Some international goodwill passed through Bayfield and Ignacio on Wednesday.

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run stopped in Bayfield, jogged south to a meeting with the Southern Ute Tribal Council, and continued to Durango that evening, then on to Bluff, Utah on Thursday.

About a dozen runners are participating in part or all of this year's four-month run, starting and ending in New York City. Runners stayed Tuesday night in Pagosa Springs and made it to Bayfield about noon. "This is fantastic," said Harita Davies of New Zealand as she stopped for a break Wednesday, enjoying the 60-something degree weather. The runners carry a torch and pass it, relay-style, to their fellow runners throughout the day, so most particpants end up running five to 10 miles a day. People are welcome to join in for a short jog or run with the group for a day.

They met with the mayor and town manager of Pagosa Springs Wednesday morning.

During the first part of the run in April, the Peace Run stopped at schools to let students run with the torch and learn about peace.

Teachers say they enjoy the visits because so much of their history studies wars. "This is a tangible experience for peace," said Natabara Rollosson, a runner from New York City. This year's North American run has participants from France, Australia, New Zealand, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the U.S. and India. One runner is making the entire four-month trip, which went south to Orlando, then St. Louis and Santa Fe before looping through Colorado en route to Tijuana and San Diego. The group will continue north along the California coast to Seattle, then make several stops in Canada. The group should end back up in New York on Aug. 13.

Sri Chimnoy, an athlete and philosopher from India, founded the run 1987 to promote peace, optimism and love. Runs have taken place in 140 countries around the world.

Daily updates are available at www.peacerun.org.