Marathon for drug-free Visakhapatnam to be held on December 1

The Vizag Runners Society held the official T-shirt and medal launch for the Sandhya Marines Vizag Marathon with a theme of “Let’s start running for a drug-free Visakhapatnam,” at a hotel here on Monday. The event will be organised on December 1.

Police Commissioner Shankabrata Bagchi suggested the organisers and others to keep conducting such events regularly for physical fitness of people, particularly the young.

President Bala Krishna Rai emphasised the event’s commitment to promoting a drug-free lifestyle, quoting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who recently encouraged people to embrace running as a way to combat stress and boost well-being. “You don’t need drugs to feel good or beat stress. A good run, whether a kilometre or a marathon, is enough to clear the cobwebs and achieve a natural feeling of euphoria and enthusiasm,” Mr. Omar Abdullah said.

The event was graced by Sandhya Marines Director K. Anand, Apollo Hospitals COO Rama Chandra, CMR Group Chairman M.V. Ramana, Mr. Harsha Nandan from CII YI Visakhapatnam, and Varun Group Chairman Prabhu Kishore.

Secretary Kancheti Srinivas said that this year’s Vizag Marathon offers four categories, 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K, with a scenic route starting from Park Hotel Junction, passing through key landmarks such as the Aquarium and Ropeway, before reaching the turnaround at Radisson Blu Hotel and concluding at VMRDA Park. Medical teams will be set up for every two kilometers for participants’ safety.

With registrations open until November 15, runners can sign up online at www.vizagmarathon.run or register offline at the PUMA store on VIP Road.