Sachin Tendulkar to flag off Kochi Spice Coast Marathon on Sunday

Kochi: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar will flag off the annual Ageas Federal Life Insurance Kochi Spice Coast Marathon here on Sunday.

Over 6,000 runners will line up early in the morning at the Maharaja College Stadium here and run past several landmarks in the beautiful city, hoping to win glory and acclaim.

Organised by Soles of Cochin, the 2023 edition of the marathon, will have three different categories -- full marathon (42.2K), half marathon (21.1K) and fun run (5K).

"The marathons in Kochi have always been special. When it comes to running, a lot of people box themselves into different challenges. Some are worried about maintaining practice schedules, some about their diet and some about their fitness. But, one should never feel it is too late to start," Tendulkar said in a statement issued by the organisers.

"Over the years, diverse people have participated in our marathons as part of their fitness journeys. You can start your fitness journey any time, not just when you're young.

"For India to transform from a sport-loving nation to a sport-playing nation, we need participation from people across all age groups," he added.

Keeping to the spirit of the theme 'Run Ageless, Run Fearless', around 50 members of the Healthy Aging Club, which is a part of the Medical Trust Hospital, will be participating in the fun run.

A total number of 43 running groups in and around Kochi will take part in this annual event, including several top corporate teams.