Some 3,000 runners from more than 50 countries and regions took part in a charity race in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos on Saturday.

It was a record-breaking day for the Run for Children Luang Prabang Half Marathon, marking its biggest and most successful edition yet in its 12-year history.

Organized in collaboration with China Daily and the RVi Group, the race began from outside the Royal Palace (National Museum) before dawn.

The streets of the ancient city were soon awash with shades of white, blue and green, proudly carrying the ‘Taleo’, a traditional Lao symbol of protection.

From professional runners to families and young children, the event brought together people of all ages and abilities, with the 7 km fun run proving the most popular, attracting 2,100 runners, followed by 600 in the 14 km race and 300 in the 21 km half marathon.

Run for Children is an annual celebration of generosity, community solidarity and the belief that every child deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of their family's ability to pay. Proceeds from the race go to Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), the only free pediatric teaching hospital in the country, which opened in 2015.

Launched in 2019, China Daily’s “Run With History” has brought races to the ancient cities of Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Luang Prabang in Laos and the island of Bali in Indonesia, combining sporting activities with exploring historic and cultural sites.

Themed “More Than A Run”, this year’s Bali event on Oct 18 featured a 5 km fun run and a 10 km challenge amid the backdrop of Monkey Forest Ubud, a nature reserve and cultural site that is home to more than 1,200 long-tailed macaques and ancient Hindu temples. Some 1,734 runners took part in the run.

READ MORE: More than a run

China Daily’s Adam Lam snapped the moments at various points along the race track.