Navy to put city on running map

Half marathon is scheduled to be conducted on November 2. To address this void, the Eastern Naval Command has decided to conduct the inaugural Vizag Navy Half Marathon on November 2 here to be held as part of the Navy Week activities, an official statement from the Navy has said.

With a view to putting the city on the sporting map, the Eastern Naval Command has decided to organise a half marathon. The inaugural Vizag Navy Half Marathon is scheduled to be conducted on November 2 as part of the Navy Week celebrations.

Long-distance running is catching on across India today and many places boast of a marathon or a half marathon. In fact, approximately 180 runs in various categories are being conducted in India in 2015. However, Andhra Pradesh does not boast of any marathon/ half-marathon event to its name.

To address this void, the Eastern Naval Command has decided to conduct the inaugural Vizag Navy Half Marathon on November 2 here to be held as part of the Navy Week activities, an official statement from the Navy has said.

The event will be held in three categories, namely, a half-marathon (21.1 km), 10 km and 5 km. The run is open to all, the people of Visakhapatnam and all other parts of the country and abroad. All the runs will start from Kursura Museum on Beach road and go beyond Kailasagiri ropeway, towards Rushikonda along the coast line and then return via Beach road to the Naval Coast Battery, where they finish. The U-turns for 5 km run is close to VUDA Park, for the 10 km run close to Kailasagiri ropeway and for the half-marathoners close to Yendada firing range. A unique feature for this event is the route for the race. No other event in the country today can boast of a route where the runner is flanked by the mighty roar of the ocean all along the route.

Fund raising

The bib pick up for the race will be held on October 31 and November 1 within the premises of the Kursura Museum. In addition, to encourage the sport of running, fostering greater interaction between Navy and local people and putting Visakhapatnam on the running map of the country, the event will also help raise funds for ‘Sankalp’, a school for special children, set up and run by Naval Wives Welfare Association (NWWA).

The website for the run with all the relevant information about the course, Sankalp, and online registration is available at http://runningandliving.com/our-runs/navy-vizag-half-marathon. On social media the interactive event pages are at https://www.facebook.com/events/264192607118850.