It’s dark o’clock in the morning and there’s a real chill in the air. Odd shapes loom out of the grey haze then change shape, become solid and turn into humans. Humans clothed in strange fabrics, cut the interesting side of tight, in colours that are usually used to serve as a warning. In the background, slowly emerging out of the darkness, the shape that draws them all presides.

Starting line right in front of Angkor Wat ... if you can see it ...

Quite what the builders of Angkor Wat would have made of 4,000 garish nylon- and latex-garbed visitors running, walking, cycling, rolling and ambling around the park we can only guess. But this weekend, more than 4,000 there will be, here for the Angkor Wat Bike Race and Ride on Saturday morning and the Angkor Wat International Half-Marathon on Sunday morning.

Registration for the marathon events is already closed, but if you want to go and watch those taking part and cheer them on, everybody is welcome to come along. The marathon events start at 06:20 in front of the Angkor Wat Causeway.

Routes past temples, forest, villages and the odd monkey or two ...

More than 550 people are taking part in this year’s bike races and fun-rides, which offer the option of a 100km race, and 17 and 30km fun-rides.

Although the bike race website says that it’s closed, we checked with the event organisers and registration is still possible for those stragglers who’d like to take part in the bike races, which help to raise funds for the local charity Village Focus Cambodia.

Last-minute participants won’t receive the event jersey and T-shirt, as Village Focus have already reached capacity for these, and you will need to secure your own bike rental, but you can still enjoy the atmosphere, fun and sense of achievement that comes from taking part.

Not many cycle race routes like this one ...

The bike races start at 05:45 on Saturday morning, and are a huge hit with past riders, many of whom come back year after year.

Anyone wishing to take part should go to the Village Focus bike race desk in front of Lucky Mall on Sivatha Boulevard this week, and coordinator Hayley Louise Newnham and her team will help them with the process.

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Tags: angkor wat, Angkor Wat bike race, Angkor Wat Half-Marathon, cycling, running