Mumbai Marathon will be dressed in patriotic garb this year.

The Mumbai Marathon is an international event held annually in January. This event was first staged in the year 2004.

The race categories are Full Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Dream Run (6 km), Senior Citizens' Run (4.3 km) and the Wheelchair Event (2.5 km).

On 18th of January 2009, Mumbai will run for a cause.

Mumbai has chosen to run for the blind, for the underprivileged, for aids, for greener tomorrow and for secure future.

The wounds of terrorist attack are still fresh and raw and many of the Mumbaikars will be running with silent prayers on their lips in the hope of healing a city scarred by the 26/11 terror attacks.

"The attack has changed our perception of security, and none of us feels safe. We will run to secure our city's future,'' says Praveen Satpute, who along with his group of friends, are planning to run the half-marathon. "We'll be running with banners to show that Mumbai is very much alive.''

The athletes, say the organizers, will be put up at the Oberoi. "It is going to be an emotional moment. The runners will begin from CST, and run via Oberoi towards Bandra Reclamation. There will be thousands of people on the road cheering them at these points, and it will show us that Mumbai can never remain divided,'' says Bruno Goveas, director, public relations of Procam International, the promoters of the marathon.

Nearly 35,000 have registered for the five-race event that should bring cheer to the city which has been starved of action due to the cancellation or postponement of events in the aftermath of the terror attacks six weeks ago.

Already the richest marathon in Asia, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009 will now offer an enhanced prize purse of USD 250,000, an increase of USD 10,000 over what was on offer last year. The increase in prize money is in keeping with the stature of the event, tagged as amongst the top ten marathons in the world.

Let's all work towards the day when every participant is running the distance and raising money for charity.

Title Sponsor: Standard Chartered Bank

Associate Sponsor: Tata Consultancy Services

Under the Aegis of: Athletics Federation of India

Supported by: Government of Maharashtra, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Mumbai Police, Indian Navy-Western Naval Command, Maharashtra Athletic Association

Promoted by: Procam International

For details visitwww.mumbaimarathon.indiatimes.com