The road ahead before the Mumbai Marathon

One thing dreaded by the marathon runners is humidity. Combine that with scorching heat, and what you get is a nightmare.

That is what Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is all about. A challenging course with compelling history and enthusiastic crowds, Mumbai, the third of the four-leg Greatest Race on Earth (GROE), is perhaps the most gruelling of all the venues.

The race categories will be divided into Full Marathon (42.195km); Half Marathon (21.097km); Dream Run (6km); Sr. Citizens’ Run (4.3km) and the Wheelchair Event (2.5km).

It won’t take a punter to place a bet in favour of a Kenyan winning the race on Sunday. And it would not  be a surprise if John Kelai makes the crown his for the third straight time, considering the preparations made by the Kenyan and his popularity here. Kelai has been a winner here since 2005.

“It’s now like my second home. The route is beautiful and challenging. I am not only looking to win the race but also aiming to break the course record as well,” said Kelai as two of his fans from Bali posed for a picture with him.

“I love the people of Mumbai and the way they welcome me. The warmth of the city brings me back here,” Kelai said. “The attacks were very disturbing. But once the organising authorities gave their go-ahead, I didn’t have any problems with running in Mumbai,” he added regarding the Novermber terror attacks.

After starting the race from CST towards Marine Drive, along the Queen’s Necklace, the course becomes fast and flat. It is here where most of the overtaking is expected to happen and the runners try to build up the pace.

Then comes the only incline on the route but it is a tough one. The road climbs up for a distance of around 800m at Malabar Hill, making it a challenge for the runner. The turnaround is at the 23.2km mark at Bandra where the runners crest towards Malabar Hill for  a second time, southward to  the finish.

“The beauty of the route is that while on one hand there is a tough climb at Malabar Hill, there is a gush of fresh air at Marine Drive,” Kelai said.

Talking about the precautions that he would be taking to cope with the humid weather conditions, Kelai said, “The key here is to keep drinking water, unlike in European countries, where there is not much dehydration after the marathon. Here athletes literally stumble once the approach the finish line. The marathon completely drains you out.”

Leading the Indian challenge at the marathon will be Armyman Deepchand Saharan, who aims a top-10 finish despite the fact that he will be running his second gruelling 42.195-km race in two months.

“I want to finish in the top 10. I won the Allahabad Indira Gandhi Marathon in November after setting my personal best time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 21 seconds. I was overall fourth, and the first among Indian runners in the Pune International Marathon”, the 31-year-old runner told reporters on Friday. Indresh Dhiraj will lead the women’s challenge.

Commenting on the Indian performance at the marathon, Kelai said, “What the Indians lack is practice in higher altitudes, which is the most important aspect of becoming an ace marathon runner. Once that area is addressed, it won’t be long to see an Indian at the podium.”

Others to watch out for in the full marathon are be Kenya’s Usisivu Boniface and Kipkorir Japhet Kosgei, Russian Kulkov Oleg and Morocco’s Bouramdane Abderrahime.

The women’s category, again dominated by the Ethiopians and Kenyans, will be spearheaded by Okayo Margaret (Kenya), Gemechu Shitaye (Ethiopia) and Permitina Irina (Russia).