74-year-old marathoner from Hyderabad qualifies for Boston Marathon 2026

Nagabhushan Rao, a 74-year-old from Hyderabad, started running just five years ago. Now, he has completed the tough Ladakh Marathon and qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon 2026, proving it's never too late to chase new dreams and stay healthy

At 74, this Hyderabad ultramarathoner tamed Ladakh’s heights and set his stride for Boston Marathon

Hyderabad: As 74-year-old Nagabhushan Rao glides past the group of regular walkers at ECIL area in Hyderabad, he wishes them by raising his hands. Some of them even try to run to keep up with his strides, but they quickly give up, as he pushes with a relentless pace that people half his age would struggle to match.

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At an age when most individuals are happy and content playing with grandchildren, catching-up with school friends and watching television, this senior citizen from K L Reddy Nagar in Mallapur area of Hyderabad has managed to qualify for Boston Marathon (April 2026), a holy grail for amateur runners in India.

This is not all! This September, he completed the Ladakh Marathon, which takes place at 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) above sea level and is considered one of the most difficult and challenging marathons in the world.

These days, the senior citizen from Hyderabad is much feted and a regular in all major ultramarathons and marathons in the country. From the long-distance Lonavala night ultramarathon and the 65 km Satara Ultramarathon to major city marathons in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi, he has done it all.

It’s all about mindset for Nagabhushan Rao. “If you want to achieve something, you must do it at all costs. I keep urging and encouraging individuals in the age group of 50 years to 70 years to lead an active life like running. But most of them struggle because of bad lifestyle choices they make while they were young. I never touched alcohol or tobacco, which is helping me now. It is important to stay healthy and inspire others to stay that way,” says a proud Nagabhushan Rao.

Long distance running was never on the bucket list for Nagabhushan Rao, as he started it just five years ago. “I was inspired by my son, who is a long-distance runner in the United States. When I saw him completing the Chicago marathon, I thought why can’t I do it? I started focusing on small distances like 5 and 10 kilometers. Gradually, I gained confidence and stamina,” he says.