The Race
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The third leg of GROE is run in one of the world’s most populous cities, Mumbai, India. Runners start and finish in front of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus, an elaborate construction in Victorian Gothic style and a World Heritage site. Runners head from there to Marine Drive, and along the 6km-long curving sea frontage that is also known as the ‘Queen’s Necklace’. By the time they turn off Marine Drive, at the far end of Chowpatty Beach, the course becomes fast and flat. But then comes the only incline on the route, Malabar Hill, with the road climbing for a distance of about 800m.
The turnaround point comes at 23.2km, from where the runners retrace their steps, cresting Malabar Hill for a second time, southward to the finish. The return climb starts just before the 35km mark. This is the most severe test along the course and the way in which runners cope with it usually decides the race. Hill training in the build-up is only one part of the answer. This hill will be tackled in a state of fatigue, and mental preparedness for it may be more significant than the effect of any specific physical aspects to the training programme.
The inaugural Mumbai winner, Henndrick Ramaala, specifically targeted Mumbai as a useful rehearsal for the Athens Olympic Marathon to be held later that year. Winning in the heat and overcoming the challenging topography allowed him to approach the Olympic race with confidence. For GROE runners, completing the Mumbai Marathon allows them the satisfaction of knowing that their team is only one step away from completing the series.
