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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONIN / RACE GUIDE

Skechers Chennai Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Chennai
IN

Rajkumar R · CC BY-SA 2.0Martin Ehrensvärd / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0Martin Ehrensvärd / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0Martin Ehrensvärd / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0Vinoth offl / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Race date in 87 days: Jan 3, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: Chennai · 42.20km · 32km · 21.10km +1 more events
Entry fee: ₹1,695From the 2026 edition
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Jan 3, 2027 · Open

2026

2026Date Jan 4, 2026

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Oct 8, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The race grew out of the ECR Run, where runners gathered along the East Coast Road (ECR).

It became an official annual event in 2010.

It is organised by Chennai Runners, a volunteer-led nonprofit founded in 2006.

It is now India’s second-largest marathon after Mumbai and Chennai’s largest sporting event.

Held on the first Sunday of January each year, the course follows the coast past the city’s historic landmarks.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

#SkechersChennaiMarathon#Chennai#Overseas Marathon#January Marathon#Full marathon Marathon

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3

RadioApprehensive258Ran in 2025

“It was great I have been doing 10ks here and there and got quite comfortable with it which is why I thought I’d push for 21, felt amazing to cross the finish line.”

After gaining experience in 10K races, the participant took on their first 21K and said that simply finishing was a great experience. They also said they wanted to train more consistently and take part again the following year.

Read the original on Reddit · r/Chennai

SantanuRan in 2025

“As I eased into the rhythm, I picked up the pace slightly and even managed some small talk with fellow runners.”

They started at 4 a.m. and ran the mostly flat course, then stayed with another runner from 38 km onward to get through the final 4 km.

Read the original on santm.com

ManiRan in 2025 · Finish time 1:34:21

“The first feeling was one of disbelief partly because I had not planned for this and partly because I felt quite strong and fully in control.”

Mani finished the Chennai Marathon 2025 half marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes 21 seconds. Running alongside runners at a similar pace was motivating, and after the race, Mani shared thoughts on the finisher medal, race operations, and breakfast.

Read the original on Geeks on Feet

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Skechers Performance Chennai Marathon 2022

MyRace Timing Solutions

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

General entry

General online registration through procam.in platform, organized by Chennai Runners.

Minimum age limit for each sport.

Now renamed as Freshworks Chennai Marathon.

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 42.20km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition

START

Elliot’s Beach, Besant Nagar

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

India Maritime University, Uthandi, Chennai

Finish · Google Maps

Original course map · thechennaimarathon.com

The half marathon starts at Elliot's Beach in Besant Nagar, while the full marathon and the 20-miler start at Napier Bridge on Marina Beach;

both finish at the Indian Maritime University campus on the East Coast Road.

The route follows the Bay of Bengal coastline along the East Coast Road, linking Marina Beach, Elliot's Beach and the ECR corridor on a largely flat course.

A separate 10K route also starts at Napier Bridge but finishes at the CPT Ground in Taramani.

AIMS Certified: Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)
Organizer: Chennai Runners
Typical race-season temperature: around 24°C (75°F): Hot race — plan fluids and electrolytes

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Medical support

Water stations

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Finisher certificate

Bag drop

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Bib and the race kit must be collected at Expo.
The expo dates and times, required documents, and proxy collection rules have not yet been announced.

Chennai Trade Centre Hall 3A, Mount Poonamallee High Road, Nandambakkam, Chennai 600089

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

IC cardA foreign runner should book Chennai Metro tickets as a QR code via the official WhatsApp ticketing service (+91 83000 86000) or the Chennai-One app, paying by international credit/debit card, since the old paper Tourist Card was discontinued. Where to buy
Getting to the finishIndia Maritime University (IMU), Uthandi, East Coast Road

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the finish

India Maritime University (IMU), Uthandi, East Coast Road

Limited transport buses available for Half Marathon/Twenty Miler/Full Marathon finishers to travel from IMU back to start-line. Look for signage at finish point in IMU.

Map

Road closures

Limited shuttle bus operation (details not disclosed) returning from the finish (Indian Maritime University) to the starting point after completion.

Start shuttle

Official FAQ confirms limited buses run from finish (IMU, Uthandi) back to start-line, finishers only. No outbound shuttle to start line mentioned.

IC card

Singara Chennai Card

Sold at ticket counters inside Chennai Metro stations (initial stored value + refundable deposit); rechargeable at station counters, vending machines, or online via SBI's prepaid portal Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

Chennai Metro discontinued its 1-day/30-day paper 'Tourist Card' on Feb 1, 2025, and is phasing out the old stored-value travel card by May 2026 in favor of the NCMC-based Singara Chennai Card, which runs on India's domestic RuPay network (not directly tappable with a foreign Visa/Mastercard). The WhatsApp QR-ticket bot explicitly accepts credit/debit cards, UPI, and net banking — no Indian bank account needed.

Where to buy

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Very early starts to beat Chennai's heat and humidity: Full Marathon/20 Miler from Napier Bridge at 4:00 AM,

Half Marathon from Elliot's Beach at 5:00 AM, 10K from Napier Bridge at 5:30 AM (arrive 30 min early).

Marathoners must reach 28 km by 8:30 AM.

Free metro runs from 3:00 AM with bib+QR code, and women-only aid stations are provided on course.

Times are local to Chennai. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

The Leela Palace Chennai

Hotel · 2.1km

9.3/10(2181)

Skechers Chennai Marathon

About Skechers Chennai Marathon — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run