Runners across India log miles virtually as Mumbai Marathon begins
Hyderabad: As elite and amateur runners line up at the start of the Tata Mumbai Marathon on Sunday, thousands of kilometres away Anchal Malhotra will begin her run in Gurgaon, Sajan Lama in Darjeeling, Dipti Waghmare in Jalgaon and Shovan Padhy in Hyderabad.
The four are among nearly 5,000 participants running the marathon virtually, forming about 7% of the total field this year, slightly lower than last year’s 8%. The numbers underline how virtual racing, which took off during the Covid-19 lockdowns, has evolved into a parallel, accepted format rather than a temporary substitute.
For these runners, the marathon will unfold far from Mumbai’s sea-facing roads. Malhotra will run laps of her housing society park, Lama will tackle Darjeeling’s tree-lined hill roads, Padhy will run through Hyderabad’s glass-and-chrome IT corridors, while Waghmare will run in and around community parks near her home in Jalgaon.
Virtual races have become a permanent feature of the global running calendar. In India, the Delhi Half Marathon saw about 1,000 virtual participants in its October 2025 edition, reflecting growing acceptance of the format.
Malhotra, a 40-year-old homemaker, said the appeal lies in simplicity. “You can just run without thinking about travel, bookings and expenses,” she said. She took up running after the birth of her second child. “I was feeling lost and wanted to rediscover myself. Running gradually became something I enjoyed.”
This will be her second virtual Mumbai Marathon. “I’ll run in my society park. It will feel like a regular run, except that it is tracked and timed,” she added.
In Jalgaon, Waghmare said running close to home helped her build discipline. The 39-year-old engineer has completed eight virtual runs in the past two years, mostly 10km races. In 2025, she ran her first on-ground half marathon.
Lama, 35, will be running the Mumbai Marathon virtually for the third time, despite never having visited the city. “I run on my own city’s roads, in familiar surroundings. The best part is not having to deal with travel stress,” he said. With a shop to run, travel is difficult. “I started running for fitness. Now it’s like meditation and my self-care time.”
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Virtual participants can choose from the marathon, 10km and 5km categories. Unlike on-site runners, who must finish within seven hours, remote runners get a 24-hour window from the official start time. They do not compete with the physical field.
Participants register online, download a tracking app and link it to a smartwatch or phone. The app records location and running data, and medals and certificates are sent based on verified results.
