Hyderabad, Aug. 30 -- Hyderabad turned into a city of runners on Sunday, August 30, as the 15th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon took over the streets in one of India's biggest and most challenging running spectacles.

What began as a modest gathering of 1,250 runners at its 2011 debut has grown into an event expecting over 30,000 participants this year, cementing its place as India's second-largest city marathon.

Long before sunrise, People's Plaza on Necklace Road was a sea of runners gathered for one of four races: the flagship 42.2 km full marathon, the 21.1 km half marathon and the 10K and 5K run. The full marathon runners were first off the line at 3:30 AM, chasing the early morning cool before the midday heat set in, while t...