Susegad on a run

Skechers Performance Goa River Marathon 2018

By Veloscope

January 29^th, 2019

A river runs through it

About ten years back, when the running revolution was just taking off, a bunch of happy-go-lucky, but very fitness minded Goans ran their first Mumbai Marathon (back then, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon) - the first year the Bandra-Worli Sea Link was part of the iconic race route, in fact.

They fell in love with the race, the energy, the idea, and wanted to have something of their own, back home, with all the Goa chill thrown in, to make it more fun.

10 months later, with a little help with some friends, the first edition of the Goa River Marathon was born. The race started at Baina beach, and a kilometre inland, a river joined the runners on the left side of their race route. The Zuari river, the rusty gigantic ships moored there, the gorgeous passage to St. Jacinto's Island, the green fields, the super friendly locals who did everything from race support, to playing music to spur you on, to pace you on a scooter, to race back 200 metres to an aid station, full speed, to get you a biscuit or a Volini spray: there was nothing about the race that was not spectacular. Running the race were many many gregarous Goans, mast Mumbaikars, bubbly Bangaloreans, hearty Hyderabadis, and who not. Given the timing, people tended to race hard, then stay back in Goa in December, and party hard.

Race essentials

9 years later, not much is different... except, everything is way better!

This is among the top 10 races in India to run, for the beauty of the course as well as race experience.

At every edition of Goa River Marathon, here are things one must do:

Take a selfie before heading out.

Stretch & warm-up.

Run out the start line in the darkness like mad.

Run the first almost 5k in the darkness, through the sleepy town of Vasco.

Follow pacers.

Throw your hands up in the air at the finish.

Grin like mad for finisher pictures.

Post breakfast, head to the closest beach and throw yourself into the shallow waters to recover.

Climb every hill

The route is tough. What makes this race special is that there is beauty of the route, amazing race support and a really tough route, all at once. At about 3k out, you hit a long climb that goes up about a third of a kilometre and goes downhill for over a kilometre. Here's the kicker, though - its an out-and-back race route. So, on your way back, the gradual downhill is now a gradual uphill - for about a km. About 3km before the finish line. Oh well, might as well enjoy the pain!

It is one big party!

Even before the start, with the presence of sporty movie stars like Sanya Malhotra of Dangal fame, the race promises to be a mile-a-minute run of excitement.

The fact that the folks (or should we say forces) behind the Goa River Marathon, the Vasco Sports Club, are also all serious, disciplined runners, who were once running a half marathon a weekend, means that Goa or no Goa, there is no chilling out when it comes to runners needs. The expo is professionally organised, there is a smile on the face of volunteers, the races start on time, are expertly marked and all aid stations are replete with everything you need for a tough race.

From the start, when the flag off happens and the pacers set off, to the sweaty close where runners are already thinking of that cold bottle of Kings and maybe some kalamari waiting to help them recover, every minute of this beautiful, large-hearted race is full of high-energy excitement and love.