Ekiden de Marseille is a seaside road relay in Marseille, run over the full marathon distance of 42.195 km. Instead of one runner covering the whole route, each team has six relay runners, making the race a shared marathon project rather than a solo effort. The event is organized by OM Athlétisme and is scheduled in mid-November.
The course uses 5 km loops with a longer final leg to complete the marathon distance. Teams may be mixed or single-gender, and runners from different age categories can race together. Each person belongs to one team and runs one leg, keeping the focus on team planning as much as individual pace. Chip timing is used, bibs are handed out by team, and the race follows the ekiden tradition of group effort, team spirit, and fun.