24-hour stadium run in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A unique ‘24-Hour Stadium Run’ in Mumbai attracted around 1000 runners to test their endurance this weekend
The runners across genders and ages from 18 to 67 began doing stadium rounds early on Saturday at 5 am. There are two events. One is a 12 hour relay run with six in a team where each participant runs two hours each. And the second is the 24 hours run where four serious contenders are vying to qualify for the world championship.The run ends at 6 pm on Sunday.
For Priyanka a surgeon in a leading hospital in Mumbai, as a first time participant she was excited to take part in the 12 hours run. “My slot is from 7 pm to 9pm. I have been running thrice a week,” said the Thane resident cheering on her other running group members who were also participating.
The event at the Mumbai university stadium in Mumbai has four of India’s top Ultra Runners making history as they attempt to qualify for the 2019 IAU 24 Hour World Championship to be held in France in October 2019.
There are over 200 teams and categories also included 12-hrs Individual, 12-hr Open Team Relay to the 12-hr Corporate Team Relay. The run in its fourth edition attracts anticipation and gives runners an adrenaline rush but most Mumbaikars seemed unaware of the event and a rainy weekend also kept spectators away.on Saturday.
But it is seen as a build-up for a Half Marathon 2019.
The serious contenders are Lallu Lal Meena from Rajasthan , Pranaya Mohanty from Orissa, Yamini Kothari also from Rajasthan all for 24 hours and Shiva Hang Limboo for 12 hours run and other popular runners Shibani Gharat, Apeksha Shah, Priyanka Bhat and Deviprasad Shetty.
One of the participants Sood, “it is a fun event where we as runners get to test our limits and set goals to better each year.” The air had cooled down after sunset but the humidity and heat earlier made for a tough 18 km run in 2 hours for an engineer Himanshu Apte In the first leg of the 12 km relay earlier.