Running the Jaipur Marathon 2025

A long-anticipated race, a New State done!!

Running the Jaipur Marathon had been on my mind for a long time. It was a key race that would allow me to check off a major northern Indian state from my list. I had considered running this marathon before, even planning to combine it with a visit to Jhalana Leopard Sanctuary and some birdwatching. However, this time, my focus was clear—just run the marathon and head back home.

Pre Race

I registered for both the Jaipur Full Marathon and the Chennai Full Marathon almost simultaneously. With two back-to-back marathons planned within the first two months of 2025, I knew it would be a test of endurance.

Jaipur was still fresh in my memory from our family trip in October 2023, where we did a self-drive tour. My friend Brijesh had already run this marathon a few years ago in pursuit of a Boston Qualification time. Through him, I got connected with Shivangi (from Fitness Trail by Shivangi), who shared valuable insights about the race.

To my surprise, when I tried booking a hotel, most popular ones Bhola Bhawan were already full—occupied by runners from Delhi and nearby places. The hotel owner I contacted was kind enough to refer me to an Airbnb in Tripolia Bazar, which turned out to be quite central. I booked it for two nights, planning to rest well on Saturday before the early 3 AM race start on Sunday.

My biggest worry? Missing the alarm and the race start. This had already happened to me once at Auroville, where I overslept and had to return the following year to complete the race.

Back then, I had signed up for the full marathon, but everyone in my group was running the half marathon—so when they woke up an hour late, I did too. It turned into a running joke in my circle, and I couldn’t afford a repeat of that, especially for Jaipur, given the high costs of flights, hotels, and other expenses.

Thankfully, Shivangi connected me with another runner who was kind enough to check on me in the middle of the night to make sure I was awake and ready for the race.

Arrival in Jaipur

I left home midday on Friday and reached Jaipur by dusk. The weather was noticeably chillier than Bangalore, and I took an auto from the airport to my Airbnb in Tripolia Bazar. Jaipur was bustling, with the Jaipur Literature Festival happening the same weekend, causing heavy traffic near the festival area.

After checking in, I went out for a quick dinner but ended up eating junk food. Ironically, I found a simple, restaurant right after finishing my meal! It was still nice to take a good walk around Tripolia Bazar before calling it a night.

Exploring Jaipur & BIB Collection

Saturday started with some good sleep (a rarity before a marathon). For breakfast, I headed to Samrat, a popular local joint, but it was crowded with more tourists than locals. As Shivangi had rightly mentioned, the place was overrated.

Instead, I tried breakfast from a thela (pull cart vendor) nearby, which was much better than Samrat. After breakfast, I walked around, sipped some hot chai, and then headed for BIB collection.

I reached the BIB collection area just before 11 AM and was surprised to find it open. After collecting my BIB, I walked back, roaming the market areas aimlessly to pass the time.

Since I had already indulged in two breakfasts, I skipped lunch and waited until 5:30 PM for an early dinner. I grabbed some light snacks, bananas, and dry fruits for the race morning.

By 8:30 PM, I was in bed, though sleep remained elusive. Somehow, I managed to get a little rest before my 1:15 AM alarm went off.

Race Day – Running Through Jaipur at Dawn

I messaged my fellow runner to confirm I was awake and getting ready. By 2:15 AM, I left my room, dreading the 2–2.5 km walk to the start point, anticipating encounters with noisy street dogs. But to my pleasant surprise, though they were around, they did not disturb me.

At the start line, after stretching and warming up, I unexpectedly ran into Shamala and Manmohan—a running couple from Bangalore. They had recently completed the Mumbai Marathon, the Mecca of Indian marathons, and it was great to meet them again after almost a year. Last time, I had met them at the Kalimpong Ultra start line. Both are incredibly strong runners and often podium finishers in their age categories.

I started running alone but soon joined Suresh, the 4:30 pacer. Running with a pacer is always helpful as it keeps your mind off the distance.

The first loop (21.1 km) went smoothly.
The first half of the second loop was also manageable.
But after 32 km, things started getting slower.

As they say, a marathon truly begins after 30 km. I kept moving, but soon realized I wasn’t going to improve my Chennai timing. Still, I pushed through and finished the race.

After crossing the finish line, I reunited with Shamala and other fellow Bangalore runners, some of whom even finished on the podium.

I waited for a long time to meet Shivangi and the fellow runner who had checked on me, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Eventually, I walked 2.5 km back to my Airbnb, exhausted but satisfied.

I had hoped to rest in my room for a few hours before my evening flight, but my host refused—which was disappointing. While I understood her right to deny my request, I was put off by her sudden change in tone. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time I had experienced biased hospitality in Rajasthan and Kerala —two destinations highly favored by foreign tourists. The sad reality is that service providers often treat Indian guests differently than foreigners with fair skin.

Anyway, I packed my bags and left. Thankfully, my college junior Manish was extremely kind and offered his villa-like home near the airport for me to rest before my flight.

A Medal-Worthy Memory

Before heading to his place, I made a quick stop at Hawa Mahal to take a picture of my medal with this iconic Jaipur landmark. After all, the Jaipur Marathon medal itself features Hawa Mahal!

Just before leaving for the airport, my friend Manish finally managed to meet me. Despite his busy schedule running a construction company, he took me home for a while and then dropped me off at the airport.

With that, my first February weekend ended on a high note. Two full marathons in the first two months of 2025—a solid start to the year!

Now, time to recover and plan the next race. 🚀🏃‍♂️