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Running a marathon is physically exhausting and at times is a a scary prospect. But gearing up and training for a marathon race offers a number of health benefits and if filled with thrills. When an athlete pushes his or her body with the aim of achieving a goal it helps the individual become mentally stronger, which in turn leads to a more focused way of living.
Physical benefits of a marathon are immense. Running regularly not only strengthens the heart by increasing its aerobic capacity but it also keeps high cholesterol and blood pressure in check. The immune system and the muscle strength is developed as well, and long runs helps in strengthening the body – by building power to combat getting fatigued easily.
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Health benefits aside, marathons also help in toning the body and helping a runner get in good shape. By increasing the muscle mass, a person feels fitter. A fit individual feels confident and has a control over his mind.
According to a research, running reduces stress and enables an athlete to better handle the challenges thrown by life. It helps in increasing the mental resilience, and even a bad race can become a lesson. By understanding, analyzing and scrutinizing the obstacles and the weaknesses that hampered you in your run, you develop into a calmer runner, someone will be eager to correct the flaws in the upcoming race.
The biggest thrill, however, of a marathon, is the number of people you meet along your way in a race or the scenic trails that you have to cross in order to complete your run. Training for a marathon and then taking part in it on the main day provides a great chance to interact with fellow runners, whose life stories might just inspire you to go for your goals even more. And if you are running for a cause, then the joy is doubled after you manage to cross the finish line.
India is now a hub of marathon races. Every major city of India boasts of its own marathon race. Of these, the marathons run in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad are considered world class. The The most popular of these marathons is the the The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) which kick started in 2004. The race is recognised as Asia’s prestigious World Athletics Gold Label Road Race. In a first in the history of Indian long distance running, the 17th edition — held on January 19 2020– of the marathon saw more than 50,000 participants standing at the starting line.
The upcoming Maximus Nagar Rising Half Marathon to be held in Ahmedanagar in support of World Cancer Day on February 2 offers a beautiful route for the runners, with a scenic background that will keep the participants energized as they run for a social cause. With races being conducted in six categories – beginners, old age, 3k and 5k for kids and 10k and 21k for the professionals, the marathon promises to be an enthralling affair.