A running event at the TCS World 10K had to be cancelled as the participants were diverted in the wrong route and it was too late before it could be corrected.
DHL Corporate Champions run had 309 teams from various corporate houses participating. The organisers directed the runners coming out of Sree Kanteerava Stadium towards Hudson Circle instead of the opposite direction towards M.G. Road. Though the organisers tried to recall the runners and restart the event from the start point in the stadium, it was too late and many had either gone ahead or scattered away.
Rahul Sridhar, one of the participants posted on Facebook, “How do they track the extra miles runners have run for those who restarted? My personal best went down the drain.”
Procam International, organisers of the event, said in a statement that the confusion was created due to the premature moving of the Mojo barricades, at North Gate, to welcome the women athletes completing another run. The organisers announced that the run would be rescheduled within four weeks without any expenses on the runners.
This, however, is not the first time that runners have gone off the track at the marathon. Two years ago, a group of runners had lost the route midway and returned to the venue boarding a BMTC bus.
Water pumped out of stadium
It was a sleepless night for Sree Kanteerava Stadium officials and organisers of the TCS World 10K on Saturday, as they were busy getting water pumped out from the stadium which was waterlogged following the downpour. There was ankle-level water on the runners’ track. BBMP officials and stadiums officials used pumps to drain out the water from the stadium overnight. The stadium was ready for the run by early Sunday morning.
Majja Run
Some had dressed up as their favourite superhero characters such as Supreman and Spiderman while others had dressed up to promote social issues. The 6-km Majja Run saw thousands of participants in quirky, creative costumes. The team Lets Live Together, which promotes cordial relations with all living beings, including stray animals, won the award for the best team in the run.
Plastic bottles collected for recycling
A group of 40 runners who participated in the Majja Run collected used plastic water bottles at the venue to spread awareness about the harms of plastics and the need for recycling them.
The team collected nearly 5,000 used plastic water bottles from the venue which was thronged by over 25,000 people. The bottles were handed over for recycling. The team also distributed adhesive stickers informing public about recycling plastics.
