Jammu, March 30 -- Braving incessant rain, thousands of enthusiastic runners took part in Jammu's first-ever international marathon, flagged off by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also joined the participants, here on Sunday.

The marathon started at sunrise from the M A Stadium, featuring three race categories, including Half Marathon (21 km), 10 km Fitness Run, and 5 km Fun Run. A total prize pool of Rs 1.33 crore was later distributed among the winners.

The event blended fitness with entertainment and celebrity participation. Fitness icon Milind Soman and his wife Ankita Konwar joined Abdullah in the 21-km run, while actress Gul Panag attended the flag-off ceremony. Musical performances by Kamal Khan and Prateek Narula added to the ...