Nashik Marathon Guide: The January MVP Marathon, Distances, Prize Money and a 10-Week Plan

The Nashik marathon at a glance

When people in Nashik talk about the marathon, they usually mean the Nashik MVP Marathon, organised by the Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj (MVP), a Nashik education society. The edition numbers show how long it has been running: the January 2024 race was billed as the 8th National and 13th State-Level edition, and the 12 January 2025 race as the 9th National and 14th State-Level edition. All India Radio's news service covered the 2025 result, and here is what's on record about it.

Nashik marathon distances: which one to choose

The MVP Marathon's long category list is unusual, and it's a gift to beginners. Many city races offer three or four distances; Nashik's 2025 race offered fourteen categories, split by distance, age and gender. That means there's a sensible first race for almost everyone:

• 2 km fun run: a family event and a good first start line for children and new walkers.
• 5–6 km: the right first race if you can run 30 minutes without stopping.
• 10–12 km: for regular runners with 8–10 weeks of consistent training behind them.
• 21 km half marathon: for runners who already run 15–20 km a week; the 10-week plan below gets you there.
• 42.195 km full marathon: for experienced runners only. The 2025 winner ran 2:20, and Nashik district's Sikandar Tadakhe of Dindori finished second, so the front of the field is fast.

Nashik also features on Lokmat's MahaMarathon circuit, a multi-city series run by Lokmat Media with 21 km, 10 km and 5 km categories. Its calendar has listed Nashik as a stop before (the 6th Nashik edition was dated 20 November 2022), but dates move from season to season, so check the series' own website for the current one.

Race-day weather: why a January race in Nashik is a good one

A January race in Nashik gets some of the best running weather in Maharashtra. India Meteorological Department normals for Nashik (Ozar, 1991–2020) give January an average low of 10.4°C, an average high of 29.0°C and almost no rain (0.6 mm in the month). At a 5:45 AM start, you'll begin in cool air; by the time a half marathoner finishes two to three hours later, the sun is up and the temperature is climbing, and full marathoners will feel it in the last hour.

1. 1

   Dress for the start, not the finish

   A light, old top you can discard at the start keeps you warm at 10–12°C. Under it, wear what you'd run in at 20°C.

2. 2

   Drink early, even when it's cool

   Dry winter air hides how much you sweat. Drink at the first water stations, not only when you feel thirsty.

3. 3

   Practise at race time

   Do your last three long runs at 5:45 AM, so the early breakfast and the cold start feel normal.

4. 4

   Sun for the final hour

   Wear a cap and sunscreen on longer distances; the last kilometres will be in full sun.

A 10-week half marathon plan for the Nashik MVP Marathon

This plan is for a runner who can already run 30–40 minutes comfortably and wants to finish the 21 km in January. Start in the first week of November, as the monsoon's last rain clears and mornings cool, and you arrive at race week with ten weeks behind you. Long runs go out along Gangapur Road, which Maharashtra Tourism measures at about 14 km from the city centre to Gangapur Dam, so a run to the dam and back covers more than your longest training run needs to be. Our national half marathon training plan for beginners explains paces and how to adjust if you miss a week.

Two strength sessions a week are what most first-time half marathoners skip and most injured ones wish they hadn't. Squats, step-ups, single-leg work, calf raises and core exercises make the second half of the race feel stronger and protect knees and shins as the mileage rises. Our guide to strength training for runners has the routine. Fuelling matters too: to estimate what your training weeks burn, try our TDEE calculator.

Shorter goals: a 6-week plan for the 5 km or 10 km

If the 21 km is a step too far this season, the MVP Marathon's 5 km and 10 km categories are a better first target, and six weeks from early December is enough. Run three times a week and keep two short strength sessions:

Planning the full 42.195 km instead? Give yourself 16–18 weeks, which for a mid-January race means starting in September, while the rain is still falling. That's harder in Nashik than the half, because your first two months of build fall in the monsoon, so start with a solid base of 30 km a week and strength twice a week.

Training through the Nashik monsoon for a January race

Nashik's rain is concentrated: about 241 mm in July, 197 mm in August and 169 mm in September on IMD averages. If you're planning a half or full marathon in January, those months are your base-building season. Keep running three or four times a week on routes you know, avoid flooded roads, and do your quality work on a measured stretch or indoors. Add a third strength session in August and September; strong legs going into November let you raise mileage faster without getting hurt. Our guide to running tracks in Nashik lists where to train in each season.

Coaching for Nashik runners

MakeMyFitness doesn't organise races or run a running club in Nashik, and there's no studio. Our coaches work on live video: they build and coach your strength and mobility work, adjust it to your running weeks and keep you honest about recovery. If you have a gym membership, Personal Gym Training in Nashik brings the coach into your gym session. If you're coming back from a running injury and your doctor or physio has cleared you, Rehab & Recovery in Nashik rebuilds strength step by step. Prices and timings are on our online personal training in Nashik page, and for race-season food, see healthy food in Nashik.