Ahmedabad Marathon 2026: Date, Cut-offs, Entry Rules and a Training Plan for the Riverfront

Ahmedabad Marathon 2026 date and what has already happened this year

Ahmedabad’s running year has one fixed point: the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon on the last Sunday or so of November, when the city’s weather finally turns kind. The 2026 race, the 10th edition, is on Sunday 29 November 2026. As of 27 October 2026 it hasn’t happened yet, registration is closed, and the race has just been added to the World Athletics Global Calendar (on 5 October 2026), which means performances on the course can count towards World Athletics rankings. Smaller races fill the winter around it. Here is where each one stands.

Adani Ahmedabad Marathon: categories, cut-offs and who can enter

The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon was launched in 2017, is sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India and is listed by AIMS, the international race association. Its theme, #Run4OurSoldiers, puts civilians and the armed forces on the same start line: the 9th edition in November 2025 had more than 24,000 runners, including over 4,000 members of the Indian Armed Forces. Armed forces runners register through their units.

Two entry rules catch first-timers out. The full marathon is open only to runners who have finished a marathon within 6 hours 30 minutes or a half marathon within 3 hours 30 minutes on or after 24 November 2024. The half marathon also asks for a previous finish within set times (a marathon, half marathon or shorter race) on or after 1 November 2024. So if you have never raced, your route into the 2027 half is a timed 10K this winter. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, you can enter only one race, and registration is online only. The official FAQ gave 26 August 2026 as the last date for 2026 entries.

Prize money is substantial for an Indian city race: ₹1,25,000 for the open full marathon winners, ₹90,000 for the half and ₹75,000 for the 10K, with age-group prizes from 30–34 upwards. Winners in the age categories are decided on chip time.

The riverfront course and race-morning weather in Ahmedabad

All races start and finish at the Sabarmati Riverfront opposite Atal Bridge in Paldi, at the Riverfront Sports Park, and the official FAQ describes the route as running alongside the Sabarmati Riverfront. The full marathon starts at 4:00 AM, with the shorter races following through the early morning; the official pages give slightly different times for the later starts, so check the final race-day schedule. The 2026 route map hadn’t been published at the time of writing.

FatMarathoner’s course guide (updated 26 September 2026) describes an out-and-back route closed to traffic, past Gandhi Ashram, Atal Bridge and Ellis Bridge, at about 53 metres above sea level. It counts about 244 metres of total climb, nearly all from bridge approaches and underpass ramps rather than hills, with the main bridge climb near the 34 km mark. Treat those figures as a third-party estimate until the official map is out. For training, they mean one thing: practise short, sharp ramps late in your long runs.

Late November is the right month for a race here. India Meteorological Department normals (1991–2020) give November an average high of 33.1 °C and low of 17.2 °C, with about 2 mm of rain. A 4 AM start uses the coolest part of the day, but anyone still running after 8 AM will feel the sun, which is why the 6 hour 30 minute cut-off still asks you to pace and drink carefully.

Race morning at Paldi: what the official FAQ says

A few practical rules from the organiser’s FAQ are worth knowing before 29 November. There is no race-day registration or offline entry. The organisers strongly advise against bringing bags; a limited baggage room exists with size limits, and everything is screened. A parking plan is published before race day. Aid stations with water, energy drinks and medical support are spread along the route, mobile medical units follow the race, and recovery rooms with a physiotherapist are set up at the finish. Headphones are allowed, but stay alert to marshals. Barefoot running is not recommended on the course.

Training for a November race through Ahmedabad’s monsoon and October heat

The hardest part of preparing for the Ahmedabad Marathon is that the build-up falls in the city’s two worst months for running. A 12-week plan for 29 November starts in early September, when humidity averages 63%, and peaks in October, when the average high is 35.6 °C. Three adjustments help:

• Start long runs at 5 AM. In September and October, finish your longest efforts before the sun is up properly. Run by effort, not pace: a humid 10 km at an easy effort will be slower than the same run in December, and that’s fine.
• Rehearse the start time. A 4 AM gun for the full marathon means waking at about 2:30 AM. Do two or three long runs in October with a very early alarm, so race morning isn’t the first time your stomach has seen breakfast at that hour.
• Use the course. The riverfront promenade is about 11 km on each bank, so an out-and-back covers most of a half marathon on the same flat concrete you will race on. Add bridge-ramp repeats once a week. Our guide to running tracks in Ahmedabad covers access points and hours.

A sample Ahmedabad half marathon training week with two strength sessions

This is a sample week for someone eight to ten weeks out from a half marathon who already runs about 20 km a week. It uses two strength sessions, which do the most good in the hot months when outdoor quality work is limited. Our half marathon training plan for beginners gives the full 12-week build, and strength training for runners explains the lifting days.

Keep the two strength days at least a day apart from the interval session. If an October morning is already above 30 °C at 7 AM, cut the long run short rather than pushing on: one shortened run costs you nothing, and heat illness costs you the race.

Taper and race-week food on a Gujarati plate

With a fixed race date, the taper is easy to plan. Run less in the last one to two weeks (longer for a full marathon than a half), keep a few short, quick efforts so your legs stay sharp, and keep strength sessions light and familiar. The half marathon training plan for beginners sets out the taper week by week.

A vegetarian Gujarati diet is well suited to race week, because so much of it is already easily digested carbohydrate. In the last two days, lean on rice, khichdi, rotli with dal, poha, upma and steamed dhokla, plus bananas. Keep thepla and handvo as training-week staples but go easy on oil, and leave fried farsan such as fafda, ganthiya and jalebi until after the race. Because the full marathon starts at 4 AM, a small breakfast at about 2:30 AM, such as a banana with a couple of plain khakhra or a slice of bread with peanut butter, works better than a full meal. Test it before a long run first.

For a calorie and protein target during the build, use our TDEE calculator and protein intake calculator; our guide to healthy food in Ahmedabad covers local dishes.

Coming back from a running injury? Once your physio has cleared you, Rehab & Recovery in Ahmedabad rebuilds strength step by step. Training with your running group? Group classes in Ahmedabad put everyone on one live call. For everything else, see online personal training in Ahmedabad.