Countdown to the Karachi Marathon 2026 – Dania Ali

“Running has been one of my biggest fears and I just wanted to conquer it,” says Dania Ali, Karachi Marathon 2025 top 10 finisher, about why she started running three years ago. “I also wanted to run a marathon before I turned forty. That was on my bucket list and out of all the things, this one seemed most doable.”

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Dania is one of the most powerful marathon runners in the Karachi running scene. But getting to this point took a lot of blood, sweat, tears and, most importantly, consistency. “They always say, to run fast you need to learn to run slow,” she says. “It took me two years to master the art, a lot of patience and miles and now I don’t chicken out when I see long run of over 20k in my plan.”

Going for the Karachi Marathon

Once Dania was able to run her first 30km, she knew she was ready to tackle a full marathon. But she needed one final little push. “It was Karachi Marathon’s race director who assured me that he’ll run the entire distance with me so that I don’t give up on my training,” Dania relates. “I think I owe it to him and my coach more than anyone else.”

When you Run Together, You Run Far

“I’ve seen runners in Karachi pushing through the city’s blistering heat, humidity, sun, the never-ending sweat — they fight through it all [while] tailoring their runs and showing up on race day ready to give their best,” says Dania.

“Honestly, that’s where I draw my own motivation too,” she adds. “The community here is incredible. Long runs don’t even feel like ‘training’ anymore — they’re more like social runs. Somewhere between the miles, you end up talking about life, dreams and random little things. Before you know it, you’ve built your own running family. And it’s that bond, that collective grit, the hours of sweat and laughter shared together, that finally carries you across the finish line.”

How she felt the day of the Karachi Marathon

“Your hands and feet are cold until you start running the race,” says Dania. “You take it slow, find your rhythm and then all the creases smooth out. For me, marathon running is all about seeing the city in a different light.”

On Crossing the Finish Line

“Once I was on the 40th kilometre mark, I said out loud to myself that I can’t believe it, I have unlocked the distance!” she says proudly.

Dania plans to run at least one international marathon every year.