LSR Colombo Marathon to get off the blocks on 8 October

From left: Lanka Sportreizen  Chairman P.T. Weerasinghe, SLTPB Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara, Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara, Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya, SriLankan Airlines CEO Capt. Suren Ratwatta and Director Traffic Admin and Road Safety SP Indika Hapugoda - Pic by Indraratne Balasuriya

The Colombo Marathon returns in all its glory on 8 October, bigger and better than ever before, as some 10,000 runners are expected to descend on the streets of Colombo for the iconic event. 

This year, its 17th iteration, will also see for the first time ever ‘Fun Runs’ being held solely within the Colombo City limits.

The marathon is set to start at 6.00 a.m. near the BMICH in Colombo 7 and will continue along a newly measured route by the IAAF, which is now from Colombo to Dungalpitiya. While the event was initially expected to take place solely in Colombo, logistical concerns have seen the route for the Full Marathon extended further north. 

Starting from Bauddhaloka Mawatha runners will pass through R.G. Senanayake Mawatha, Maitland Crescent, Horton Place, Kollupitiya/Sri Jayawardenapura Road, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Albert Crescent, Independence Avenue, Philip Gunawardena Mawatha, Thummulla junction, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Jawatta Road, Ven Muruththettuwe Ananda Himi Mawatha, Torrington Avenue, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Maitland Place, Independence Avenue, Maitland Crescent, Maitland Place, Vidya Mawatha, Wijerama Mawatha, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Borella Kanaththa Junction, Baseline Road, Peliyagoda, Nawaloka Roundabout, Negombo Colombo Road, Hekiththa Junction, Hekiththa Road, Canal Road, Bopitiya Road, Pamunugama Road, eventually finishing up in Dungalpitiya.

A special circular route meanwhile has been mapped out within the Colombo City Limits for the 5 km and 10 km Fun Runs, with roads along the route expected to be closed accordingly.

The Colombo Marathon as usual will have several event categories catering to any and all interested runners: Full Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Veteran (50 and above) Full Marathon and Half Marathon, Fun Run (15 and above) 10 km and 5 km, and a School Fun Run 5 km for school kids.

Lanka Sportreizen is once again organising the event, which is expected to cost nearly Rs. 25 million, of which Rs. 2.5 million will go towards the prize pool. Under the stewardship of LSR the Colombo Marathon has gained both AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Running) and IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) certification. It also has its own spot on the global marathon calendar on the first Sunday of October.

The event is being supported by the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Law and Order and Southern Development, the Ministry of Education, the Western Provincial Council, SriLankan Airlines, Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, relevant Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils, security forces and print and electronic media organisations.

For registration and more information about the event you can visit www.colombomarathon.com or the event’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LSRColomboMarathon.