Kashmir Marathon 2026: Results, the Dal Lake Route, and How to Run It Next Year

Official poster, Kashmir Marathon 2026 — J&K Tourism / AIMS.

On Sunday 25 October 2026, Srinagar woke up to the sound of running shoes. The third edition of the Kashmir Marathon sent more than 1,800 runners from a dozen countries down Lal Chowk, along Boulevard Road and out past Dal Lake on a crisp autumn morning — and for the first time the race ran as an AIMS-listed event, the same association that lists Boston, Berlin and Mumbai. Here is how the day went, who won, and what to know if you want to be on the start line in 2027.

The Results

Kenya swept the elite podiums. Emmanuel Sikuku Ndiwa won the men's full marathon in 2:15:07, holding off compatriots Hammington Kimaiyo Cherop (2:15:13) and Mwangi Simon Maina (2:15:22) in a finish decided over the last kilometre along Foreshore Road. Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang took the women's title in 2:38:05, eleven seconds ahead of Viola Munerya Chemos. Nepal's Anish Thapa Magar (2:20:39) and India's Ashvini Jadhav (3:03:15) were the first non-Kenyan finishers.

The prize purse was the biggest in the race's short history — ₹3.17 crore in total, with ₹25 lakh to each overall winner and, new this year, a dedicated J&K Domicile category worth ₹4 lakh in the full marathon and ₹2 lakh in the half.

The Stories That Stole the Morning

The elite times made the headlines; the field made the day. Shivam Kumar, a 20-year-old double upper-limb amputee, finished after four years of training with his coach. Ten-year-old Maham Khan ran for the third consecutive year. A 70-year-old from the Srinagar Athletics Club used the finish line to lecture the youngsters about fitness. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha handed out the medals and said the race had put Srinagar "on the global running map"; Director of Tourism Syed Qamar Sajad hoped every finisher would go home an ambassador for Kashmir.

The Route: Why Runners Love It

The course starts at Polo View in the heart of the city, passes Lal Chowk, then turns onto Boulevard Road with Dal Lake on one side and the Zabarwan hills on the other, continues along Foreshore Road and finishes near Nishat Garden. It is flat, fast and absurdly scenic — shikaras on the water at kilometre 10, chinar trees turning red at kilometre 30. At around 1,600 m altitude the air is thin enough to notice but not enough to wreck a goal time; the October cool (8–18 °C on race morning) more than makes up for it.

How to Run the Kashmir Marathon in 2027

• Dates: the race has settled into the last Sunday of October. Registration for 2026 closed at 1,807 confirmed entries, so register the moment the J&K Tourism portal opens, usually in July–August.
• Categories: full marathon (42.195 km) and half (21.1 km), with age groups 18–35, 36–49 and 50+, plus the J&K Domicile category. There is no 10 km yet.
• Arrive early: land at least two days before to acclimatise. Fly into Srinagar, take a cab from the airport (30–45 min) and stay on or near Boulevard Road so race morning is a walk.
• Shake-out runs: the Foreshore Road stretch past Nishat is the course itself and is quiet at 6 am. For something gentler, rent a scooter and ride the loop the day before to see the turns.
• Fuel: Srinagar's bakeries open before dawn — a girda with noon chai is the local pre-race carb. For the night before, see our best places to eat in Srinagar.
• Recovery: the race lands in the same week the chrysanthemum garden opens and the chinars peak. Give yourself two extra days: Gulmarg's gondola the day after is a perfect legs-up reward.

Make It a Trip, Not Just a Race

Most international runners stayed four to six nights. The classic pattern is two nights in Srinagar around the race, then Gulmarg and Pahalgam with a driver who knows the roads — see our 5, 6 and 7-day itineraries and the trip cost breakdown to budget it. Late October is also the cheapest shoulder-season window for hotels before the winter rush.

Sources: Kashmir Observer · Fat Marathoner results · DD News · J&K Department of Tourism.

Note: Event details, timings and entry arrangements are as announced by the organisers at the time of writing and can change. Cab and bike rates mentioned are indicative starting figures and are confirmed at the time of booking.