For many runners, each race holds a story. For Sarah from Gold Country Run + Sport, the 2024 Mumbai Marathon was more than just a race—it was a return to family, a test of resilience, and a reminder of what running can mean beyond the finish line.

Sarah had dreamed of running the Mumbai Marathon long before she signed up. Her father is Indian, and she’d visited the country many times before, but this trip felt different. With her grandmother now 94 and a cousin she’d recently reconnected with moving back to India, the timing felt right. She planned her January trip around the race, hoping to tie together family, culture, and community in one unforgettable experience.
Coming off a whirlwind fall of racing—including her first DNF at the Javelina 100 and a breakthrough sub-3 performance at CIM—Sarah approached Mumbai without pressure. “I just wanted to enjoy it,” she said. “It felt like a victory lap.”

Her training leading up to the race was less structured than usual, focused more on recovery, strength work, and yoga. She arrived in Mumbai less than 48 hours before the 5:00 AM start, stepping off an 18-hour flight into a city known for its intensity, heat, and humidity. “It was kind of a time warp,” she laughed. “I wasn’t even jet-lagged—I was just thrown into it.”

Even with no time goal in mind, the race proved more humbling than anticipated. High temperatures, an AQI over 180, and intense humidity quickly shifted her pacing from eight minutes per mile to ten. “I thought I’d just cruise it,” she said. “But I was adjusting constantly. It was so physically humbling. The people running fast in those conditions could easily shave off 5–10 minutes in another marathon.”

Still, the race had moments of beauty—some literal, like the scenic stretch on the new oceanfront highway called the Sky Link, and others deeply human. “There was this amazing sense of community,” she recalled. “Before the start, hundreds of runners were doing a warm-up together with music and instructors on stage. It’s not something you see in most American marathons.”

Cultural differences stood out throughout the experience. The marathon, though large with over 30,000 runners, was surprisingly calm and well-organized. Support on the course was extensive, with aid stations that seemed to never end—water, electrolytes, snacks—all supported by volunteers who made sure runners had what they needed.

Sarah also noticed a stark contrast in female participation. “It reminded me how much we take for granted here,” she said. “There were far fewer women running. My cousin, who lives there, says it’s changing slowly—more women in gyms, more women exercising publicly—but it’s still deeply traditional in a lot of ways.”

Her cousin’s experience on race day underscored that. Starting in the final wave, she ran much of her final 5K through open city traffic after officials began tearing down course markers. “She was weaving through taxis and deflated arches,” Sarah said, “but she finished. It was pure grit.”

The day after the race, Sarah learned just how much she’d pushed herself. Feeling unwell, she was admitted to a hospital and diagnosed with norovirus and two stomach bugs—likely picked up during her travels. “It explained a lot about how I felt during the race,” she said. “But honestly, the care was excellent. I had a private room, great doctors, and it cost $1,300 total—no insurance. It made me think about how differently things work elsewhere.”

Despite the unexpected detour, Sarah still speaks about the trip with warmth. “It was worth it. Being back in Mumbai, seeing how much the city’s changed, being with family—it made the race something more than just a run.”

Conclusion

Sarah’s year isn’t slowing down. With Boston and Big Sur marathons coming up back-to-back, a 100K in July, and a return to Javelina followed by the NYC Marathon in the fall, she’s logging more than miles—she’s building a legacy. Through it all, she continues to anchor herself with balance, cross-training, and a deep respect for the joy of the run.

And maybe most importantly, she brings that perspective back home to the Gold Country community—a reminder that running is not always about pace or place, but presence.