Top 5 marathon events in India

From Tata Mumbai Marathon to Pinkathon, get to know the top 5 marathon events that are held annually in India.

As the winter season starts to roll around and the dawn of the new year creeps in, sprinters all across the country tie their laces, fill up their water bottles and descend to the streets in order to get their running juices flowing. Running as a fitness activity is quite underrated. Not only does it engage all the major muscle groups, it also pushes the body’s cardiovascular system to its limit and improves oxygen consumption.

Long-distance running and marathons are becoming increasingly frequent and popular in India and gaining widespread acceptance. Such marathons end up being a gruelling test for the participants and each year, hundreds and thousands of budding runners take part in order to examine their fitness levels.

But which are the top five marathon events in India and where are they held? Let’s find out:

Tata Mumbai Marathon

The Mumbai Marathon got underway in 2004 and it has been the most popular marathon in India ever since. It was earlier known as the Standard Chartered Mumbai International marathon before a change in sponsorship in 2018 saw the Tata Group becoming the principal sponsors and the marathon being called Tata Mumbai Marathon.

It has become an annual event and is held on the third Sunday of January. Held in the financial capital of the country, it offers a collective prize pool of $405,000 and is by far the most lucrative race in India. The event, which is held in six different categories, ends up attracting nearly 40,000 participants and a large number of Bollywood and international celebrities and sport stars also become involved with it.

Ladakh Marathon

The Ladakh Marathon, as the name suggests, is held in the capital of Ladakh, Leh. It is easily one of the toughest marathons in India. Leh is situated at 3500m above sea level which makes breathing difficult and even tourists and residents have to spend a few days in order to get acclimatized to breathing in that altitude. While surviving and going about work normally in Leh is arduous enough, running a marathon is one of the most challenging situations there is. The event is held in four categories, including a Ultramarathon which takes pace in Khardung La and involves a distance of 72km.

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon

The Delhi Half Marathon is also very old like the Mumbai Marathon and it began in the year 2005. For the first two races, the event was sponsored by Hutchinson Essar and Vodafone sponsored it in 2007 and 2008. Since then, it is known as the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and is held in the month of November. It goes without saying that the marathon hosted in the capital of the country is arguably the most prestigious one in India after the Mumbai Marathon. The Delhi Half Marathon also has four different categories and also includes a Wheelchair Race for 3.5 kms.

Goa River Marathon

The Goa River Marathon is one of the most scenic and gorgeous marathons in India. It is held every year alongside the picturesque Zurai River. National Geographic recognises the Goa River Marathon as one of the Great 10 Marathons in the world and it is also held in four different categories.

Pinkathon

Pinakthon is a special marathon that is specifically held for women. It is organised by Maximus and Mice Media Solutions and is an initiative taken by the United Sisters. The Pinkathon is held in nine different cities in India - Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Panipat. The main objective of the marathon is to promote women’s fitness and general health and also to raise awareness about breast cancer. The Pinkathon was founded by Milind Soman and Reema Sanghavi.