As the city continues to reel under heat, its amateur runners, for whom the TCS World 10k has become an annual jamboree, may finally have something to cheer about.
The 10th edition of the event this Sunday will give the nearly 23,700-strong registered athletes their best chance to clock faster timings.
In a departure from the past, the Elite competitors will run last while the Open 10K will start at 5.30 a.m., followed by the Majja Run at 6.45 a.m. and the Senior Citizens’ run at 7.15 a.m., giving all those in the three categories the best available conditions. Procam International CEO, Dilip Jayaram, explained that the revised timings will allow for amateur participants to complete their runs before the summer heat and witness the finale of the elite athletes’ run.
“It will also ensure the least amount of disruption to commuters by allowing the authorities to open the roads for vehicular traffic as early as 10 a.m.,” Dilip added.
However, for the Elite athletes, it will be dampener. The women’s race will start at 8 a.m. while the corresponding men’s race will only start at 8.50 a.m.
“We can expect slower timings than they would have clocked otherwise,” said Race Director Hugh Jones. “But they won’t run into great difficulties. These athletes have trained all their life at peak levels. So there won’t be much suffering but only a slight dampening of times.”
With the course remaining exactly the same as last year, including a smooth and downhill final stretch inside the Cubbon Park aiding a fast finish, Jones hoped that the “immaculate” roads, as compared to the “rough and dusty” ones last year owing to Bengaluru Metro work, will mitigate any effect heat might have.
The organisers said that steps have been taken to avoid a repeat of last year’s incident wherein Ethiopian Mule Wasihun, who was the runaway leader for two-thirds of the race, had to evade a pouncing street dog in front of the Vidhana Soudha.
The medical partner, Fortis Hospitals, will deploy 170 personnel, five mobile doctors and eight ambulances.
