(Photo by Eye.Ess.Ohh, https://flic.kr/p/7hFy9z CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Update: Updated route is published on NDM Facebook page today(20-Feb-2020). Article has been updated accordingly.
If you like to run a flat course, you will love Delhi marathon route. With an overall elevation gain of 100m across the marathon route, it is the flattest among major Marathons in India. Marathon is 2 loops, starting at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the route takes you through the prominent landmarks of Delhi; India Gate, Rajpath, Delhi highcourt and more and comes back to start point again.
Route for 2020 has been cut short and doesn’t take you all the way to RBI and Jantar Mantar unlike earlier years. Total of 7 ‘U’ turns in one loop, compared to 2 ‘U’ turns in 2018, 5 ‘U’ turns in 2019 route. Definitely not a good news for those who is looking to shave off those precious seconds. On the lighter side, you will never be alone on this route. The elevation profile also hasn’t changed much.
Here is the link to the route. You can also check NDM Facebook post here.
Altitude of Delhi is around 200m. While it is high compared to sea level marathons such as those at Mumbai and Chennai, it is not bad at all for running. In fact runners coming from cities like Bangalore where the altitude is above 900m, can expect minor gains in pace.
We have done the research for you, to help you prepare for the worst. And the news is not bad, but not that great either.
Sun Rise is at 6:54am, just when most marathoners would be in the second loop of their run. The sky is expected to be clear. Based on various met predictions (Accuweather, DarkSky) temperature would be 17oC when marathon starts, 16oC when half marathon starts. Generally it is a pleasant day, but if you have run the last year’s edition and expecting similar it not very pleasant. Temparature will be almost 3oC higher.
Source: [Darksky] (https://darksky.net/details/28.5882,77.2338/2020-2-23/ca12/en)
Temperature expected to reach 220C by 10 am.
One of the concerns for runners is the Air Quality of Delhi. System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) currently puts AQI (Air Quality Index) at 239 (for PM2.5), advised as ‘Poor’. Forecast is that it will get better after Thursday to ‘Moderate’ level as the wind get stronger. However, Ubran Emissions forecasts by Saturday AQI will get to ‘Poor’ again. Let us hope for the best.
Sources: [SAFAR] (http://safar.tropmet.res.in/map_data.php?city_id=3&for=current)
[Urban Emissions] (http://www.urbanemissions.info/delhi-air-quality-forecasts/)
Humidity is expected to be around low 70s (all sources agree) for the first few hours of the race till about 8am. It is expected to come down there after to low 50s, which is also a bit higher than 60s for last year.
There is no rain predicated.
Wind is expected to be (as per ECMWF) around 8 kmph and wind gusts can peak at 18 kmph and from the north east direction. It doesn’t seem a major concern, as much of the route is East and West wards, except 1km segment towards RBI.
Prepared by Team GeeksOnFeet for the love of running!
