Srinagar- For many, the 42 kilometres around Dal Lake were not just a marathon but a journey through beauty, resilience and belonging.

The second edition of the Kashmir Marathon, flagged off from Polo View here on Sunday, brought together runners from 11 countries and 27 states in a morning that felt like Kashmir running towards peace.

More than 1,500 athletes, amateurs and first-timers, filled Srinagar's Boulevard Road with rhythm and colour as the sun rose behind the Zabarwan range, eyewitnesses said.

They said from locals waving flags to children handing out water bottles, every corner of the route carried the heartbeat of a Valley reclaiming its joy.

Tea stalls and Kashmiri samawars, were also set up along the shores of Dal Lake to refresh the athletes.

“This is not just a race, it's emotion,” said an athelete from Germany, who has run in 18 countries.“You don't often see people cheering from their rooftops at 7 a.m. The route here is like running through a postcard, lake, hills, silence and then applause,” he said, as per news agency KNO.

An athlete from Bengaluru, running her first full marathon, said she came to Kashmir despite family worries.“When I started training, people asked, 'Why Kashmir?' Today I know why. It's calm, it's alive, it's safe and it feels like running in heaven,” she smiled, as she spoke to KNO while running along the Dal Lake.

Abdul Rashid, a local participant from Srinagar, said the event gave Kashmiri youth a reason to dream big.“When we run with athletes from other countries, we feel part of the world again. It's not just about sports it is about being seen,” he said.

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