A celebration of running, community, wellness and the monsoon landscape of Kodagu
The 5th edition of the Kodagu Monsoon Half Marathon will be held on Sunday, 6 September 2026, at the KALS/ASF (Ashwini Sports Foundation) campus in Kodagu, bringing together runners, students, families, local communities and sports enthusiasts from across India for a celebration of fitness, community spirit and the region’s scenic monsoon landscape.
Organised by ASF and KALS (Karaumbiah’s Academy For Learning & Sports), in association with NEB Sports Entertainment, the Kodagu Monsoon Half Marathon has grown into a distinctive community-owned sporting event since its inaugural edition in 2022. From around 600 participants in its first year, the event has become a significant fixture in the running calendar, attracting participants from across India and overseas; registrations for 2026 have already crossed 3,600, and the addition of the Majja Run is expected to take participation close to 4,000.
With the support of the Karnataka State Tourism Department as main sponsor, along with co-sponsors Federal Bank and TATA Coffee and medical partner Lopamudra Hospital, the half marathon is envisioned not merely as a race, but as an experience that showcases Kodagu as a scenic, sustainable and welcoming destination for sports and wellness tourism.
More than a Marathon
One of the defining features of the Kodagu Monsoon Half Marathon is its strong KALS community participation. Students, teachers, volunteers, local communities, police personnel and event professionals work together to make the event possible, while 20 free entries for schools in Kodagu help engage students and institutions in the joy of sport.
CLN spoke to several participants ahead of the event, who expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation for the efforts being made to establish it as a significant event in Kodava sporting calendar, extending beyond hockey.
Neer Somakka is excited to be participating in the 21-km category for the second consecutive year. She expressed her appreciation for the efforts being made by the KALS management and all the sponsors to make the event a memorable addition to the Kodava sporting calendar, extending the focus beyond hockey.
Ryan Francis, a regular participant in marathon events across the country, is taking part in the 21-km category for the second year running, along with a friend. He hopes the event, which currently attracts around 4,000 to 5,000 runners, will grow into a 30,000-plus participant marathon in the near future, given Kodagu’s unique terrain and destination appeal. Francis returned from Hyderabad last week and is also scheduled to participate in the Wipro Marathon in Bengaluru next week.
Another local participant, Shubha Gangadharan, is looking forward to taking part in the 10-km run in her native Gonikoppal. She was full of praise for KALS and ASF for organising what she described as a professional and well-managed event.
CLN also spoke to Ashwini Nachappa, founder and owner of the KALS and ASF Sports Foundation, who is understandably excited about the manner in which the event is rapidly developing into a Marathon Run of significance. She was particularly pleased to see participants travelling from overseas, including Kenya and Sri Lanka. Some of these participants, she noted, had identified Kodagu’s terrain as being similar to the environments in which they train in their respective countries.
Participants are welcomed at the finish with medals, cultural performances by KALS students, local product showcases and a warm Kodagu experience that extends beyond the race itself.
The event also places emphasis on environmental responsibility, with volunteers involved in route and campus cleanliness and initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of the marathon.
For the students of KALS, the marathon is also an important learning experience—providing exposure to teamwork, planning, responsibility, communication, community engagement and event management.
Building a Sporting Community
Speaking about the event, Ashwini Nachappa, former international athlete and founder of Ashwini’s Sports Foundation, said:
“The Kodagu Monsoon Half Marathon is much more than a running event. It is about creating a sporting community where people come together, participate, volunteer and take ownership. Our vision is to showcase the beauty of Kodagu while creating opportunities for people to experience the region through sport, wellness and community,” said Ashwini Nachappa. She added that growing interest from the running community reflects the event’s potential to evolve further, given Kodagu’s distinctive terrain and natural beauty.
She added that the event reflects ASF’s larger philosophy of using sport as a platform to create impact beyond competition, particularly by empowering young people with life skills and building stronger community connections.
Participants will receive event T-shirts, medals and a hot breakfast, and will enjoy cultural performances and a Valagga experience that highlight the spirit of Kodagu.
Prize money will be awarded in two categories: 21 km and 10 km categories for both men and women respectively.
21 km:
1st Place: Rs. 30,000
2nd Place: Rs. 20,000
3rd Place: Rs. 15,000
10 km:
1st Place: Rs. 15,000
2nd Place: Rs. 10,000
3rd Place: Rs. 5,000
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From all accounts the 5th edition of the Kodagu Monsoon Half Marathon organised this Sunday morning by the KALS/ASF (Ashwini Sports Foundation) was a runaway success. Events such as this puts Kodagu on the National map for all the right reasons – bringing together runners, students, families, local communities and sports enthusiasts from across India for a celebration of fitness, community spirit and the region’s scenic monsoon landscape.
Many of the runners are from the Armed Forces, para military, even government civil servants and of course fitness conscious corporate professionals. Many foreigners too. The right blend of participants for an event that was conducted with the assistance/participation of the State Government and corporates in Kodagu.
More than 3000+ participants were “capped” across 21, 10 and 5 kms. The last burst by the students of KALS was an uplifting highlight commented very appreciatively by all the participants. Clearly this has the potential of becoming a major marathon event in the country – where largely the big cities like Mumbai, Hyderabd and Bangalore host such programs.
Ashwini Nachappa, founder and owner of KALS and ASF Sports Foundation is clearly very pleased with the organisation and outcome of the event and hopes that this will grow from strength to strength.
Participants of the run and those who cheered the runners are welcome to share their views on the CLN Online platform. We owe it to the Organizers and Participants. Many who run the full marathon with passion were heard remarking that the marathon which is a distance of 42.195 kilometres ( c. 26.22 mi) is the logical next step – Gonikoppal to Madikeri. That would be phenomenal!!
Ran my first-ever Half Marathon at the Coorg Monsoon Half Marathon today!
And honestly, I couldn’t have thought of a better place to do my first 21K. Running through the beautiful Coorg landscape, surrounded by such a warm and supportive atmosphere, made the experience truly special.
The event was really well organized, with well-placed hydration stations, super helpful volunteers, and a very friendly and encouraging organiser throughout the run. Every little bit of support made a difference, especially during those last few kilometres!
A big shoutout to KALS for organizing such a wonderful event and creating an experience that I’ll always remember.
Image: With a “volunteer” student from KALS.
The Coorg Half Marathon was a beautiful run through green picturesque landscapes that was dotted by woods and coffee estates. Running on the misty, shady trails gives a burst of fresh, clean air.
Sincere thanks to the organisers for hosting the run in a serene environment.
My participation in the 2nd consecutive marathon saw 2 more colleagues participate after sharing my experiences from last year. One of the colleagues did her 1st 21km marathon and was so overjoyed with achieving her feat.
The entire route took us through trails of coffee estates and wonderful people who cheered us along the way. The event was well organised with hydration points, emergency support and monitoring throughout the course. The energy levels were very high among all the participants and that helped push an extra mile when the mind was trying to give up.
Nearing the finish line, we were exhausted, but a sudden rush of young KALS children dashing through their 5k run lifted the spirits to the finish line.
Kudos to the team for a very enjoyable marathon with support from the weather which was pleasant throughout.