For the regulars in the Satara Hills Marathon, it will be a different experience when they enter the fray in the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon for the first time on August 20 (Sunday).
For this 35-member group, all aged above 35 years, from Satara Hills Marathon, which has already entered the Guinness Book of World Records for featuring more than 3,000 participants in the last two editions, the Sunday run will test their endurance level and skills on the city streets.
“We are used to running the marathon back home on hills and ranges. Given the number of flyovers in Hyderabad and the gradients too, it should be a similar challenge and that is why we are here for the first time,” says the 62-year-old Girish Ladha, the senior most in the group.
“The fact that Hyderabad Marathon is rated the second best in the country after Mumbai in all aspects actually brought us here,” he says.
Interestingly, Satara Hill Half-Marathon, organised on the hilly terrains back home in Maharashtra, is also organised and managed entirely by the local community which was involved in the conduct of the Hyderabad Marathon in the recent past.
“In fact, we will be having our annual edition next month and for that, many Hyderabadis have registered to take part. We want to be part of a whole process which aims at building a healthy India,” says Girish.
When the participants troop into the streets to showcase their skills and fitness levels on Sunday in the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon, better watch out for this group of runners rich in experience.
