An endurance test of runners will happen on Sunday, when 'Fort Marathon' will be held at Sinhagad in Pune.
Sagarmatha Giryarohan Sanstha, a Pune-based non-profit body that promotes adventure sports and trekking, has organised the third edition of Fort Marathon.
In all, six categories have been formed and each participant will have to pair up with another, making it a two-member team. For the first time, there's a separate category for those who are 40 and above. The six categories are Open (all men), Open (mix), Amateur (all men), Amateur (mix), 40+ (all men) and 40+ (mix). Those participating in 40+ and amateur categories will have to cover 16km for the title unlike 20km for the open categories.
The maximum prize money is Rs1 lakh and the minimum Rs3,000. The registration fee is nominal — Rs699 and Rs499. The plan is to use the proceeds from the event for the betterment of the hamlets around forts in Maharashtra.
"Last year, Fort Marathon was held at the twin fort complexes of Lohagad-Visapur in Lonavala, wherein participants had to cover 20km on trails and undulating terrains," said Narayanprasad Kardile from the Pune-based adventure group.
The first edition of this marathon was held at the twin forts of Manoranjan and Srivardhan at Rajmachi in the Lonavala-Karjat region. The aim of Sagarmatha Giryarohan Sanstha is to take this marathon to all the 23 hill forts of the Sahyadris in Maharashtra.
