A Chennai-based software solutions provider for registration to events has released an analysis titled Decoding Marathons in India . In the first edition of what it hopes will be a regular exercise, Eventjini looked for answers to some commonly asked questions on organising and participating in marathons by sifting through 1,60,000 individual registration records generated over three years in approximately 500 races across India, about a dozen of which attracted more than 10,000 runners.
Hugh Jones, distance runner and race director of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (since it was first held in 2004), the TCS World 10K, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, says in the foreword that the Eventjini analysis confirms some generally held beliefs on distance running in India, but also calls for a revisit of some assumptions on what is becoming an industry within athletic sports.
Registration to a typical race in India costs about ₹900 and provides ₹ 1,200 as takeaways in merchandise and services to runners (in comparison, the San Francisco Marathon charges $180 per participant). Organisers therefore have to find sponsors to foot the subsidy.
“The fact is that while the road may be free, it takes effort and money to keep the road free of vehicles when you want to focus on running. Obviously, there is a cost-benefit to everything but I will never justify gouging,” says distance runner Sandilya Venkatesh, 42, CEO and founder of Eventjini.
The key hurdles to organising any race in India include sponsorship, which could become easier without subsidies, and permissions and cooperation from local authorities such as the police and the municipal corporation.
Venkatesh says, “When organisers make money, they can open up such events to underprivileged athletes. That is where our nation's greatest sportspersons lie hidden. And to me personally, this is where I would like to see the commerce have most impact.” He wants the analysis to help organisers and sponsors design, market and grow races.
Chennai is among the most popular 'running cities' in India, with increasing numbers of endurance runners, and the Wipro Chennai Marathon attracts participants as a marquee running event. Weekend events, as well as larger and better organised races, are increasing in the city over the ‘running season’ from June to February.
Dividing data
The exercise was not without its challenges. “Each race had a different registration period and there was no way to compare a race that had registration open for six months with a race that was open for six weeks. So, we came up with a way to divide the data into time segments of 20% and then normalised the findings across the segments,” says Sundar K., 36, co-founder, Pranion Technologies, Eventjini's analytics partner.
The analysis finds there are five older runners for every runner in the 20s for the longer 42 km (full) and 21 km (half) marathons, and 61% runners are between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Older runners also return for longer races more consistently. These trends apply to both men and women.
Community awareness and safety are major concerns for runners. Women runners find it unsafe to run pre-dawn, when most runs begin. “Eve-teasing and just plain thuggery are the biggest challenges to running. We can live with the weather and the roads [the absence of pedestrian spaces],” says Venkatesh.
First of its kind
Alongside the analysis, a first of its kind speed chart helps aspiring runners assess their performance with that of peers, divvying them up as 'fast', 'medium' and 'slow' runners for more reliable results. Another chart suggests safe goal-setting for all age groups.
The 'jogging craze' began in the US in the mid-1980s and, today, American running events tot up over 500,000 full marathon participants annually (India, where running is a relatively nascent sport, has about 20,000 full marathoners). Its enthusiasts see distance running leading a fitness revolution in India because it is accessible (‘all you need is a pair of shoes’). The trend has been helped by a rise in disposable incomes matching an increased awareness in fitness, the endorsement of celebrities (Raghuram Rajan, Anil Ambani, Gul Panag, Naveen Jindaland Rahul Bose are distance runners), and the reach of social media (the celebrated selfie at the finish line).
