Beyond personal achievement, qualifying for Boston is also a proud moment for Hyderabad’s running community. Over the years, the city has developed a strong marathon culture, with more runners now setting their goals on the world’s most prestigious races.
Hyderabad: For many runners, the Boston Marathon is more than just a race, it’s the ultimate achievement in long-distance running. Unlike other major marathons, Boston has strict qualification standards. Only those who meet specific time standards based on age and gender secure a spot. However, meeting the qualifying time alone is not enough, as thousands of runners apply, leading to an annual cut-off time that can be minutes faster than the actual qualification standard.
This year, two runners from Hyderabad, J. Venkata Satish and G. Srinivasa Rao, have secured the spot and are set to compete in the 2025 Boston Marathon.
The Boston Marathon, first held in 1897, is the oldest annual marathon in the world. The race takes place every year on the third Monday of April. The 42.2-km course is famous for its challenging terrain, unpredictable weather and the infamous Heartbreak Hill, a grueling climb that tests runners’ endurance in the final stretch of the race.
G. Srinivasa Rao, a seasoned marathoner, qualified with a time of 3 hours and 16 minutes at the Valencia Marathon in Spain, surpassing the qualifying time for his age group (50-54 years) by nine minutes. This makes him the first runner from Hyderabad in this category to qualify based on race time. He has been running marathons since 2014 and this will be his 55th full marathon.
Determined to qualify, Srinivasa Rao teamed up with three fellow runners and followed a strict six-month training regimen, covering 100-135 km per week. While injuries prevented some of his training partners from reaching their goal, he managed to stay on track and achieve his Boston qualification.
J. Venkata Satish, another runner from Hyderabad, also had to work hard to secure his spot. “The qualifying time for my category was 3 hours and 10 minutes, but the actual cut-off time was even lower. To be safe, I had to finish in at least 3:03:09. The Boston Marathon’s qualification process is competitive, with many runners missing the cut by just a few seconds,” said Satish.
“The Boston Marathon is known for its challenging course. In addition to the terrain, the unpredictable weather in April adds another layer of difficulty. To be prepared for this I have been training extensively on hilly routes, incorporating strength workouts and mentally preparing for the unpredictable race-day conditions, the course is tricky. It can drain your energy if you’re not prepared, so I’ve been focusing on maintaining my pace on inclines,” he added.
Beyond personal achievement, qualifying for Boston is also a proud moment for Hyderabad’s running community. Over the years, the city has developed a strong marathon culture, with more runners now setting their goals on the world’s most prestigious races.
For Srinivasa Rao, Boston also marks the final step in his journey to becoming a ‘Six-Star Finisher’, a title given to those who complete all six World Marathon Majors-Tokyo, Berlin, New York, Chicago, London, and now Boston. “Qualifying for Boston felt like topping an exam, but after achieving it, I felt blank. It’s the pinnacle for marathoners and after that, you wonder what’s next,” said Srinivasa Rao.
C. Nagabhushana Rao, a 74-year-old runner from Hyderabad, has qualified for the 2026 Boston Marathon after years of perseverance. He narrowly missed qualifying in his previous attempt due to the cut-off time, but instead of giving up he trained even harder to secure his place for the 2026 Boston Marathon. “I lost the qualification in the cut-off time. It was disappointing, but I knew I had to give it one more shot. I didn’t want to regret not trying again,” said Nagabhushana.
“At my age, recovery is just as important as running. I focus on strength training and stretching to make sure I can continue running without injuries,” he added.
