass through rope points to collect threads and present the same at the finish line so as to ensure that they ran on the right path.
Drinking water
At the rope points the university had placed its volunteers. It also stationed them at five places to provide drinking water.
On the marathon pathway, the Coimbatore City Police regulated traffic and guided the runners.
The university honoured first prize winners Rs. 4,000 and certificates, second prize winners with Rs. 3,000 and certificates and third prize winners with Rs. 2,000 and certificates. Assistant Commissioner of Police R. Suresh Kumar, who was present at the start of the marathon, later gave away the prizes.
Source : The Hindu
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