Timings will get better, says course director

Hugh Jones, the technical director of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, believes the route for the November 9 event will provide fast timings.

Hugh Jones, the technical director of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, believes the route for the November 9 event will provide fast timings.

8220;The route is absolutely flat and hence should be fast. The runners, particularly the elite in the men8217;s category, should be able to clock 60 minutes for the distance, if not less8221; said Jones.

Though there are minor changes, the route for this edition is more or less the same as last year8217;s. According to Jones, the changes will not affect the overall performance of the participants.

8220;There isn8217;t much elevation on the route and the course for the race doesn8217;t have many turns,8221; added the course director

Advocating the possibility of a sub-60-minute-barrier being broken by runners, Jones attributed it to the 8220;nice and cool weather8221; prevailing in the Capital at the moment.

8220;Since the race is being held in the first week of November, cool early morning weather should help top runners in the men8217;s section. A sub-60 minute timing, though tough, cannot be ruled out,8221; he said.

Last year, the eventual men8217;s winner Disi had dipped below 61 minutes. But Jones, himself a marathoner of international repute during his heydays, did not expect the women runners to set a fast time. 8220;It all depends on the tactics the lead runner or the lead group adopts. The men8217;s race is generally fast right from the beginning, unlike in the women8217;s section. The latter generally prefer sticking to one big group before heading for a sprint finish in closing stages,8221; said Jone.

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The main event8212;half marathon8212;that commences at 7.30 in the morning will start and finish at the Vinay Marg. The organisers 8212; Procam International 8212; expect a sizeable participation of runners in the event. Addressing the media Vivek B. Singh said that adequate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the event and apart from 8220;Great Delhi Run8221; there will be wheelchair event and competition for senior citizens.

The foreign participants start arriving in the Capital from Thursday.