Sarmang Dehradun Marathon Adds 51K Ultra

The 2026 edition marked a significant development for the event with the introduction of a 51K Ultra Marathon, adding a new endurance distance to the existing programme of 42.195K Marathon, 21.0975K Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and 2K.

The international participation included runners from Japan, Nepal, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel and the United Kingdom, alongside participants from cities across India.

The 51K Ultra was the first race of the morning, starting at 4:00 am. Runners began their challenge before sunrise, adding a new endurance dimension to the event.

The introduction of the 51K expands the range of challenges available at the Sarmang Dehradun Marathon and reflects Sarmang’s wider involvement in endurance sport, including road running, trail running and high-altitude events.

The remaining competitive races followed through the morning, while the 2K was conducted as a participation-oriented run. Together, the six distances provided options for runners with different levels of experience, from participants taking their first steps in organised running to experienced endurance athletes.

The theme of the 2026 edition, “Every Journey Matters,” reflected the broad range of participants taking part.

A 2K participant, a first-time 5K runner, a Half Marathoner, a Marathoner and a 51K Ultra runner may all have different goals and motivations, but share the same sporting platform.

For Sarmang Society, this approach is central to its wider mission of promoting health and fitness through sports and encouraging greater participation in sporting activities.

Participation from 105 cities and nine countries gave the fifth edition a reach well beyond Dehradun, while the event remained rooted in the city’s growing running and fitness community.

The International Cricket Stadium in Raipur served as the central venue, bringing together runners, families, volunteers and race-support teams during the race morning. The continued development of the event adds to Dehradun’s growing calendar of organised sporting and endurance events.

Umesh Sharma Kau, MLA, Raipur, attended the event as Chief Guest and presented trophies to the top three finishers in the competitive race categories.

The race was supported by volunteers, route marshals, medical personnel, hydration teams and other operational crews throughout the morning.

The introduction of the 51K Ultra marks a new step in the development of the Sarmang Dehradun Marathon. The event continues to combine competitive road racing with opportunities for wider participation, bringing together runners with different abilities, experience levels and personal goals.

For the Sarmang Society, the marathon is more than an annual race. It forms part of a broader effort to create opportunities for people to participate in sport and pursue their own fitness journeys.

The fifth edition therefore represents both a continuation and an expansion of the event’s journey—from a Dehradun-based marathon to an increasingly diverse road-running event attracting participants from across India and overseas.