Chhattisgarh Marathon 2025

This is going to be a long post as I try to write down my experience of the Chhattisgarh Marathon and my visit to Raipur and Bhilai in the first week of December 2025.

I ran a full marathon on the Nov 1st weekend. After that it was almost a week of rest, and slowly I managed a 25K in the last weekend of November thanks to Kishore. But right after that, I went down with a bit of cough… nothing serious, but the body was clearly telling me to rest and not do anything. Then December started, and Indigo created a big fiasco in Indian skies — thousands of flights cancelled and everything chaotic for days. I wasn’t even sure if my flight to Raipur would take off.

Thankfully my own Indigo flight wasn’t impacted, but the scale of the chaos was unreal. More than 800 flights were cancelled across the country on 6th December alone because of the Indigo disruption. Seeing that on the news made me even more unsure whether my trip would go through or get scrapped last minute. So the uncertainty was very real till the time I actually reached the airport. I was thinking maybe it’s OK if it gets cancelled… even after registering back in 2023, maybe I’ll miss this run again.

Saturday started at 4 AM. After freshening up I walked to the airport bus stop and reached the airport on time. The outside wasn’t the war zone the news made it look like. CISF and airport authorities were allowing only confirmed ticket holders inside, with a 2-hour buffer. So it was manageable, but I really felt sorry for the people stuck with delays and cancellations. No end to their anxiety.

After a good breakfast at the lounge, I was set. The flight landed on time, and soon I reached the BIB collection venue in Raipur town. That hall is familiar — last year during Mera Terha Run 2024 we used the same hall. Nice to meet known faces again; this time a few names were already saved in my phone.

After spending a decent time there, around 1:30 PM or so, Dr. Vinay arranged a car going towards Naya Raipur where I was supposed to stay, along with a few organizers. As we travelled, my heart and mind started sinking. The landscape was just wide, long empty roads stretching to the horizon, a couple of big government buildings like RBI, Secretariat… and then nothing. No shops, no humans, no movement. Just emptiness.

And honestly, it hit me harder because Naya Raipur itself is like that — the new capital is almost 30 km away from Raipur city, with hardly any rapid or affordable public transport. Autos and taxis cost a bomb, buses are infrequent, especially at night, and the nearest railway station is 28 km away. Add to this the high real estate cost and very limited social infrastructure — no proper markets, few hospitals, hardly any colleges — it still doesn’t feel like a place where life happens. So the whole emptiness I saw from the car wasn’t just visual; that’s literally how the city is right now. No wonder my heart just dipped further.

Once I reached the stay, my low mood sank even further. I realised I had forgotten my race-day kit pouch in my duffle bag. I only had my running shoes and some old running socks. No shorts, no running belt (hydration + gels), no bandana for the morning cold… nothing.

And anyone who runs long distances knows this — you simply don’t run a 42.2 KM marathon with a brand-new, untested kit. It’s asking for trouble. Blisters, chafing, skin burns… endurance sports punishes even small mistakes. So the moment I realised I had forgotten my entire race kit pouch, it genuinely felt like the whole trip was turning useless. The panic wasn’t just emotional; it was practical.

I kept blaming myself. First time this has ever happened. It felt like going on a birding trip and leaving your camera at home 😭. I started making phone calls and decided I had to buy gear. First I needed transport to get out of this nowhere-place. Decathlon was my first choice, but people told me it’s too far and their stock is bad. True — it was the other end of Raipur. So I decided on Magneto Mall. I bought running shorts and a tee at full retail price. I don’t even remember when I last bought clothes at full price — with constant sales, it’s rare unless it’s an emergency. So 5K went just like that. On the way back I picked up water, bananas and a few things for the morning.

I also ensured the auto guy I booked would come at 3 AM to pick me up. Told him I would call him in the morning so he doesn’t miss it.

Somehow I slept early and slept well — probably the long day and the mental ups and downs. I woke up before the alarm. Took a warm shower and got ready in the new running attire. It was 2:45 AM. I called the auto guy… no answer. Not surprising. But panic hit when he didn’t pick up after three calls spaced out. I called Dr. Vinay. He said the team had just left Raipur and would reach the venue soon. I explained I was stuck and needed help. He and Abhishek from the core team connected me to a volunteer who came to pick me up. I was literally standing in the middle of a deserted road waiting to see headlights. Reached the venue in no time, and the running high started as I saw faster runners warming up properly.

I started with the solo marathon pacer for the 4:45 bus. I stuck with him throughout, and we finished almost together. This marathon I owe to him — he kept chatting and pushing me to keep running. The last part was slower, but we still kept running in small steps instead of walking. I’m glad I stuck with him for the entire race. Once we started running, the route itself was quite straightforward. It was 2 loops of 21 km — basically 11 km out and 11 km back. Since the race started at 4 AM, the entire first loop was in darkness. Only when I reached the start point again did the sunrise begin, and that winter morning felt really nice — clear sky, perfect visibility, peaceful. The route was mostly flat, just very gradual ups and downs in a few sections. It was well lit at night, but there is almost zero tree cover on that stretch, which can get tough if the sun comes out stronger later.

Weather-wise it was pleasant, not cold at all. Covering my ears with the buff was enough. The aid stations were placed every 2.5 km, very reliable, with water, oranges, dry fruits and even salts — honestly one of the better-supported smaller marathons I have run.

There were hardly any runners in the FM, maybe 50-ish. I’m glad I completed it without major issues. But once finished, the fatigue was real. Got a nice stretch done thanks to f95-physio . The food queue was toooo long, so I skipped it and walked out.

Outside, I started searching for a ride back, but there was no auto anywhere. I approached a few people near their cars asking if they were going towards Sector 29, Naya Raipur. No luck. Almost no traffic on a Sunday — government offices closed and the marathon route under restrictions.

I even tried bikes for a lift. After a few failures, one young guy slowed down and agreed to drop me to the next junction 1.5 km away. Then he asked where I came from, how I reached, etc. When the “Bangalore” connection came up, everything changed. He passed out from Christ College, Bangalore. He immediately said he’d drop me all the way. Honestly, these random samaritans made the day possible. Without them I was stranded like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. He even explained the best way to reach Bhilai from Naya Raipur — apparently only one bus line operates nearby, and I could take that to Raipur and then to Durg/Bhilai.

After freshening up, I tried calling yesterday’s taxi guy to reach Bhilai, but he said no cars were available. Two others either didn’t pick up or quoted ridiculous numbers (one said 3000/-). So I decided on public transport. Not painless, but for less than 200/- I managed door-to-door from Naya Raipur to Durg.

The main reason for going to Bhilai after the marathon was to spend a few days with my mother-in-law. She stays alone now, getting older, and doesn’t go out much. So I wanted to be around, help her with whatever she needed, and just give her company. The rest of the days were simple — working remotely and one evening at Bhilai Club catching up with a couple of old college friends.