Amid thousands of elite athletes contesting the 39th Melbourne Marathon was a band of determined nuns who used the event to raise much-needed money for the city’s Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

A nun will be hanging up her sneakers after spending 10 years running to raise money to help refugees who arrive in Australia.

Sister Rita Malavisi, who has volunteered at Melbourne’s Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for more than 15 years, has dedicated herself to helping asylum seekers through the ‘Run 4 Refugees’ by participating in the 10km event.

In all 500 athletes of varying abilities signed up to for the run – taking part in the 10-kilometre, half and full 42-kilometre events.

But for Sister Rita, it would possibly be her final athletic endeavour.

A recuring knee injury will likely make her 10th ‘Run 4 Refugees’ her last.

Awaiting the starter’s gun she displayed few pre-event nerves instead channelling Sister Mary MacKillop.

“Never see a need without doing something about it. The need is to raise funds for asylum seekers and that’s what I’m doing here today,” Sister Rita told SBS World News.

Sister Rita’s dedication to the refugee cause extends beyond the annual run.

For 15 years she’s volunteered in the food bank at Melbourne’s Asylum Resource Centre, providing much-needed support for new arrivals.

“Our people who are seeking asylum in this country are doing it much, much tougher and it’s about raising the money, but it’s about raising the awareness, it’s compassion, it’s to know that people are being treated with dignity and respect,” Sister Rita said.

And for the daughter of a Syrian, the events of the past six years have added yet another layer to her passion for the cause.

“It breaks my heart to know what’s happened to my mother’s place of birth and to see war continue to be there,” Sister Rita said.

But with a throbbing knee and an enormous heart, Sister Rita persevered enroute to the MCG finish line.

It may not have been “record time” but the “nun-on-the-run” made it across the line in a little under two hours – even shelving “retirement” plans.

“I said I was going to retire but I reckon I’ll go for number 11,” Sister Rita said.

The ‘Run 4 Refugees’ raised more than $200,000.