Mumbai, please give Marathoners a wide berth

Representational image. Pic/iStock

Keep clear and give them space is the overriding message as runners take to the streets tomorrow, January 15, for the Mumbai Marathon. There are 55,000 runners across different categories.

The race director, from the United Kingdom, had spoken out at a press conference earlier about some panic when he was riding to south Mumbai from the airport. Due to construction work in the city, roads have been badly affected and the director did acknowledge some trepidation about how an event of this magnitude would be conducted on the route.

Having said that, the cops have given assurances that the race will take place without a hitch. This space had earlier raised a point about the importance of discipline and good behaviour from those lining the route. Most of all, we need to give the runners a clear pathway. For elite athletes at least, every quarter of a second counts. There are stretches along the route that have no pavement since barriers have gone up for infra work. So many parts of the road are extremely narrow. We cannot and should not constrict runners further by moving alongside them if there is a space crunch.

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Keep to pavements, when possible, as at the speed the elite athletes run, there can be an accident if spectators are right in the middle or do not give them a clear stretch. We have seen spectators at times, trying to run alongside, which is fine as cheering on runners is a big part of the event. Yet, be doubly careful this time as the road seems to be eaten up so it may be impossible to try and jog near the lead group even for a few seconds.

Keep clear and give them way - that is the all-important message as the clock counts down to the marquee race.