Register for the 6th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon from July 10, 2008

Rs 300 will be the entry fee for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and the Dream Run. Rs 200 will the entry fee for the Senior Citizens' Run and the Wheelchair Event. While the age eligibility for the Full Marathon and the Half Marathon is 18 years and above, it is 12 years and above for the Dream Run and the Wheelchair Event.

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The completion of five years of The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, Asia’s Largest and Richest Marathon, is a statement that the event has defied all odds and exceeded all expectations. Be it the number of registered participants, the quality of the elite athlete field, the winning times or the amounts raised towards charity, the growth and improvement curve has been significant.

If at all one thing remained steady over the five years, it has been the rock solid commitment of the promoters, sponsors and partners to the event to intensify the marathon experience of each individual every year.

Keeping with the same commitment, the sixth edition of The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is also breaking new ground. With registrations being capped at around 36,000, attention will now focus on helping each participant achieve peak preparedness and derive optimum results in their personal quests for success. This requires a paradigm shift in strategy and buildup towards the sixth edition of the event, on January 18, 2009.

Hence, registrations for Mumbai’s largest and foremost sports and social event will now open on July 10, 2008, a little more than six months before Race Day and close on August 31, 2008 or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Whether it’s the serious runner or the fitness enthusiast, a member of the Pledgers’ United or a Dream Teamer, teams in the Corporate Challenge or Corporate Sporting Challenge and NGOs or social groups, their efforts and preparations will now receive a new dimension.

The new date for registrations was announced by Neeraj Swaroop, Regional Chief Executive India and South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, the title sponsor, along with S Ramadorai, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Consultancy Services, the Associate Sponsor and in conjunction with the Government of Maharashtra and officials of the Athletics Federation of India.

“I am pleased to announce the start of preparations for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009. The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is Asia’s largest marathon, attracting some of the world’s top runners. It is also a part of ‘The Greatest Race on Earth’, a 4-marathon relay that was dedicated to environment conservation last year.

“As you know, Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is now India’s largest platform for raising funds for charity. Over the last five years, the marathon has raised over Rs. 26 crore (over USD 6 million), benefiting more than 100 charities. Hence, it gives me immense satisfaction to dedicate Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009 to the theme ‘Run for a Cause’. This year, we will make special efforts to encourage every participant to use the marathon to support a cause close to their hearts. With registrations commencing early this year, we would like to appeal to all Mumbaikars to support a cause to raise funds and awareness while they prepare for the marathon,” said Neeraj Swaroop.

The marathon is Mumbai’s biggest sporting spectacle and Tata Consultancy Services is excited to be a part of this event. I look forward to an even bigger marathon in 2009 and widespread participation of people from Mumbai and beyond, said S Ramadorai.”

“I am pleased to announce the start of preparations for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009. The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is Asia’s largest marathon, attracting some of the world’s top runners. It is also a part of ‘The Greatest Race on Earth’, a 4-marathon relay that was dedicated to environment conservation last year.

“As you know, Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is now India’s largest platform for raising funds for charity. Over the last five years, the marathon has raised over Rs. 26 crore (over USD 6 million), benefiting more than 100 charities. Hence, it gives me immense satisfaction to dedicate Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009 to the theme ‘Run for a Cause’. This year, we will make special efforts to encourage every participant to use the marathon to support a cause close to their hearts. With registrations commencing early this year, we would like to appeal to all Mumbaikars to support a cause to raise funds and awareness while they prepare for the marathon,” said Neeraj Swaroop.

The marathon is Mumbai’s biggest sporting spectacle and Tata Consultancy Services is excited to be a part of this event. I look forward to an even bigger marathon in 2009 and widespread participation of people from Mumbai and beyond, said S Ramadorai.”

Speaking on this latest development, Vivek B Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International said, “The decision to start registrations for the 6th edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon more than six months in advance was taken in order to provide a more fulfilling experience to our participants.”

Listing the reasons for the same, he said that the focus would now be on encouraging more and more participants to strive and graduate from the Dream Run into the Half Marathon and from the Half Marathon into Marathon. The advanced date of registration would put an end to the uncertainty surrounding an individual’s entry and the subsequent confirmation of the same. Under the new setup, within 10 days of registering for the event, an e-mail confirmation would be received by the entrant, with acceptance letters and all relevant literature being posted from September 1 onwards.

“This gives every participant more than enough time to plan and execute a training program to participate in the distance of their choice and stand a realistic chance of completing the same,” he added.

The extended window of time would also give an opportunity to participants to avail of the specially designed training packages being offered by Talwalkars, the Official Trainer. Talwalkars, with 100 of their own trainers and 60 external trainers, will be bolstering the efforts of Mumbaikars towards becoming more accomplished distance runners.

Vivek Singh also touched on the impact the early registration window would have on the wonderful exercise of raising money for charity through the event, the biggest positive fallout that has seen close to Rs 30 crore being raised towards charity in five years.

“It has been observed over the years that many individuals would opt for pledge kits at the time of registration, but the same would not translate into monies raised for charity at the conclusion of the event, the main reason being the paucity of time to approach friends, acquaintances and peer groups to raise pledges. These members of the Pledgers’ United will now have ample time to cast their net far and wide and maximize the number of pledges.”

Vivek Singh further said that in addition to the Pledgers’ United, Dream Team and Corporate Challenge, Procam International would reserve an additional 5000 running places, entries for which would only be accepted through registered NGOs. “This is a positive move in order to raise more money for charity and give importance to NGOs. The NGOs now have enough time to maximize this opportunity by picking and choosing the people they give the running numbers to, rather than operate on a first come first served basis.”

Already the richest marathon in Asia, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009 will now offer an enhanced prize purse of USD 250,000, an increase of USD 10,000 over what was on offer last year. The increase in prize money is in keeping with the stature of the event, tagged as amongst the top ten marathons in the world.

Thirty three thousand running places are being offered by promoters Procam International, divided over the various race categories and registrations for the same will close on August 31, or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Special care has been taken to provide various avenues for registration to facilitate a hassle-free process. Online registration can be done through the event website www.scmm.indiatimes.com or the duly filled entry form along with the requisite entry fee can be mailed to P.O. Box No. 11017, Marine Lines Post Office, Mumbai 20. Mumbai residents can also deposit their entry form along with the requisite entry fees at the nearest Standard Chartered Bank branch.

Two thousand running places are on offer for the Full Marathon, while 9500 places will be available for the Half Marathon. The Dream Run, including the Corporate Challenge, will accommodate 23,000 participants. 1900 entries will be permitted in the Senior Citizens’ Run, while 150 entries will be accepted for the Wheelchair Event, making the total number of entries accepted over 36,000.

The tag of being amongst the top 10 marathons in the world does not sit lightly on the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. It has been earned by the efforts of every participant over five years. A conscious, positive decision has been made to advance the date of registration to directly benefit the participant and is an opportunity that should not go waste. Register early and reap optimum benefits. Let’s all work towards the day when every participant is running the distance and raising money for charity.

Title Sponsor: Standard Chartered Bank

Associate Sponsor: Tata Consultancy Services

Under the Aegis of: Athletics Federation of India

Supported by: Government of Maharashtra

Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Mumbai Police

Indian Navy-Western Naval Command

Maharashtra Athletic Association

Promoted by: Procam International