3rd Sunday of January is here and with it comes the Mecca of Indian Running Circuit – The Mumbai Marathon. With a record ~70,000 runners incl many first timers at marathon distance, presenting A-Z of what makes this run unique.
A: Attendance: 14,500 Full Marathoners; Largest marathon (2nd
largest has less than 2,000) in India by a huge margin; Salute to 500 believers
who started this revolution in 2004
B: Babulnath: Mumbai’s oldest Mahadev Temple linked to 12th
century legend; Taking his blessings around 8Km mark in the morning can help keep
the runner strong when returning on the same spot at 36Km mark later in the day
C: Crowd Support: Mumbai Crowd pampers with food, music, sprays,
hi5 (especially with kids) and what not across the run; Marine Drive, Kemp’s
Corner, Shivaji Park, Worli - each has own charisma; Doesn’t get better than
this in India
D: Dream Run: Deemed the smallest distance but the 5.9K has the
maximum impact (quite literally) on society; Seeding point for both amateur
runners (of tomorrow) and charity; Their unique themes and colors are a bonus
E: Expo: With an absolutely world class expo, TMM Expo is a
must-visit for the sheer expanse of running related merchandise on display; The
deep discount with spacious bib collection area makes the experience sweeter
F: Finish Line: Elsewhere, a runner might earn their medal
after 42.2K but not at Mumbai; Must stay geared for almost another Kilometer of
walk before getting the coveted metal in their hands
G: Gold Label: TMM is India’s only World Athletics Gold Label
race at this distance signifying its importance in putting India on the
International Running circuit
H: Humidity: Well forecast says, average of 55% but within few
kilometers itself, this appears much more; Humidity is that hidden challenge
inevitably triggering many-a-cramps through the course of the run unless hydrated
properly
I: Inspiration: Allowing runners to reward their inspiration with
a medal is a strikingly unique aspect taking the race to quite literally beyond
the runners into the larger support community – the backbone for the runners.
J: Jest: Run coz I fa**** / Run, you paid for it / Bhaago
“Uncle”: Take your wittiest banner pick; Year after year, runners’ timings may
have improved steadily but the sense of humor has quite literally gone through
the roof
K: Kenyans (& Ethiopians): Yes, it is
not only the Kenyans; Elite field at TMM continues to be the strongest; Running
alongside African and Indian Olympians for few meters (don’t attempt beyond
that) can be a life-time experience
L: Legends: Runners with >10 Mumbai full marathon finishes
with a special back-bib; If looking for a group at the epitome of endurance and
discipline, it is this; Not just running, leaning on them can give precious
life lessons as well
M: Medal: Unique multi-colored medal, a new introduction and
the first amongst the Procam races; Should make the finish doubly special at
TMM 2026
N: Negative Split: Well as a runner, you have found the source
code of life, if you can comfortably run your 2nd half faster than 1st
at Mumbai Marathon
O: Organisers: Procam – (Singh Brothers) – None of this would have
happened if these folks had not taken the leap of faith in 2004 and continued
to believe in that vision since then; Rs 4000+ Crs running industry in India,
owes it to them
P: Pedder Road: If there is one thing, that stays with a
runner long after the race is completed, it is the seemingly never-ending
upward slope at 34K
Q: Queue: One can’t come to Mumbai and avoid queues. True to
the spirit of the city, runners can expect to find some serious queues to enter
the area, to go to restroom, to drop your baggage, to collect your medal etc.
R: Route: Million dollar question this year with the
inevitable inclusion of Coastal Road; Just like that one year, Sea link was
added to the course and runners have got used to it now; This route (tough as
it may be) will also get assimilated
S: Start: It is one thing to read about 70,000 runners and
another to see those runner crowd at start point; Whether at CST or at Mahim
Reti Bandar, sheer crowd overwhelms most runners; Starting slow and running
own-race helps
T: Temperature: Forecast suggest an average of 25o with
a high of 27o but runners are advised to not get misled; Weather
gods have always had their eyes on this specific date every year and heat will be
pressed on
U: U-Turns: After politics, TMM is one place where U-Turns make
their presence heavily felt; Already boasting of 3+ U-Turns, the new route
might take this upwards of 5
V: Vignaharta: Somewhere near the 26-28Km mark, comes the
famous Siddhivinayak Temple – the resident deity of Mumbai; Do count on his
blessings as things just about start getting “serious” for most amateur runners
at this mark
W: Water: With a fair share of route next to sea, there is of
course no dearth of water outside; However how much water to take inside to
avoid overhydration and dehydration is what moves the needle towards or away
from PBs
X: eXhaustion: Runners know when they expect to hit the wall in
most races but not at TMM; With Humidity, Temperature, Lack of Sleep, Gradients
and much more in glorious interplay, this unpredictability adds to aura of TMM
Y: Yearly Ritual: TMM brings Lay’s
slogan of No One can Eat Just one to running; No matter how much a runner cribs
on race-day, it is difficult to find any takers of Neeraj Chopra’s one-and-done
approach. They always return.
Z: ZZZZ: Sleep is important, but the night before is always difficult,
especially with the 5 AM starts for both half and full marathons; Runners need
to make up for this in days to the event and yes, don’t rely on snooze!!
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