Many of us spent our Indo-Swiss Training Centre years in Chandigarh with the Shivaliks on the horizon. On Sunday, 25 October 2026, there's a chance to run into them.
The Mata Jayanti Hills Marathon 2026 is organised by Chandigarh Distance Runners (CDR), a Tricity running community founded in 2016. It takes runners through the Jayanti Devi hills above New Chandigarh, and 2026 will be its fourth season. Everything you need is at chandigarhdistancerunners.com.
Pick your distance
- Half Marathon, 21.192 km: chip timed, ₹1,700
- 10K Run: chip timed, ₹1,200
- 5K Fun Run: not timed, open to all ages, ₹800
Registration closes on 18 October 2026 at 12:00 PM, so don't leave it for the last weekend.
Why this run is worth your Sunday
It's a hill course, not another city loop. The route follows hill roads and village trails around Jayanti Majri, about 8 km beyond PGI, with no city traffic. Previous editions started at Shiv Mandir, Jayanti Majri.
It has a story. The race is named after the Mata Jayanti Devi Temple, which legend dates to around 550 years ago, on a hillock reached by about 100 steps.
There's a distance for everyone. The 5K suits families and first-timers. The 10K is a solid first taste of hill running. The half marathon will test even regular Sukhna Lake runners.
The ISTC way to do it
ISTC taught us precision, patience and finishing what we start. A hill half marathon asks for exactly that: pace the climbs, stay steady on the descents, and trust your preparation.
Four weeks is enough to get race-ready:
- Weeks 1 and 2: three or four runs a week, including one session of short uphill repeats.
- Week 3: your last long run, on rolling terrain.
- Race week: easy running and two rest days before the race.
Run together
Running with batchmates makes the early start easier. Get your batch, your seniors or your juniors together, register, and share your finisher photo with the ISTCKonnect community after the race. We'd love to see how many ISTC alumni make it to the finish line in the Shivaliks.
Register and read the full race guide at chandigarhdistancerunners.com.