Bad Air Quality At the Delhi Marathon Route Will Leave You Shocked

As Delhi gears up for the Airtel Half Marathon, the air quality continues to plummet. Will it faze the runners?

Participants at the Delhi Half Marathon 2017.

(Photo: Shiv Maurya/FIT)

Camera: Sumit Badola
Editor: Vishal Kumar

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will commence on Sunday, 21 October from Jawaharlal Nerhu Stadium. About 35,000 marathoners are expected to participate across different categories which will start as early at 5 am and will go ahead till 9:10 am.

As the air quality continues to dip in Delhi, we trace the marathon route to see what it looks like early morning a day before the final event. We checked the air quality at four locations of the route - JLN Stadium, Lodhi Road, Rajpath and Janpath. It fell in the severely bad category for all of these locations.

AQI Index Scale for PM10 Levels:

• 0-50: Good
• 51-100: Moderate
• 101-150: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
• 151-200: Unhealthy
• 201-300: Very Unhealthy
• 300+: Hazardous

(Source: aqicn.org)

What Happens When You Run in Air as Dirty as This?

Running in air levels like these can lead up to two spoonfuls of ash getting deposited in your lungs.(Photo: Reuters)

A normal adult breathes about 6 litres of air per minute at rest. When we exercise, this can go as high as 20 litres. In addition to this, severely bad air quality can have the following effects on your body:

• Running in air levels like these can lead up to two spoonfuls of ash getting deposited in your lungs.
• It can lead to cardiovascular problems aggravate asthma and allergies.
• It can increase blood pressure levels.
• In more extreme cases, it can lead to a heart attack or strokes.
• Running with a mask is not an option becauseit might lead to suffocation.
• Morning hours like these are especially worsefor Delhi's air pollution.

What Precautions Have the Organisers Taken?

Last year, the Indian Medical Association had called for a cancellation of the marathon due to the bad air quality, but the organisers went ahead with it anyway. The previous marathon had taken place in November, but this year it has been preponed to avoid the major onslaught of Delhi smog.

Participants at the Delhi Half Marathon 2017.(Photo: Shiv Maurya/FIT)

In 2017, the air quality was bad enough to make running in this air equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

Keeping in mind the conditions, the organisers have taken precautions, similar to the ones taken last year:

• Nebulisers for those with respiratory problems
• Spraying at dust hot spots
• Mist fans
• Washing of the entire race course

A Word of Caution

If you’re going to be running tomorrow, ensure that you are properly:

• Hydrated
• Stocked up on bananas and energy bars
• In case of any wheezing, coughing or irritation after the marathon, consult a specialist immediately.