Record entries, increased prize-money for Mumbai Marathon

A record 39,510 runners have registered for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on January 19, 2014.

The 11th edition of the run, with a catch line ‘Good Deed Marathon’, has prize-money of $360,000, an increase of $10,000 from last year, with Rs 100,000 set aside for Indian course records.

The top Indian male and female finishers will receive Rs 500,000 each.

While the Full Marathon has received 3,600 entries, the Senior Citizens' run has 1,360 and the Dream Run 20,150.

The countdown to the 11th edition was announced by organizers Procam International on Wednesday by event ambassador John Abraham, and representatives of the various partners to the event at a glittering show hosted by Tara Sharma.

A marathon is not all about shoes and stamina, but a heart. The Good Deed Marathon theme to the event is an initiative to get all of Mumbai to feel the joy of being part of the run and belonging to a community, of doing charity.

So for the next 16 days, people can register and submit their good deeds on the event’s Facebook page or on a mobile app. And, of course, it makes no difference if the good deed is tiny or big, because like they say, every good deed counts.

After registering, one will receive the Good Deed band and the bands will be delivered by Mirakle Couriers – a courier company that employs hearing and speech impaired delivery personnel. The idea of the Good Deed Marathon has influenced quite a few prominent Mumbaikars, like comedian Aditi Mittal, Ganesh Naik of Animals Matter To Me, and former India hockey captain and Olympic Gold Quest CEO Viren Rasquinha.

Image: Actor John Abraham signals the countdown to the Mumbai Marathon