Rain respite for ultra-runners
The run also saw 475 male and 220 female participants.
Mumbai’s ultra-runners gave it their best shot, as they participated in the 24-hour Stadium Run from June 10 to June 11. The run took place at the University Ground in Marine Lines, with the rains helping out runners in various categories battling tough conditions.
About 695 runners participated in the event in three categories, including 12-hours solo, 24-hours solo, and 12-hours relay on the 400 metres race track. The run also saw 475 male and 220 female participants. With 65 runners set a target to touch the finish line within 12 hours, 30 runners completed it in 24 hours.
Preeti Lala, 42, turned up as the winner of the 12-hour run, completed an enormous distance of 89 kilometres. This was the first time Preeti was running such a marathon and was exulted. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the first podium place,” she says. “I practice yoga everyday in the morning, which helped me control my breathing. This is why I feel I went the distance. Also, the rains were like a blessing to us, as the weather was very humid, and we were feeling dehydrated.”
Into its second year, the event was organised by IDBI Federal Life Insurance. “We saw a great response from the runners of the city despite the weather conditions being so harsh on them. The rain helped our cases a little bit and it was a great experience for the runners,” said Karthik Raman, CMO of IDBI, who also was a participant in the run.
The winner in the men’s running, Chanchal Singh, ran a mammoth span of 105.6 kilometres. “I always try to lead early and then capitalise on it later,” he explained his strategy. “The beauty of ultra running is that there’s no competitive spirit. We all motivate each other and our target is to complete the race.”
To encourage participation in the marathon, the organisers had also planned various promo runs in the city. Sachin Tendulkar, who is the face of the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Marathons in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Spice Coast Marathon, will be present on race day on August 20 for the finals.