Pokhara, 16 September | A total of 4,106 runners are set to compete in the fifth edition of the Protein Rights Half Marathon 2026 in Pokhara, an event aimed at promoting protein awareness, nutrition, physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle. The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 19, and will feature competitions across eight categories, according to Umesh Chandra Sapkota, president of the Nepal Feed Industries Association.
The event will be organized with major sponsorship from the U.S. Soybean Export Council and technical support from the Nepal Athletics Association. The race will begin at Basundhara Park in Lakeside and pass through Hallan Chowk, Sedi and Pame before reaching Lauruk. Runners will then return to Basundhara Park, where the event will conclude. Organizers said the route has been designed to combine a competitive sporting experience with Pokhara’s natural and tourism environment.
According to the organizers, 406 runners will participate in the men’s 21-kilometer half marathon, while 64 will compete in the women’s 21-kilometer category. The open men’s 10-kilometer race will have 988 participants, while 397 runners will compete in the open women’s five-kilometer event. In the youth categories for participants up to Grade 12, 1,658 young men will compete in the five-kilometer race and 553 young women will take part in the three-kilometer race. The wheelchair category will include 24 men and 16 women competing over three kilometers.
Athletes from 10 countries are expected to participate, including Nepal, India, China, the United States, Denmark, Kenya, France, South Korea, Germany and England. Sapkota said the event is intended not simply as a running competition but also as a public awareness campaign focused on the importance of protein, balanced diets and physical activity. The organizers will promote accessible and nutritious sources of protein, including eggs, meat, fish, milk, soy, tofu, paneer, lentils and other pulses and legumes.
Event coordinator Samesh Raj Bhandari said the competition also aims to provide opportunities for new and emerging runners while promoting Pokhara as a destination for sports and health tourism. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top five finishers in each of the eight categories. The total prize purse has been set at Rs 1.6 million. The winners of the men’s and women’s 21-kilometer half marathon will each receive Rs 150,000.
The Protein Rights Run has been organized since 2019 as part of a broader effort to increase public understanding of protein and nutrition. Organizers estimate that Nepal’s average daily per-capita protein availability is around 46 grams, compared with a global average of approximately 77 grams. Raj Bhandari said the campaign seeks to take nutrition-related information to communities at a time when awareness about protein requirements, quality and availability remains limited.
The event is being supported by several organizations, including the Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs’ Forum Pokhara, Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, Nepal Layers Poultry Farmers Association, Restaurant and Bar Association, Lions Club and the Nepal Poultry Federation. Organizers have also arranged participant insurance, around 200 volunteers, 10 hydration stations, seven ambulances and security arrangements for the event.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Feed Industries Association said it has already provided Rs 31.78471 million to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts following the devastating flood in Bhotekoshi on Bhadra 10. The organizers said the initiative reflects an effort to connect sports, nutrition awareness and social responsibility through a single public event.
