It is safe to say, if you're a member of the Nepalese elite infantry you are seldom granted a lazy Sunday.
So for nine members of the Royal Ghurka Brigade, the Sydney half marathon wasn't a big stretch.
Damon Grung is a rifleman as part of the Royal Gurkha Brigade, a special Nepalese unit of the Royal British Army,
"We keep doing this back in our barracks so we are doing it in our training so it was a bit easy," he said.
These frontline soldiers were joined more than 12,000 others, but their cause runs well beyond 21 kilometres.
In Nepal's deadly 2015 earthquake, thousands lost their lives and many more lost their homes, including Gurkha veterans.
Chris Hartley runs Gurkha Australia, an organisation that supports Nepalese veterans and their families, honouring them as close allies.
"Our aim is to try and raise funds to rebuild 24 of those veterans houses - 24 of the 1700 [lost]," he said.
"We have seen Gurkha troops stand by Australian soldiers and now it is our turn to stand by."
The Gurkhas were in Australia to take part in joint training exercises with the Australian Army and to run a leadership seminar with school students.
Gurkhas and ANZACS fought side by side in Gallipoli and they've been strong allies since.
Hikmat Punmager is an infantry soldier, who works on the front line for the Royal Gurkha Brigade
He has been in the army for four years, and fought alongside Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
"Our role is to fight with enemies in close quarter combat," he said.
"We are the frontline soldiers yes so this is our main role in the army."
But when soldiers met students, the focus was on camaraderie, rather than combat.
Anna MacGregor is a Year 12 Sydney student who volunteered her weekend to help raise money for Nepalese earthquake victims.
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"A good leader is someone who can stand up for what is right and lead a team in what they do," she said.
"But they are also able to accept other people's ideas and what they think and incorporate it into something they think is a good leadership program."
Ms MacGregor spent the day with dozens of other high school students, including Max Cridland, as they learned about teamwork.
"I really think it's good to help people who don't have the type of opportunities we have and also the Gurkhas do a lot for Australia," Mr Cridland said.
"They do a lot for the Australian Army, so I think this is a really good opportunity to get involved and help them."
But the teachings of this trip weren't solely for the students.
After weeks of joint military training in North Queensland, the Australian and Nepalese soldiers shared what they observed from each other.
Ojasbi Aryari marches in parades as a musician, representing the Royal Ghurka Brigade and the long-time Nepalese serviceman had many things to say about his Australian counterparts.
"It is so impressive and we always love to work with the Australian Army because they are so friendly and so professional," he said.
"I have huge respect for the Australian Army."
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mankowski was just as impressed with the visiting Gurkhas and the many he has encountered over more than a decade in the Australian Army.
"Their enthusiasm is something we learn from them and our values are very similiar, and it's good when soldiers from halfway across the world share the same values," he said.
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