Earth, sky, water and air redolent with the fragrance of spice. The Spice Coast Marathon is a test of the body and of the spirit but all along, the runners are aided and uplifted by the sights and the aroma as they run soaking in the history of what was once the Spice Capital of the East. A fact that was not lost on the 4,500+ participants who ran the full or the half marathons or the 8 Km. Family Fun Run on a misty November (the 13th) morning of 2016.
The two Mattanchery Bridges make for to-see list for anyone in the city, apart from serving as the major transport route. Connecting the city of Kochi to Willingdon Island, India's largest man-made island, they are a thing of beauty alright.
Like most of the cities down south, Kochi wakes up very early, pre-dawn and sets about it's business as usual.
A visit to the spice capital and the first thing one would exclaim at is the exuberant spread of colours the city is soaked in. No colour is a favourite, yet no colour is left out. It's almost a celebration, on the streets and on water.
The run was a festivity, an ode to the times gone by and a journey through times. The marathon had a landmark in every part of the route for the runners to visit, as they continued their 42 kilometers journey.
A destination marathon that does justice to the category. Difficult in nature and rewarding in spirit. Intricately knitting the spirit of the city and the craft of a serious marathon into one, the second edition of the Spice Coast Marathon brought in runners of all ages and groups to the relatively new city on the marathon map. Colourful architecture, ancient streets, gorgeous waterscapes and a route brimming with views; not an exaggeration calling it the 'God's own marathon'.
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