Kalimpong Ultra Marathon Part 5- Running in Heaven

 

Kalimpong Ultra Marathon – The Race Day – Running in Heaven

However early you to go bed on eve of a marathon you cant sleep. You just lay restless in bed  trying hard to get some sleep. You are not afraid as you are not doing this for first time but marathon jitters are part and parcel of running. I woke up with throbbing head even though I was lucky to get  few hours of sleep . I was up one hour before my alarm.. Rain was thundering all night and it was pitch dark inside and outside. I couldn’t a see a thing in dark. Though everything was already sorted , I was worried about forgetting something . But good man Sunil started generator for some time.

  What to eat before marathon is big debate all the time. someone eat light breakfast, others don't take anything. Sunil has arranged bread butter, boiled potatoes , eggs and black tea .

It was cold outside. And when we reached start point. There was total silence.  Just  cold , wet and  dark grounds.

No music was blurring ,no zumba like usual marathon, just runners finding a way in water puddles to bag drop .As it was raining  and storming whole night power  was out .

We did some warmup , lined up . Meanwhile organisers arranged some light and sound system . Though day was breaking out, sky was overcast and  few rain drops  to make me further scared .

Suddenly a band entered grounds playing some wonderful tunes. Then I remembered Famous band of Kalimpong which got international accolades.

  Against all odds race was flagged off at 5.05 AM. all the scare was driven away with go whistle and we started easy.

Easy was mantra for first 5 km.

 Based on available information I had made a  raceplan . First 5 k steep uphill’s

 Walk more run nominal. Then next 15 rolling up to Lava run some walk some.

Then run in decline to next 12 km .

My plan was conservative. Our Delhi Friend Rita liked it instantaneously. When I showed it earlier day. “ Dilip we will run as per your plan” She had declared at dinner table last night ,So we were together. The Dagar Sisters of Gurgaon are very good runners. Elder Rita does ultras like Khardung La Challenge. Younger Geeta is short distance specialist. She is podium finisher in all the half marathons she participated. Geeta was competing in her first 42 k in this event. I was amused by her choice to choose her first full marathon

    Within 100 meters of start point everyone started walking  on steep incline in very Pedong Village . Light was improving and clouds were dispersing at signs of sunrise. Just out of village a mesmerizing scenery rose up in front of us. Runners forgot walking and clicking pictures of majestic nature around us .

Legendry runner Satish Gujaran was leading group of his new  followers just ahead of us . Mostly runners of Mumbai and other parts . I am following my guruji since 2019. It is fun running in his bus . We love to run with him. We get lucky if we get an on-run   photo with him. He keep encouraging in his unique ways. He keeps rhythm. In Mumbai and around people on sides chant his name "Satish, Satish" ,when they spot him in race. He tell us stories about comrades , some tips in ultra running . Some anecdotes. His style includes walks in race plans . His group chants count down . 10,..... 3; 2, 1 walky . After 30 seconds of walk again there is count down 3, 2, 1 , run .  Aho is his famous chant.

On easy inclines there are some other rhythmic chants. He is not only very good marathon runner, he is most inspiring runner I have seen . He turns everything electric around him.

 Many runners formed unofficial bus around him. 

Me and Rita were just behind his bus. Dr Ajit Oak another legendry  comrades runner , Pranami chakravarty young Assamese Doctor were also in earshot range .

And two runners from Mumbai with nice message on back of  T shirt . They were from same Mahalaxmi racecourse  Ultraz Group . Almost all of them are doing Comrades this year.

  Arun Devarajan a runner from Kerala was running barefoot marathon. At many place road tarmac was roughened for grip with sharp basalt stone. It must be painful running barefoot. But Arun was smiling ear to ear .

He was carrying his go pro camera and shooting every runner passing by and not caring about his own finish time. I had very good time running with him.

Sun was up by then . Scenery was changing. The colourful roofs were shining in faraway mountains in morning sun. It was amusing to see small villages on slopes of green mountains. Incline was constant not much rolling. Most runners were jogging walking. Now gap was widening. Satish sir chanting bus was out of sight. May be because of weather around, ,easy approach , and race was still young everyone seemed happy .

According to my over conservative plan  we were well placed after end of first hour . So I reset next benchmarks. I was feeling to change gear. My team mate Rita was following original run plan comfortably. So I decided to speed up as per revised targets .  Fast Full marathon runners were coming back from Turn around toward their podium finish. Geeta Ahlawat ( Rita’s sister)was one of them. She was really running great. Only one woman I saw earlier than her . So it was sure podium for her among women.

Pranami was running her first 90 K.

I gathered some pace and got ahead of flock .

"It is just half km and then it is downhill"  a returning 42 km runner shouted . It was a real relief after half kilometre. Up to 20 km we were going easy because of incline. So legs were still fresh and raring to go at sight of downhill. At FM turnaround volunteers were ready with camera, water and some food . It was slowest HM i ever did 2:57 but I was happy. I grabbed something to eat and refilled my water bottle. It was all downhill . And beautiful scenery all over. I was in flow now.

I overtook so many runners.  I over sped. I was scared of my own pace but didn't care. Didn't stop to have photograph at huge I LOVE LAVA sign . I didn't stop to admire beauty of town Lava. I just waved  at army men controlling traffic for runners .Didn't stopped at aid stations much. Just ran fast at pace around 5:30. I have habit of counting runners coming back from turn around .

That is the  number of runners ahead of me . I counted around 12 till midway. I overtook Satish Sir bus just before turn around. At turnaround organisers has kept out tod bags . I found mine for some gels .they have also kept khichdi to eat . Instead   grabbed a piece  of boiled  potato and headed back .it was uphill till 45 now .no question of running here on steep gradient. Plan was just walking as fast as  possible .After first km i decided  I will not  allow pace to drop below 11 min per km..

Satish sir training helped me a lot here. I was walking fast. I was happy with pace of 10. I saw a  runner just sitting at side of road .I asked him  if he need anything he was feeling  dizzy .

I overtook couple of more runners on the way . I realised road was full of hairpin bends. No bend was more than 400 meter or so . Whenever I looked up it was hill  so high  looking down at me .

Once I saw   reflection of sunlight flashed  on passing vehicles in trees much above me I realised  I have to go up there . My heart sunk by the enormity of the climb . Eventually  after sometime I reached there and  looked   road below  where i was running and felt good .

A runner came from behind and asked me if I need water . Since we both were walking conversation started.Pritesh Rendaria is a Mumbai runner. Part of mahalaxmi racecourse group. He was preparing for Comrades marathon.

He started running just couple of years back. He asked me  why I run this as not preparing for comrades .I answered with question “why you run Pritesh ?” And we shared our stories. Within two years he excelled this sport of running   and now he was ready for ultimate human race, Comrades Marathon.

Many runners of his team were running 65 and 90 in this race and their family members hired a vehicle to support them with water , food , coke.

Aid stations were 5 km apart of more in that case this moving aid station helped me a lot. Rather in later part of the race when sun was burning on head this teams support proved vital .

I have reset target of 45 km  which was  at  top of lava at 6.30 hours . Keeping targets conservative makes you really happy after achieving those. So I was very happy to achieve it 15 minutes earlier. Meanwhile my partner Pritesh  the happy enthu  runners lipped ahead of me .

 Though I could see him occasionally on bends above me , I didn't tried  to catch up. For a kilometre I got company of Goa runner Amit Taparia .He too was too fast for me . At 46 km organiser team welcomed us with water , food , energy drinks .. The senior lady tied one beautiful white gamachha  like cloth around neck of runners .

I felt good , though ii didn't understood purpose of that gamacha May be it was some tradition. I made a point not to lose that till end. I tied it again properly

 It protected my neck from burning sun That gamachha is in  my marathon souvenir closet now .

 That midway welcome gave a to boost my energy.

I had feeling that the worst part is over now .It is all cruise of 19 km  on decline to Pedong now . Realty was different.

I forgot to account that sun was burning hot in mid-day sky, my legs  are tired with 46 km in different terrains , and I am running totally alone now .

I had no energy to run fast , catch Amit or Pritesh and run with them , by now they were 1 km ahead of me . I could see Pritesh bright yellow  Tee shirt  from some hairpin bends  ahead .

As a selfish timing obsessed runner I was not ready to walk slowly and wait for trailing runners and run with them .

I was afraid , if I do that I will fall behind them too.

Earlier I could see runners  passing  or coming from  u turn ahead. There was no such a point now. It was just me in middle of shadowless hill  road . occasionally ultraz van used to come and offer some water or energy drink .

I have tendency to ignore aid station as knowing there is always another one little ahead . This time too I ignored one aid station forgetting next is 5 km ahead. As a result  I was out of water .

Though it was slope most of the part, some part was rolling too .I couldn't go fast as I thought. My watch was  showing pace of 6:30 when i was feeling it is 5:30. It was frustrating.

In any race however route is beautiful, there comes a time when you don't feel motivated. In this race km 50 to 55 was such period.

Scenery was beautiful as it was, wind was whispering  through tall pines as it was , but I was not feeling that energy.

   I felt good when i came across a small uphill because I could walk for few minutes. May be my mind was more tired than my legs .on one such uphill I glanced at sky . It started clouding black now. There was some growling sound as well. Suddenly I felt afraid what if it hailstorms now. There was no shelter . Even though  there is any I hate stopping in  a marathon race. Finishing time doesn’t  make any difference if you are not among podium finisher . Though most runners are obsessed with it.

 

I had already 14 people ahead of me I don't want few more . I started running again .my hydration pack was empty now , a volunteer  bike passed by me . I shouted for water. The guy stopped “I don’t  have water . But don’t worry  I will bring” he zoomed away   and returned 10 minute later with a bottle.

 

“Pedong 9 km” a milestone said loudly .My watch echoed too  .Now distance to go was in single digit . A glory was waiting for me there. In my mind I started drafting my social media post next day . I started pushing. In front of one beautiful house few dogs started chasing me . 8 years into running now I know how to handle chasing dogs . In all part of India the trick is same. You stop, make a sound,  bend  to pick up a stone even if it is not there . The dog becomes afraid of counter attack and back out . Hey here comes last water station. I learnt my lesson and stopped. Asked for coke they didn't have . I refilled my bottle . After some distance I saw car my saviours  the mobile water station run by family members of Mahalaxmi Ultraz. I asked for coke. The kind lady handed me a bottle . I took a sip and returned. " keep it , you will  need it " she said .

 A young Assamese runner came cruising and ran past me "15, I can't let it happen" Ego  shouted within  . Though I was tired I l tried to gather some pace . The boy started walking and I passed him again. a small joy keeps you motivating

Now Iwas in front   of Neel Pahari..  It was familiar now. Though  it was named  Neel it has flowers of all colours and shades . Sunil  and his family love flowers. On my left side  some  army men were cheering from sides of their  huge ground . And behind that ground I could see Damsang fort hill which I hiked yesterday.

4 kms to go now .Venkatesh Prabhudessai a new but very strong runner from Goa came from behind . He was running steady but I could not keep pace with him  So it was 14 again . "let it be , anyways it doesn't matter "  I warned voice of ego within me . Next day I came to know  Ananya  daughter of Venkatesh  and Rucha my daughter studied from same college  in Pune . World is so small.

It was steep downhill now within village of Pedong . I could identify shops I visited yesterday. And one water distribution system made of thousand pipes connected to one main line. I remembered Thamel area of Kathmandu . Where  they had thousands of electricity cables dangling  over main line . God knows how they find right one.

1 km to go. Satish sir had taught me to finish strong .I was feeling good . I picked up pace. I could see Venkatesh ahead of me .  He was running good too. I heard  some faint announcements on loudspeakers . I realised that I am here near finish line.  I entered the Pedong ground  which I left   eight and half hours earlier .  I heard loudspeaker announcing my arrival.

"Here comes bib no 6530.

Dilip Ghadge  came all the way from Mumbai  to participate in Kalimpong ultra . And he finished it in style "

 I strided  strongly thru the balloon entrance gate . And continued to glide even past till the fence skipping high like child.

I was feeling  so energetic , I could have done few kilometres more . I remembered I  pushed hard in all races in this year till date and finished  tired with no energy to celebrate. . Last kilometres were always an agony , a relief . but this race I enjoyed, felt experienced, sipped like wine  and finished in good taste .

I wanted to hug someone. I wanted to dance .But I missed my usual buddies . I remwmbered was traveling alone. Of course, I got many new friends here. And couple of old friends will be reaching shortly to finish line.

I messaged home. Collected my medal and finishers t shirt . I found Geeta. As I guessed she finished 2nd in women's overall . She looked like a real athlete among all . Despite nearing 50 she was looking like some champion sprinter in her  early thirties . Her first marathon, that too in hills and  podium finisher in that . That was incredible. And she was beaming with joy champions are happy people.

    Runners kept crossing finishing line . Kept celebrating.Both race ambassadors Satish sir and Becky finished together .

When I passed Becky at some 35 k mark , she was looking tired . She was unwell since last week . But  she has never say die attitude.  She too finished among winners in women's category.

I remembered Rita is yet to come. Me and Geeta tried to call her. I  felt guilty as we decided to run together as per my race plan  but  I left her at  15 km mark and moved ahead as a selfish runner.

  But every runner who travelled thousand miles to race here in hills of Kalimpong is true champion. She reached finish line in sometime. I was relived to see her crossing finish line “ Aap ne muze kyun Chhod diya ? . I checked time she has run exactly as per plan we decided earlier.

    Roshni the organiser treated with us with local millet beer served d in bamboo glass . It was incredible drink. Everyone I knew in last two days has finished before cut off. I was not feeling lonely anymore. I was not missing anyone now. Rather I felt I knew these people forever.

  Back to home stay. I called home to give the news. Called Sanjay , my buddy.  I wanted to write face book post. But mind was full of words not ready to assemble into sentences.  So I wrote a two line Strava title . Posted result on friends group and retired to room.

Party was on mind, party was in air. Got a call from Satish sir. He called some others.  Few others called him. Everyone was looking for a watering hole.

 

Silk route was place decided.  Reaching there was a task. Realised that this is only place in this valley as everyone was here.

Sky was furious again. Growl turned into rumble and then thunder. Power was dancing in the tune of that thunder. It was dark outside. Sitting at crowded table in dim light. I glanced at my mobile. Weatherman said in app "Storm approaching"

 “I am the storm now”. I smiled to myself and picked my foaming beer mug