Tata Mumbai Marathon 2021 date confirmed, runners to use special app for participation

After a long wait, there is finally some good news on the horizon for Indian athletes and long-distance running enthusiasts with the Mumbai Marathon date being announced. As with most sporting events in the world, the local Indian sports scene has undergone a tremendous disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic. The country's strict lockdown and the massive surge in the number of COVID-19 cases has made it especially difficult for organizers to put together any sort of sporting event that requires mass participation, such as marathons, due to the sheer scale of logistics involved. 

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Tata Mumbai Marathon delayed: New dates announced

However, with the Mumbai COVID-19 cases count finally trending downwards, the long-awaited Tata Mumbai Marathon date announcement has been made. The prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon will now be taking place on May 30. The event's promoters Procam International took to Twitter to make the announcement on Tuesday, February 9 declaring that keeping in mind the current government guidelines on social distancing, masks, large gatherings etc, the organization was looking at conducting the marathon with limited participation. 

They post also revealed that despite limitations, the marathon will include three different events - the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10 km runs. "With cautious optimism and hope, this decision has been taken after deliberation and collaborative efforts with the state and civic authorities, including the Indian and International Athletic bodies," a media release issued by the Tata Mumbai Marathon read. The release further added that "The promoters shall continue to monitor the situation, with the single-minded focus of the safety of all participants, officials, volunteers and the running fraternity".

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Mumbai Marathon participation

To conclude the press release, the Marathon organizers also specified that the details of the race were still being worked on and information like the registration details, format, COVID-19 protocols etc will be released soon. An exciting new feature of the race will be a brand new virtual race. With many of the event's usual participants unable to make it to Mumbai or make the cut for the physical, on-location race, the organizers have introduced a virtual race-along feature on the official TMM 2021 app. 

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Usually held in the pleasant Mumbai weather in January, the early reactions to the delayed Tata Mumbai Marathon have mostly been positive. However, some patrons rightly pointing out that the conditions of the race will be very different in the hot and humid Mumbai climate in May. The organizers, meanwhile, have stated their hope that the early announcement of the race will give participants and other concerned stakeholders enough time to prepare for the race and its changed conditions.

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Image Credits: Tata Mumbai Marathon Twitter