Led by Chiva-Som Hua Hin and Preserve Hua Hin Group, this year’s Hua Hin Marathon on 11th June attracted runners from across the globe, including world-class athletes, Indian-born Sufiya Sufi and Thailand’s treasured triathlete Tulyatep Uawithya. The pair joined more than 3,000 runners on the starting line to raise funds for the Krailart Niwate Mangrove Preservation Project, which is dedicated to the conservation and regeneration of the last remaining mangrove in Hua Hin.
Both athletes are official ambassadors for the resort as part of the ‘Friends of Chiva-Som' programme, promoting wellness through fitness.
Sufiya Sufi runner, a multi-Guinness World Record ultramarathon champion, made history earlier this year when she completed the nearly 125-mile distance run across Qatar (south to north) ending the gruelling journey at Zulal Wellness Resort, which is operated by Chiva-Som, in 30 hours and 31 minutes - bagging her fourth Guinness world record.
Joining Sufi was fellow ‘Friend of Chiva-Som', Thailand’s triathlete and captain of the Adidas Runners Bangkok team, Tulyatep Uawithya. “I was glad to run in the Hua Hin Marathon as a Friend of Chiva-Som. Chiva-Som’s approach to wellness is about the balance of mind, body and spirit, which can be applied to running, especially marathons. Of course, we need to utilise our bodies to run but also our minds. We have to have determination to reach the finish line. And our spirit is all about enjoying the moment so that we can reach our full potential.”
“I enjoyed running alongside people from around the world as well as the Chiva-Som team. I witnessed first-hand their passion for local and environmental wellness. Hua Hin is a charming seaside town and the marathon brought me close to the locals and nature. The running routes took in tourist attractions such as Hua Hin town, the Khao Tao reservoir and Hua Hin beach at sunrise. I love this type of immersive experience” added Sufiya.
The annual Hua Hin Marathon is a collaboration between Preserve Hua Hin Group, a non-profit organization spearheaded by Chiva-Som Hua Hin to promote awareness and preservation of the environment in Hua Hin, the Hua Hin municipality, Prachuap Khiri Khan province and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The marathon was originally launched to motivate the public to engage in physical fitness for health and longevity; to raise awareness of environmental and social sustainability; and to continue to preserve and develop Krailart Niwate, Hua Hin’s only urban mangrove, as an eco-spiritual tourism centre.