Visakhapatnam: As many as 15,000 people, including Naval officers, will take part in the fifth edition of Vizag Navy Marathon-2018 to be held on the Beach Road in Vizag city on November 18. The Eastern Naval Command (ENC), in association with the AP Tourism Department and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, is hosting the Marathon with a motto to bring Vizag into the landmark destination for runners across India and take with them, the marathon as the best memory.
Rear Admiral Deepak Kapoor said that the race route for the fifth edition of Vizag Navy Marathon has been certified by Association of International Marathons and Distance Running (AIMS) which makes it a qualifying race for major marathons in the world. Runners, who get qualified in the marathon, can enter the Toyko Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon and also New York Marathon, he added.
The Vizag-Navy-Marathon is being conducted in four categories -- Courage Run (full marathon), Destiny Run (half marathon), Friendship Run (10km) and Run for Fun (5km), said Captain Animesh Nagar, Captain Adventures and Sports Officer of ENC.
The AIMS certificate will be attracting runners from across India and the globe as some internationally renowned runners will be gracing the event.
All runs will be flagged off from RK Beach but at different timings, 4.15 am, 5.15 am, 6.30 am and 7 am respectively on November 18, with the race route running parallel to the scenic seashore of the city towards GITAM University and beyond and the starting and finishing points are the same, said Dr Muralidhar Nannapaneni, race director of Vizag Navy Marathon. The winners will get cash prize as well as medals, he added.
