What are Go Heritage Runs?

Go Heritage Runs are run-vacations and holistic experiences centered around fun runs for the entire family, organized at heritage sites across India. We are a young organization with a passion for fitness, travel and heritage. Our origin goes back to GoUNESCO, a citizen led series of programs focused on making heritage fun. Our team operates all the programs of GoUNESCO and fund them too.

What can I expect at a Go Heritage Run?

• Scenic, historic run-routes
• Warm, family-friendly, no stress environment
• Excellent route support in the form of directions and refreshments at regular intervals

Where do you announce run dates?

Run dates are updated on our calendar, we also announce on our social media – facebook, instagram, twitter. Everyone subscribed to our emails receive the announcement straight to their inbox, to subscribe see here – link.

What is the event flow at a Go Heritage Run?

• The run itself is organized on a Sunday (also called run day). The runs start early in the morning, typically at 6A.M, but the start time may vary slightly depending on the location and the prevailing weather.
• Bib and kits are distributed one day prior to the run between 10AM and 6PM, on a Saturday at the run destination. E.g – if the run is in Hampi, the bib distribution will also be in Hampi or nearby. Kits are not distributed on the day of the run.
• Although GHR is a run-series, your run experience begins right from registration, and even before that. We intend to make you an enlightened run-vacationer – hence the various articles published on our website are not just information regarding the run, but also the destination, its heritage, culture and more.
• In addition to the information on our website, in the days before the run, you will receive an email almost 1 per week, usually on a Friday which will talk about a unique aspect about the run destination. If you are not receiving these emails, please check your Spam (or the Promotions tab if you use gmail) and move our emails to your Inbox.

How long are the run routes?

We cater to a wide spectrum of participants- from families with children and grandparents to marathon runners. So we design run routes that are easy, medium and not-so-easy. These are typically 5K, 10K, and 21K but mileage varies depending on which town we are planning a run at.

What do I get with my run registration/kit?

• Running bib
• GHR Passport and stamp
• Information brochure or booklet
• Run T-shirt if you requested one
• Enroute support – water, electrolytes, light refreshments
• After run Finisher certificate and medal/souvenir
• After run refreshments/breakfast

Anything not mentioned above and not explicitly announced, is not included in the registration.

Are t-shirts included as part of the run kit?

Run t-shirts are an optional additional purchase at most of our runs; t-shirts are included in the registration fee at our runs in Madhya Pradesh.

I received a photo frame in my run kit. What do I do with that?

We publish run photos on our facebook page soon after Run Weekend. Print out photos from the run route and save them for posterity in the photo frame – they’re easy to stick or staple to a cubicle wall or desk near you.

How are your T-shirts sized?

Buying the optional  souvenir run T-shirt? Consult this unisex sizing chart below:

1.  XS    (36 inches)
2.     S    (38 inches)
3.   M    (40 inches)
4.    L    (42 inches) 
5.  XL   (44 inches)
6. XXL  (46 inches)

What is the GHR passport?

All participants at any GHR are given a free GHR Passport, and a unique stamp at every destination.  The passport is a little booklet that you can use to collect your finisher stamps. It looks like this. Remember, collect 4 finisher stamps and your fifth run is free!

You do not need to bring the passport to the runs, just keep collecting the stamps; you can stick them in the passport yourself.

How do I get a free run at GHR?

Your 5th run at GHR is free! After you have participated in 4 runs, we will email to let you know your next run is on us – you just need to email us back whenever you want to redeem this free run.

We will also give you a special bib – one with your name in bold on a gold background. You will receive a special bib like this at all your runs after the 5th too! Your name will also be displayed on the GHR Hall of Fame.

I have registered to run/am looking to register and have questions regarding the run, where will I find answers?

Our website has the most up-to-date information about any of our upcoming runs. Each destination has its own page and is a collection of all the important information about the run, related to travel to the destination and also articles highlighting interesting aspects of the destination. E.g – information about GHR Hampi will be at goheritagerun.com/hampi, Hyderabad at goheritagerun.com/hyderabad and so on.

If any of your questions are not answered on the website, you can email us [email protected] too. Our email responses are quick and we typically get back within a couple of hours.

How should I plan travel to attend a Go Heritage Run?

Our run destinations are usually less than 300km from a major city or town. We publish information to help you with travel on the destination page (check goheritagerun.com/destination name). We also create whatsapp groups for runners from different cities so you can coordinate with fellow runners for travel and more. The links to these whatsapp groups are sent in the run registration confirmation email and the Important Info email we send before the runs.

Do you have prizes for early finishers?

In the spirit of creating a non-competitive, fun environment, we do not hand out timing chips or track finish times. We do not note finish timing either and there are no prizes for finishing early.

Do you record our finish time at Go Heritage Runs?

All Go Heritage Runs are fun, non-competitive events and finish time is not recorded. Considering that the run routes are historic and scenic enough to be rated among the most beautiful marathons in India, it would be a shame to race past them. We encourage participants to actively explore heritage sites and the incredible landscapes en route. Our runners are known to step off the run route to walk into 4th Century temples to take a few photos and we love it when they do that. Less timing chips, more selfies!

What do you aim to do at Go Heritage Runs?

We want to create awareness about heritage in a fun, engaging way. We identify under-appreciated cultural or natural heritage sites near large cities, design run routes traversing them, find local partners to help us execute the run and then invite travel and fitness enthusiasts to come run with us! We also create an economic incentive to the owners of heritage through promotion, tourism, direct spending and participation. Since 2014, we have organized nearly 30 fun runs at heritage destinations across the country.

Who can participate in Go Heritage Runs?

Our runs are family friendly – people of all ages, sections of society and running ability have participated in Go Heritage Runs. Our youngest participants has been a 5 year old girl who ran the 5K trail route in Ooty. Our oldest participant has been a Khadi clad 80-year old who ran the 21K in Udaipur. Air force staff in Bidar, Palace Guards in Udaipur, Children of missionaries in Ooty, School children in Badami have all run with us! We have had first-time Couch to 5K runners as well as Ironman Triathlon finishers participate. Heritage running, like heritage, is for everyone!

What does the holistic experience for runners involve?

In the weeks leading up to the run, participants get to learn about art, craft, architecture, culture of the run destination – through articles published by our team of content writers. On Run Day, wearing running bibs and T-shirts with locally-inspired designs, participants walk, jog and run past heritage sites stopping along the way to catch their breath or to have it taken away by the spectacular heritage around them! When they make it to the finish line, they receive another souvenir – a finisher medal custom designed by local artisans and conveying the very essence of the destination they ran through!

I have signed up to run. Now what?

• Train so that you are fit to run the distance you signed up for.
• Get a medical checkup if you haven’t in the last 6 months.
• Add our email address ([email protected]) to your email contact list so you do not miss out on important run updates.
• Collect your runner kit the day prior to the run at the Bib Distribution Venue.

What award did Go Heritage Runs win?

In December 2015, we won the Manthan Award for excellence in use of ICT tools in the E-culture, Heritage and Tourism category.

I have a question about Go Heritage Runs that you have not answered here.

Email us at [email protected] and we will answer your query right away!