Ultramarathons help South Korean archdiocese mark centenary

Published: 2008-04-02

DAEGU, South Korea (CNS) -- More than 200 runners gathered at St. Justin Major Seminary in Daegu for the first of a series of marathons to help the Daegu Archdiocese prepare to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2011. Participants in the March 29 "111 Pilgrimage Ultramarathon," organized by the Daegu Catholic Marathon Club, could choose between a 68-mile route, which needed to be completed within 18 hours, or a 42-mile route, which needed to be completed in 10 hours. To take part in either race, they had to have experience running marathons. Andrew Yoo Soo-sang, the club's secretary, told the Asian church news agency UCA News the series of races not only will mark the archdiocese's centenary but also "open a new era of evangelization." He said the longer course's 68 miles, or 111 kilometers, represented both the 100th anniversary of the archdiocese and the year 2011. The 111-kilometer route passed through sites of religious significance in the archdiocese and ended at the Catholic University of Daegu in Gyeongsan, about 15 miles east of Daegu. The shorter race ended at the Hanti Martyrs' Shrine. Before the races, Daegu Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Cho Hwan-kil told participants involved in the longer course, "Your courage and passion is astonishing -- 111 kilometers is a very long distance to cover." Of 186 runners who chose the longer course, 154 managed to complete it, while 15 of the 17 runners who picked the shorter route finished it.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .