DEFINITELY NOT RUN OF THE MILL

Why travel plans are gravitating towards marathon dates and running is evolving into a movement rather than mere exercise.

- Amin Ali

For many Indians, the travel calendar no longer revolves around long weekends, school vacations, or flight sales. It revolves around marathon dates. What began as a fitness habit, an early morning get together for a jog or run, has quietly become an obsession and one of the strongest, lifestyle, fitness and travel trends today. Having run across landmarks within their cities, runners now plan holidays around races both in India and abroad. At the heart of this movement are the fast-growing running clubs in every major city, which have evolved into hubs for community, networking, and even dating.

Amna Ahmed, captain of Adidas Runners, sees this shift first hand every weekend during her runs around Nehru Park and Lodhi Garden. “Almost 100 people show up for our weekend sessions. People have taken to running in a big way, and they're travelling within and outside India for marathons,” she says. The global marathon circuit has become the ultimate travel goal. “There are six world marathon majors: Boston, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago, and New York City. With Sydney joining soon, it will become seven. We plan our holidays around these races.”

Planning a marathon trip, however, is not straightforward. “It’s not easy to get a spot,” Amna explains. “You need to register in advance and hope you get in through race timings or lottery. Otherwise, you book through a tour operator. The last resort is donating to a charity.” Expenses add up fast. A tour operator's package can cost upwards of ₹1.5 lakh per person for 4 nights trip, while charity entries alone can cross ₹1 lakh. Air tickets, visas, and running gear are extra. Marathon vacations are serious investments.