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Runners gear up for multi-city marathon

Last Updated 11 July 2016, 18:41 IST
Runners and fitness enthusiasts will be able to fulfil their love for running as ‘The Great India Run’ is set to kick off on July 17. The 1,480 kilometre run will start from Delhi and Ghaziabad simultaneously and will cover cities like Gurgaon, Jaipur and Ahmedabad before culminating on August 6 in Mumbai.

Fifteen of the best ultramarathoners (any footrace longer than 42.195 kilometres) from India and abroad have been selected for the run, organised by ProSportify. They will pass through six states in the country. On an average, participants will be expected to cover 74 kilometres per day in 21 days, running through highways, traffic and roads with potholes.

While less than a week’s time is left for the run, Metrolife spoke to a few participants to find out how they are preparing for the run and what they expect from it. “I have participated in numerous marathons earlier but this is the first time that I would be running across cities in only 21 days. I am running 50-60 kilometres every day and making sure that I have to acclimatise to different weather conditions because there can be days when it will be too hot and there will be days when it will be raining. But I hope that this event, will help me get a few sponsorships for future,” says 33-year-old Sunil Sharma, a participant from Chandigarh.

However, for Delhi-based participant Ranjana Deopa, the run will not only help her gain recognition as a runner but will also “help the running community to grow”. Deopa has been quite active in the Indian running scene. “Participating in this run makes me feel that I have graduated as a runner now. I will be running from Delhi to Mumbai and this will be challenging in terms of my endurance. However, I hope that the event will create a big move for people to join running,” says Deopa, who won Delhi’s first triathlon this year.

For Arun Bhardwaj, the 567-kilometre George Archer six-day race winner, the event is a perfect platform to “showcase your potential as a runner”. “I have run on various international platforms but this is the first time I will be running in India. The run is going to be difficult, but interesting. Running on the highway with so much noise and pollution is going to be challenging for all participants. It is going to be an inspiration for all those who want to check their capacity for running,” Bhardwaj tells Metrolife.

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(Published 11 July 2016, 15:51 IST)

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