MIT's Aurangabad Heritage Half Marathon

Run through Heritage

By Veloscope

January 29^th, 2018

India is incredibly diverse. Every hundred kilometers, we see a change in dialect, lifestyle, fashion and culture which holds everyone in awe and appreciation. India’s heritage is so ancient and extraordinary that the sheer number of ancient monuments in the form of buildings and other archaeological sites and remains is astounding. They are the living witness of the golden historic era of over a thousand years and a testimony to our evolution. We are mighty proud of our heritage.

On the lines of introducing the great heritage of Aurangabad, Maharashtra to the youth and encouraging running as a sport for a greater self-awareness of health and surrounding heritage, MIT along with the Aurangabad Black Bucks came together to organize the MIT Aurangabad Heritage Half Marathon (MAHHM) taking the runners through the heritage sites of Aurangabad.

Whatever that you seek from your participation in a marathon event- Probably a challenge, your own personal/ race goals to better your personal best, being competitive, being in an environment of like-minded people or to hell with it, you simply love running that you don’t care for a reason; there’s always something that you take back with you or come for and that is - an EXPERIENCE!

Experiencing history while running on a challenging route. Does that break your running routine? DUH!

race day

On a beautiful morning of 26th Nov, 2017 with an attendance of approx. 2500 runners amidst supportive crowd beaming with excitement, race was flagged off. Event had three race categories to choose from – 25 km, 21 km and a 10 km race. Arrangements were fantastic. Runners had plenty of room on the roads. Hydration and aid stations were well stocked. Volunteers were outstanding. There was an uneven spread out of a cheerful and inquisitive local spectators on the run view. Course is tough with two uphill climbs and equal dips but also a beautiful route. Does it sound like a perfect race? Well, definitely well executed!

oozing history & Magnificence

Seeping in historical significance, Aurangabad Half marathon gives you a perspective unimaginable you can’t gain while turning the pages of a history book. Running route covers the architectural marvel Daultabad fort at the start point and loops at the UNESCO World Heritage site Ellora caves. Along the route, runners make their way through the spectacular views of Hatti Talab, Kagzipura Handmade paper mill, a Mughal garden – Bani Begum ka baugh, Pariyon ka talab, Tomb of Aurangzeb, Tomb of Malik Ambar, Grishneshwar temple and gorgeous and lush green landscape throughout. While one is an amazing feat of human civilization, running a challenging route pushing beyond ones abilities is all in all a human triumph.

Did we feel the heat of the competition? To give you an idea, winning athletes overall time in 25K run was 01:27:31 (Doodh Nath), in 21K run was 01:08:44 (Bhagesh Patil), in 10K run was 00:32:55 (Mudavath Harya) on a challenging route such as this, these timings were incredibly awe-inspiring. Putting it into sports and lifestyle perspective, running at any pace in such a historic space and finishing it, in itself is such a grand and an overwhelming feeling.

The energy at the finish line was incredible and it always is. Reaching the finish line and meeting your race goals or revisiting your strength and weaknesses transforms you and is the beginning of another run from there after a brief rest – philosophically and actually! It was lot of sunshine and happy faces with great looking finisher’s medals around their neck, the atmosphere was festive and joyous and the glimpses of giving an effort all out were easy to spot.

Second edition of the marathon saw it grow even bigger and better than the already exquisite debut they had last year. It's unique in it's own ways, almost a city marathon, yet it is completely out of the city of Aurangabad. It starts with an uphill climb, hits a plateau, goes downhill and then goes uphill again all the way to the caves. Takes you through the highways, steep climbs, calming forest covers, an unrestricted panoramic view of the city and the mighty Ajanta Caves on it's course. The 25 kilometers let you take in the abundance of history that the city of Aurangabad possesses, all while challenging the runner in you.