Nepalgunj / The Nepalgunj 10 Night Run, which was scheduled for Ashoj 3 (September 19), has been postponed.
Due to the unfavorable situation in the country, the Night Run has been postponed until further notice. The decision was made in a virtual meeting of the organizing committee.
This was going to be the official second edition of the Night Run after obtaining full membership from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the global governing body of road races.
“We had received equal suggestions from well-wishers to either go ahead with the event on the scheduled date or to postpone it. However, considering the historic youth movement, the sacrifices made, and the violence that followed causing physical and human losses, we concluded that it would not be appropriate to organize the race at such a mourning period for the nation,” said T.S. Thakuri, AIMS Nepal Representative and Founder of the Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon.
The organizers have apologized for the inconvenience caused to runners and race enthusiasts. “Hundreds of professional runners had already filled out the online form, and we were receiving many inquiries from different places regarding the event. It saddens us to postpone it at this moment. But this is not a cancellation for the year; the Night Run will be held at a suitable date,” added Thakuri.
With AIMS full membership recognition, starting from this year, the winners of the Nepalgunj 10 Night Run were to be sent to compete at the world-class road race in Bangsaen, Thailand, which had added extra excitement and motivation for the athletes.
Despite the postponement of the Night Run, the organizing team is fully preparing for the Gaughat Green Run on Ashoj 28 (October 14) and the Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon on Mangsir 6 (November 21). The Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon team will also be mobilized in sanitation and other community-related works at the local level.

The Nepalgunj Marathon was first held on Mangsir 5, 2072 (November 21, 2015), right after the decade-long armed conflict ended and while the nation was preparing for the promulgation of the new constitution. At that time, another communal uprising in the name of the Madhesh movement had created division in society. The marathon was envisioned to unite communities through running, as road races are the only events that can bring together people of all castes, religions, professions, and age groups at one place in one common role.
Without a break in any year, the Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon has been continuously organized for the past 11 years and is considered one of Nepal’s top sporting events. Nepalgunj is likely the only city in Nepal to have two events with full membership of AIMS.