From a single entry in 2009 (and a DNF), to 9 in 2010 (and the first ever set of Comrades Marathon finishers from India, of which I was fortunate enough to be one), India has come a long way to ultra running, and in particular, the Comrades Marathon, the world’s largest and most popular ultra. This year sees 97 registered runners from India (of which I expect 60-70 percent to turn up on race day). Here’s the participant list.
2016 Comrades Participants
Now 97 is a really huge number, coming from a country where running has really taken off in the last few years, with great interest in participating in unique and challenging races worldwide, including Boston Marathon, MDS, Badwater, Ultraman events, etc.
Participant Breakup
So, how do these numbers break up for 2016. Where are these runners coming from, which city or group do they belong to. Here’s a summary:
| City/Group | No. of Runners |
|---|---|
| Surti Runners (Surat) | 12 |
| Chennai Runners (Chennai) | 5 |
| TopGear MIG (Mumbai) | 5 |
| Striders Miles (Mumbai) | 4 |
So clearly, runners from Surat, Mumbai and Chennai dominate the India participation. There are many more runners, with no particular affiliation with a running group, and I would guess that besides these cities, Bangalore and Delhi NCR would also be sending significant number of runners.
All the best to all these participants from India!!!
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