Omar Abdullah runs 21 km ‘without training’ in 1st ever Kashmir marathon

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made history today by participating in Kashmir's first-ever International Marathon, completing the 21 km run with an impressive average pace of 5 minutes 54 seconds per kilometer. Abdullah, who flagged off the marathon from Polo Stadium, expressed his pride in achieving this feat, especially considering he had never run more than 13 km before.

The Chief Minister's remarkable achievement was made even sweeter by the support of his family and fellow runners. "Running past my home with family and others cheering me on was the best part," Abdullah shared on social media, where he also revealed that he relied on sheer enthusiasm and makeshift snacks - a banana and a couple of khajoor - to power through the run.

"You don’t need drugs to feel good or beat stress. A good run, whether a kilometer or a marathon, is enough to clear the cobwebs & achieve a natural feeling of euphoria & enthusiasm. Try it, you won’t regret it. Let’s start running for a drug free J&K," the Chief Minister said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who attended the event alongside Abdullah, praised the significance of the marathon, stating, "People want to come to Kashmir, and an event like this sends a message to the entire world that participants from all over the globe are coming here. It's a big deal... It's (J&K) a paradise for the world".

Jammu and Kashmir elections

In the recent Union Territory elections, the NC-Congress alliance secured a victory, marking the first polls in 10 years and the first since the abrogation of Article 370. The JKNC won 42 seats, while Congress secured six.

Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of J&K, with Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who won from the Nowshera assembly seat, taking the oath as his deputy.