How to enter the Mumbai Half Marathon

Entry: first come, first served

No lottery, and no lightning sell-out like Barcelona or Paris. In Mumbai, entries open in waves, with several opening and closing periods right up to race week. It’s a smart way to spread registrations out. Registration is online only, via the event’s official website. The first waves usually open as early as February, then come and go until August. Prices are tiered: the longer you wait, the more you pay. The right move is simple: keep an eye on the official site and the race’s Instagram account, where each reopening is announced.

© Mumbai Half Marathon

How much does it cost to run in Mumbai?

There are three distances on the programme, and the good news is the entry fees are seriously affordable:
➜ Half marathon: from ₹1,850 (€17) up to ₹2,000 (€18) in the final waves
➜ 10K: ₹1,350 (€12)
➜ 5K Fun Run: ₹650 (€6)

Minimum age depends on the distance: 18 for the half, 14 for the 10K, 6 for the 5K (10 for the timed version). Children aged 6 to 12 must be accompanied by a parent registered in the same race.

© Mumbai Half Marathon

© Mumbai Half Marathon

© Mumbai Half Marathon

© Mumbai Half Marathon

Cancellation is possible

You can cancel your registration under certain conditions: any cancellation comes with a ₹250 admin fee, and you need to act quickly. No changes or refunds are accepted within 60 days of race day.
As with most road races, your bib is strictly personal. Running under someone else’s bib can mean disqualification, or even being banned from future editions of all NEB Sports races in the country. Better to keep it clean.

© Mumbai Half Marathon

A very early start

That’s Mumbai’s signature: in late August, the heat and monsoon humidity are still very much in play. So the organiser goes for ultra-early starts. 5:05 a.m. for the half, 6:30 a.m. for the 10K, 8:00 a.m. for the 5K… you earn that medal. Running in the dark, watching daylight break over the business-district skyline, finishing before the city turns into an oven: that’s the Mumbai experience in a nutshell. It’s a one-of-a-kind race with a pure urban course but, in those conditions, you can’t wing it. Hydration, disciplined pacing, a bit of acclimation in the days before: come with a plan, not improvisation.

Start and finish are at Jio World Garden, an open-air event venue in Bandra Kurla Complex, with lawns, fountains and lotus ponds. Plenty of space for the crowds… and plenty of exposure if it rains. The last edition wasn’t spared by the weather, so pack a change of clothes to stay warm afterwards. Last year’s route wound through the business district along the Mithi River: roughly a 10 km loop with 40 m of elevation gain, repeated twice for the half (80 m D+ total). It’s a fairly fast course with no real traps; the biggest challenge is the weather. The good news: aid stations and water points are spread across the whole route. Depending on your level, runner density varies a lot. If you’re elite, you won’t have many people around you. Most runners here are recreational athletes, typically aiming for finish times between 2 and 3 hours.

Good to know before race day

Yes, it’s happened to a few people who will recognise themselves… Don’t forget to pick up your bib! Bib pickup is at the expo only, the day before the race. No bibs are handed out on race morning, and there’s no on-site registration. Bring your confirmation email and an official ID. Cut-off times are set at 3:30 for the half, 1:30 for the 10K and 1:00 for the 5K.

© Mumbai Half Marathon

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