They show the way: Differently-abled runners shine at Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026

With thousands of Mumbaikars bringing their best to the iconic annual Tata Mumbai Marathon TMM the disabled community refused to remain on the sidelines with about 1140 such participants taking to their heels on SundayWhile most runners mark their feat in run time and mileage 40yearold Ekinath Khedekar will remember this marathon owing to a whole new experience ldquoI have been running marathons and participating in cycling contests for nearly 20 years now But this time around the switch flippedrdquo said the veteran marathoner who finished his 10K on Sunday morningldquoAs a completely blind participant I usually run with support This time around the person assisting me seemed to slow down midrun I could sense that fatigue was getting the better of her Soon she confided that she has Thalassaemiardquo he told middayThalassaemia affects onersquos bodyrsquos ability to produce healthy haemoglobincarrying red blood cells As a result a person may experience fatigue sooner ldquoI was still stunned after the marathon Often we are too caught up with visible disabilities that the invisible ones leave us with a changed perspectiverdquo he addedKapil Sahu left with Manish Jain his guide runnerAnother runner 36yearold Kapil Sahu ran the whole stretch in a first reaching 42195 km in 4 hours 45 minutes Madhya Pradesh native Sahu is partially blind with 25 per cent vision in one eye and completely blind in the other Working as an accountant for the central railways Sahu began practising for this day since 2018 Tired of his sedentary lifestyle Sahu decided to pick up runningldquoWe practised for this marathon since last August at 5 am from Shivaji Park to NCPA and back I took the 340 am from Nallasopara every Sunday Guide runners from HEED India helped us with our core exercises diet and practicerdquo Sahu told middaySahu had discussed all the possible speed bumps with his guide Manish Jain From waiting at hydration points making turns and managing in dingy spots ldquoI was so engaged in the conversation with Manish that I didnrsquot realise how the time went by Just before the run commenced he shut off the timer and asked me to focus on enjoying myself and making my first 42K a positive memoryrdquo he told midday Sahu dedicates his run to all the firsttimers who may be hesitant to make the leapLong journeyRupesh Thakur who has zero per cent vision completed his firstever marathon walking the entire stretch of 16 km marked for the differentlyabled with the help of his assistant Om Dubey The participant travelled from Vasai to take part in the event turning his personal challenge into a powerful message of inclusion and resilienceldquoFor me the walk was not about timing or competition but about pushing boundaries and proving that physical limitations need not define onersquos aspirations Om is acting as a guide throughout the journey and with his help I navigated the route step by step relying on verbal cues steady support and mutual trust to complete the distance safelyrdquo said ThakurSpeaking after completing the walk the visually impaired participant said the marathon had been a longcherished dream ldquoI wanted to test myself and show that with the right support nothing is impossiblerdquo he said as his wife and daughter also walked the path alongside him to extend their support in his first attemptHis assistant who walked beside him for the entire course said guiding him was both a responsibility and a privilege ldquoIt was about trust Every step had to be communicated clearly Finishing together made it all worthwhilerdquo said OmOrganisers said the participation of differentlyabled individuals underlined the marathonrsquos inclusive spirit ldquoEvents like these are not just about fitness but about giving everyone an equal platformrdquo said one of the members from the organising committee As the man crossed the finish line his achievement stood as a reminder that courage and determination can help overcome even the toughest of challengesNo med emergenciesOver 2400 medical cases were recorded with most being minor and exerciserelated including muscle cramps fatigue and dehydration These were effectively managed on site by trained teams Data showed Bombay Hospital treated 10 runners with one ICU admission Jaslok PD Hinduja and Lilavati Hospitals managed runners with dehydration or cramps Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital treated two runners with severe dehydration