Agra Marathon 2027: The Agra Taj Half Marathon, Its Dates, Fees and a Winter Training Plan

Agra marathon 2027: the Agra Taj Half Marathon on 14 February

When people in Agra talk about “the Agra marathon”, they almost always mean the Agra Taj Half Marathon, known as ATHM. The Agra Sports Foundation conceived it in 2023, and the race has run every year since: the 2024 edition was the first, 2025 the second and Sunday, 8 February 2026 the third. The organiser says the course is AIMS-certified, meaning it has been officially measured so that finishing times count as qualifiers for races that ask for them.

The 4th edition is on Sunday, 14 February 2027, starting and finishing at Eklavya Stadium. Registration is open now on athm.in with an early-bird offer, and closes on 31 January 2027 or earlier if places fill. The organiser describes the route only as “scenic … on the backdrop of the Taj Mahal”, and the 2027 route map is marked “to be announced soon” (checked October 2026). There is no full 42.2 km marathon in Agra that we could verify; 21.1 km is the longest distance on offer.

Race morning at Eklavya Stadium: what the 2026 timings tell you

Start times for 2027 aren’t published yet, but the 2026 schedule shows the shape of an ATHM morning. Half marathoners reported at 4:30 AM and set off at 5:30 AM, well before a February sunrise. The 10 km went in two waves at 6:00 and 6:10 AM, and the 5 km in two waves at 7:00 and 7:10 AM. Everyone started and finished inside or beside Eklavya Stadium.

The bib expo in 2026 was at the stadium too, on the Friday (12 noon to 5 PM) and Saturday (10 AM to 5 PM) before the race. For the 2027 edition the organiser says half marathon and 10 km runners must collect their own bib, with the confirmation and a government photo ID, though one representative may collect a single runner’s bib with both IDs. Bibs can’t be replaced or transferred.

A 4:30 AM report time in mid-February in Agra means standing around in the cold. IMD’s 1991–2020 normals give February a mean minimum of 10.4°C, and the race starts before the day has warmed at all. Bring an old sweatshirt to wear until the start and leave behind, and keep your warm-up jog short and close to the start pen.

Does the Agra marathon have prize money or cut-off times?

ATHM doesn’t publish cut-off times for 2027 on its site or in its terms. That’s unusual and worth asking about if you expect to take more than three hours over 21.1 km; email the organiser before you register. The 5 km is untimed, so it has no limit at all.

There’s also no prize money listed for 2027 on athm.in, despite “agra marathon prize money” being a common search. What the organiser does publish is a long list of age-group winners: it reports 32-plus winning categories, and the 2026 results name winners and runners-up for men and women in five age bands across the half marathon, 10 km and 5 km. Provisional results go up by 5 PM on race day, and timing certificates for the half and 10 km can be downloaded from Sports Timing Solutions after 21 working days. Half and 10 km finishers get a medal; medals aren’t posted to anyone who misses collecting one.

Those times are quick, but the race isn’t only for fast runners. The same results list a 60-plus men’s half marathon winner at 2:03:24 and two women’s 10 km age-group winners over an hour. For a first ATHM, finishing in comfort is a fine target.

Other Agra running events: promo runs and a Jagran half marathon

ATHM runs a season of shorter events before the main race, and they’re the easiest way to try a timed course in Agra. In the 2025–26 season, Promo Run 1 (5 km) was on 5 October 2025 at Khelgaon, Dayalbagh; Promo Run 2 (10 km and 5 km) on 16 November 2025 at Zonal Park, Shastripuram; and an Ethnic Run on 26 January 2026. The 2026–27 season opened with Promo Run 1 on Sunday, 25 October 2026: a 5 km out-and-back from Khelgaon along Dayalbagh Road and Poiya Ghat Road to a turn at Poiya Ghat, flagged off at 6:45 AM.

Separately, Jagran Prakashan’s Healthon Half Marathon, which bills itself as a multi-city half marathon in north India, lists an Agra edition at Eklavya Stadium with 2 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21 km categories, open to ages 15 and above with photo ID. When we checked in October 2026 its ticket page showed Sunday, 27 December 2026 with tickets marked unavailable, so confirm the date on the listing before planning around it.

Training for ATHM in an Agra winter: fog, cold and 15 weeks

From the first week of November 2026 to 14 February 2027 is 15 weeks, which is enough for a first half marathon if you can already run or run-walk for 30 minutes. The catch is the season. Your longest runs fall in late December and January, Agra’s coldest weeks: IMD normals put January’s mean minimum at 7.4°C and December’s at 8.1°C, with evening humidity around 63–65%. The city is also prone to dense winter fog, which cuts visibility on roads at exactly the hour runners go out.

• Fog mornings: get off the road. On thick-fog days, do your run on a park loop or a stadium track, wear something bright or reflective, or move the run to late morning once it lifts. Drivers can’t see a runner in dense fog.
• Cold mornings: warm up indoors first. Five to eight minutes of marching, leg swings and squats inside the house before stepping out makes the first kilometre far less stiff.
• Dress for 10 minutes in. Start slightly cold; a cap and a light layer you can tie around your waist are usually enough at 7–10°C.
• Drink anyway. Cold, dry air hides how much you sweat and breathe out. Carry water on runs over an hour, even in January.
• Use the promo runs as rehearsals. A November promo 10 km at goal effort tells you more about your race pace than any calculator.

For the general approach to a first 21.1 km, our half marathon training plan for beginners covers easy-run pacing, the long run and tapering. The table below fits that approach to ATHM’s date.

A 15-week ATHM plan, from November to Valentine’s Day race day

Strength work is what keeps a 15-week block injury-free when most of the running happens on cold, stiff legs. Two 25–30 minute sessions a week are enough: split squats or step-ups, Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, a hip bridge and a plank or side plank. The strength training for runners guide explains sets, loads and why each lift helps. Keep the heavier session at least two days before your Sunday long run.

If you already have a gym membership, personal gym training in Agra lets a coach plan and watch your lifts on video in that gym. Training with a running friend or two? Group classes in Agra cover strength and mobility for ₹499 a person per session.

Eating for a February half marathon in Agra

A half marathon build raises your energy needs, especially once long runs pass 15 km, but it doesn’t call for a special diet. Eat normal meals with enough protein, keep the winter halwa and gajak to occasional treats, and add a bit more rice, roti or fruit on long-run days. Our healthy food in Agra guide puts calorie and protein numbers on the city’s everyday dishes, and the TDEE calculator estimates your daily energy use as mileage climbs.

1. 1

   Saturday before the race: a plain dinner

   Rice or roti with dal and a vegetable, eaten by 8 PM. Leave the heavy, oily wedding-style dishes until after the race.

2. 2

   Race morning: a tried breakfast by 3:45 AM

   With a 4:30 AM report time, eat something you’ve tested before a long run, such as toast with banana, and a glass of water.

3. 3

   During the race: small sips at the water points

   Don’t try a new gel or drink on race day. If you used one in training, take it at about 45 minutes and again at 90.

4. 4

   After the finish: a proper meal within an hour

   Carbohydrate plus protein, such as poha with curd or eggs and parathas, then a walk on Monday rather than a run.

Planning the costs around an Agra race

The ATHM entry fee is between ₹700 and ₹1,200 depending on distance and offer, but most runners spend more on shoes, a gym or coaching over the 15 weeks. Before you sign up for anything, compare gym fees in Agra and what personal trainers charge in Agra. If you want a coach for the strength side of your build, online personal training in Agra runs every day from 6 AM to 8 PM, so a session fits around a dark, foggy morning run.