Canara Bank Marathon 2026: Three Weeks to Go, and Yes, You Can Still Do This

“Nobody regrets a race-morning alarm by 8am. By 8am you have a medal, a banana and the moral high ground for the rest of the weekend.”

• Tariq Sallam, The City 24/7

The Canara Bank Marathon 2026 is on Sunday, 22 November, starting and finishing at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in central Bengaluru. It's a community run with several race categories, so families, office teams and casual runners line up alongside people who own more than one pair of running shoes.

I spotted it in this week's newspaper listings, and it caught my eye for one simple reason: it's three weeks away. That's enough time for a regular walker to get a 5K done comfortably, and enough for a weekend jogger to stop being embarrassed by their 10K time. November is also the best running weather this city has. Cool mornings, no monsoon puddles and no April heat. If you've been meaning to run a race, this is a friendly first one.

When and Where Is the Canara Bank Marathon 2026?

The race is on Sunday, 22 November 2026 at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, off Kasturba Road and Vittal Mallya Road in the city centre. Last year the runners entered through the gates on Vittal Mallya Road, with different gates for different categories, so check your bib instructions for which one is yours.

What Race Categories Can You Run?

The 2025 edition, the third, had three categories: 10K, 5K and 3K. The 2026 categories will be confirmed on the official listing, but if the format holds, there's a distance for almost everyone.

• 10K. For regular runners and anyone who has been doing 5Ks for a while and wants a new target.
• 5K. The sweet spot for first-timers. Three weeks of easy runs gets most healthy adults there.
• 3K. For families, kids, walkers and the colleague who agreed to this only because of the free T-shirt.

What Time Does the Race Start?

Expect a very early start. Last year the 10K flagged off at 5.45am, the 5K at 6.45am and the 3K at 8am. Plan to be at the stadium 45 minutes before your flag-off. Bib collection, bag drop and the queue for the loo all take longer than you think.

How Do You Get There Without Losing Your Mind?

Take the Metro if it's running at that hour, or book a cab the night before. Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha are the closest Purple Line stations. For a 5.45am start, though, check the first train timing, because Namma Metro isn't an early riser on Sundays. Parking near the stadium is limited, and last year paid parking was offered at UB City Mall.

How Should You Prepare in Three Weeks?

Prepare by running three or four times a week, easy and short, with one slightly longer run each weekend. Don't try anything new on race day. Here's a sensible three-week plan for a first 5K.

• Week 1. Three runs of 20 minutes at a pace where you can still talk. Walk breaks are allowed. Nobody is watching.
• Week 2. Three runs of 25 to 30 minutes, plus one weekend run of 4 km.
• Week 3. Two easy runs early in the week, then rest on Friday and Saturday. Hydrate. Lay out your kit on Saturday night.
• Where to train. Cubbon Park before 7am is perfect, and it happens to be next door to the race.

Same city, new stories, always.

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