Rotterdam Ekiden

Rotterdam Ekiden is a six-person relay marathon held in Rotterdam's Kralingse Bos, starting and finishing at the PAC Rotterdam athletics track. The team collectively covers the full 42.195 km marathon distance, with each runner completing a fixed leg: 5 km, 10 km, 5 km, 10 km, 5 km, and 7.195 km. This event takes place in July and accommodates mixed-ability teams, as each participant can race a distance suited to their individual level. The start, changeovers, and finish are all located on the PAC Rotterdam track, keeping the relay format central to the event. The Ekiden concept originates from Japan, where runners historically transported important documents between locations; "Eki" signifies place and "Den" means delivery. Rather than a baton, each runner exchanges a tasuki, a sash symbolizing the collective effort to reach the finish line. Participants range from competitive runners to teams prioritizing the event's atmosphere, including colleagues from the Rotterdam Running Ambassadors Business Run and groups participating via Marathons International.