From a sporting fest to an int’l race, VIM has travelled a long way

Vadodara: It was exactly a decade ago when the city’s corporates and prominent personalities came together to launch Vadodara Marathon in 2009.
The race that began as a half marathon was launched with much fanfare by the organizers that included the current Vadodara International Marathon (VIM) chairperson Tejal Amin.

The organizers had initiated the race to revive the sporting culture among Barodians and bring citizens together for a cause. VIM got its first Guinness Book of World Record in its first edition itself after 8,130 students made a 4.33-km long painting that was world’s longest. VM got about 30,000 registrations in the first edition. Differences also cropped up between organizers and the police department over the donation amount promised by the VIM.

In the second edition in 2011, the marathon went international after it got accreditation from Association of International Marathons and Distant Races (AIMS). Marathon also took up a major cleaning exercise in the city as a social cause. Over 31,000 participated in the second edition of marathon where African runners hogged all the limelight by winning in most categories. Vadodara Marathon also earned fame after its second edition as it got a gold medal from AIMS for Smallest City, Biggest Marathon.

The third edition saw an even bigger participation of nearly 40,000 runners from the country as well as abroad. In May 2013, the city hosted country’s first all-women midnight marathon to showcase Gujarat as one of the safest states in the country. The event, whose brand ambassador was Radhikaraje Gaekwad, royal Gaekwad family member, saw 7,400 females run through the old city late in the night.

VIM also roped in a PR and advertising firm in 2013 to brand itself nationally as well as on international platform. But the deal didn’t work out.

In December 2013, Vadodara Marathon’s fourth edition was organized jointly with the state government on the death anniversary of Sardar Patel and the race was called ‘Run for Unity’. Barodians then had to wait for three years the marathon due to differences between the organizers. In 2016, the marathon saw registrations of 65,000 people.

A neon run wherein participants ran through the city dressed up in glowing jerseys, headbands, wristbands and caps too was held in November 2016.

In 2017, Vadodara Marathon organized full marathon of 42 km for the first time and over 74,000 ran in the race that year. In January 2018, the registrations for VIM crossed 91,000 mark and the race went on to become the city’s identity.

“It has been a long and exciting journey as Barodians joined hands to make Vadodara Marathon not just a brand but a sporting festival that brings us all together. We hope to make this event much more interesting in the coming years,” said Tejal Amin, VIM chairperson.