Marathons, Half Marathons & Runs in Chennai

The biggest race on Chennai's calendar is the Freshworks Chennai Marathon, and its 15th edition is set for Sunday 3 January 2027, according to the organisers, the volunteer-run Chennai Runners. It has four distances: a full marathon (42.195 km), a 32 km 'twenty miler', a half marathon and a 10 km run. Registration was open in October 2026. The course follows the coast, and the organisers say the long races finish at the Indian Maritime University at Uthandi on the East Coast Road, with shuttle buses back; start-line details were still to be published. In previous editions the full marathon set off from Napier Bridge at Marina Beach and the half from Elliot's Beach. Beyond the marathon, Chennai's running season runs from about November to February, when dawn temperatures are bearable. Corporate and charity 5K and 10K runs, women's runs, cyclothons, duathlons and triathlons are held most weekends, often along the Marina, at Besant Nagar, on the OMR and ECR, and inside campuses. Almost all start between 4 and 6 am because of the heat and humidity. Running clubs under the Chennai Runners umbrella meet across the city for free group runs. This page lists marathons, runs and cycling events in Chennai.