Half measures, full passion: Marathon in a new avatar

NEW DELHI: Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) this year donned a new avatar with people participating in the event from the convenience of their homes. The new format was put in place keeping the pandemic in mind.

Top runners from across the world participated in the half marathon from JLN Stadium and the organisers had created a secure bio-bubble to protect them from the novel coronavirus.
This year, the general public couldn’t join the elite runners and, instead, ran from wherever they were. All they had to do was register, choose their race category and download the ADHM app. The chosen distance was then completed from their location. Around 13,500 people worldwide took part in ADHM 2020 across three categories — Half Marathon (21.09km), Open 10K (10km) and Great Delhi Run (5km).
There were many first-timers too. “During the lockdown period, I made many changes in my health graph. The marathon was a boon. At first, I was sceptical as I didn’t want to go to a large gathering. But I got excited when I came to know that we could run from anywhere. While this was my first time, I intend to participate every year from now on,” said Sheetal Mehta.
Another participant, Karan Singh, a regular ADHM participant, said he was pleasantly surprised when he got to know that the event would take place differently. “I thought the half marathon won’t take place at all. This was one event that I always looked forward to every year. I was glad that the organisers found a way to make this run happen. It was a satisfying run for me as I beat my record,” he added.
The route for ADHM 2020 was more compact compared with the previous editions. The organisers didn’t use Mathura Road and the runners were, instead, turned into Archbishop Makarios Marg. This time, only one carriageway instead of both was used for the entire half marathon.
The organisers said they had ensured that the route still consisted of the usual scenic structures, such as India Gate. Since there were no amateur runners this time, it gave them a chance to make the route more compact, which put fewer restrictions on traffic.
Started in 2005, the annual event attracts pro and amateur runners from across the world. The marathon route of 21.09km takes runners across some of Delhi’s most iconic landmarks, such as Lodhi Garden, Jantar Mantar and India Gate. Not only is ADHM a great motivator to live healthy, but it is also one of the largest sporting philanthropy platforms in the country that raises large amounts for charities.