From Doubts to Desert Bliss: A Journey of Discovery in The Border Ultra 100K

 

  "The miracle isn't that I finished.The miracle is that I had the courage to start." - John Bingham

                           '  ( The Border Disclaimer Document  page 3 , para 1)

"Hypothermia is a potentially serious risk! It can strike very quickly, especially when the pace slows from exhaustion or injury. The runner may feel very cold, experience uncontrolled shivering, and become unaware of their surroundings, possibly posing an immediate danger to themselves."

This paragraph in the caution section of the race disclaimer sent by The Hell Race Team a few days before the event further scared me. It all began with a phone call on October 31, 2023. I received a call from my friend and accomplished runner from Gurgaon, Geeta Ahalawat.

"Dilip ji, you wanted to do the border race? One spot is available. Do it now. You can continue breakfast after that."

Caught in the spell, I registered for the race, despite the fact that the Border Run had always lingered as a distant desire. Little did I realize the gravity of the situation until a day later – a 100 km race with only 6 weeks for training, tapering, and actual travel.

Untrained and uncertain, I found support in Geeta, who connected me with her coach, Hemant Beniwal. Doubts clouded my mind – about myself, the training plan, and my other commitments. While the city celebrated Diwali, I ran through the scorching heat, dodging crackers.

A month of interrupted training passed quickly, marked by travels and minor health issues. Then, the handbook with its dozen warnings and disclaimers arrived by mail. Having witnessed hypothermia in cycling tours and faced desert heat before, the challenge loomed ahead.

One month passed quickly in training, hindered by some travels and minor health issues. Then the handbook, with a dozen warnings and disclaimers, arrived by mail. Having witnessed hypothermia before in my cycling tours, facing desert heat posed another challenge. Flights and hotels were booked, money was spent, and there was no turning back. I have observed that those who start also finish, even if not in the best training condition.

Fortunately, discussions in the race WhatsApp group were more about everything but running. It was sometimes annoying, but in hindsight, it helped me distract myself and not overthink about the upcoming race.

Before every race, I meticulously plan my run, study the route, create elaborate Excel sheets, summarize it hourly, and revise it. But this time, I couldn't think straight; there was no question of planning anything.

I don't know how the mind works, but as I chose the bag to pack, all my fears were replaced by excitement. I could overhear words like Ultra, border, 100k, and 100 miles in the flight itself. The flight was landing in the brown landscape of nowhere, and I got my first feel of the desert. At the airport, it was a pleasant surprise to meet Chetan, my comrade buddy with a black and pepper beard.

The expo of any ultra is always about catching up with friends and making new ones from all over India. Fortunately, I could chat with legendary runners like Raj Vadgama. Friends had told me that the race briefing of The Border is one of the highlights of the event. I had seen glimpses of the style of our race director Vishwas Sindhu , an interesting fellow - bold and straightforward in his true Haryanavi style. Though he seemed rude at the beginning, this man knew his business, whether you liked it or not.

Out of the 360 runners lined up, many were repeat offenders like my friend Chetan, while the rest were first-time participants, like me. Similar to how the Comrades Marathon was started as a tribute to the soldiers of the First World Wars in South Africa, The Border Ultra began as a tribute to the 120 soldiers who defended the frontier in the famous Laungdwala battle. The organizers, The Hell Race, limited the cap to 120 runners in each category in respect of those soldiers.

Though everyone seemed excited, taking selfies, shouting slogans, I tried not to think about what lay ahead. The sun was scorching in the clear midday sky. The start line at the Indira indoor stadium was outside the city of Jaisalmer, and we were on a desert road in no time. In ultras, runners preserve energy, and the start is always easy - chatting with fellow runners is the most wonderful thing in the first few kilometers.

"Where are you from?" is a common question, and you can hear names of any of the 36 odd Indian territories. Different accents, different languages, different names, but the same passion. Veteran runners talk about their experiences, recalling what happened in Malnad or Khardungla Challenge. Ultra Matheran runners are a different breed, made of something else. They are distinct from general marathon runners, and I still don't belong to that category. This is a small community scattered all around the country, aware of each other. "How fast" is not the buzzword here; "how much distance" is the common question.

In ultras, you have to take care of your needs yourself. There won't be pampering. Water stations or aid stations are 10 km apart. By the first water station, the race had spread like a big 2 km long snake. The terrain was rolling with a brown landscape - soil, rocks, homes, even fencing poles were made of brown stones. One big Jain Mandir property was fenced by very huge blocks of golden sandstone. Tharparkar cows stopped grazing invisible desert grass to watch the long line of runners.

Chetan told me that Tharparkar cows are found in the Thar desert, spread in India and Pakistan. Chetan had excellent knowledge about nature, and you could find stones from different ultra marathon routes in his collection. "Don't go into bushes. Babhul thorn will spoil your entire run," I heard someone warning. The terrain was full of Babhul ,thorny Ber and surprisingly evergreen Rui plants. My other Comrades Marathon buddy, Arti Agarwal, zoomed past us,  ,

"Slow down Arti ; you have 150 kms to go." But she had her own plans of pace.

Hell Race volunteers stacked their aid stations well with water, electrolytes, and fruits, and they were very happy to help runners. The sun was still strong, but there was a slow breeze that made it bearable. The terrain was changing; shepherds in Pathani attire looked after flocks of white sheep grazing bunches of Shewan grass. At one place, shepherds were loading a truck with sheep crowded like Mumbai local trains. Hopefully, the truck was going to a sheep-sharing event and not a slaughterhouse.

Although my buddy and I had decided to run together, we had different goals. He had to conserve more energy for his 160 km, so we decided to go at our own paces. Three kilometers of running and 200 meters of walking were my strategy. "Every third walk should be at a water station," I told myself. Like camels in the desert, refill your bladders, grab something to eat, and move ahead.

At some junction, we turned and headed west on a very narrow road. At some places, the desert sand had covered the road. The sun was inching towards the horizon, and it was an enjoyable time. Legs were still not tired, and the desert looked different now. Some farmers were preparing fields. "Jeera," a farmer replied when I asked what they were sowing. Tubewell was the source of water. Right from Jaisalmer, majestic windmill farming was a salient feature of the landscape. Every windmill was so huge that one could rest in its shadow. By the evening, their presence became more prominent with the sound generated by their huge blades.

The fifty-kilometer mark was still a few kilometers away when sunlight faded. Before twilight turned into darkness, it was necessary to reach the drop bag point. Though the crescent moon was in the sky, its light did not reach the desert. I heard stories of the last year's run when the moon was nearly full, and the desert looked different. They didn't need to turn on headlamps.

Our drop bags with winter clothes and other essentials were transported and made available at the 50 km and 60 km points. At 6:30 PM, it was total darkness. Finding the drop bag station in the field, locating my bag, changing in darkness, and putting on a headlamp was a total challenge for a tired mind. I grabbed some hot, solid food. The whole process took a lot of time and took away the desire to run again. I walked almost half a kilometer to gather the courage to run again. It was pitch dark. In daytime, some runners were always in sight, used to talking to each other. By this time, hardly anyone was in sight. When someone passed, hardly anyone talked. Those were the loneliest hours.

We were on a big, wide Bharatmala road. It was super flat, with no turns, no rolling hills, and no landmarks visible in the dark and no vehicles. It was like a long tunnel in darkness. ”Three kilometers of running, 200 meters of walking. The third walk at the water station at every 10th kilometer.  was still my strategy. Water station was the only place alive. Though I was running, I was not feeling alone. There was nothing to think about, no one to talk to. Just the jingling sound of the bouncing hydration pack on my back was my company. I don't listen to music while running. Lyrics get lost in my chain of thoughts, and only noise remains. Secondly, handling all those earphone wires is not my thing.

I could sense the silhouette of sand dunes on the sides of the road. I looked up at the sky, and it was a mesmerizing scene. In decades, I had not seen such a starry sky. I remembered my childhood when we used to identify constellations. I almost spotted one, but I kept going. Am I going west? How could I know? I wanted to stop and find the North Star, not for navigation, but for the sake of it. But I had miles to go before I stopped. I still regret not stopping and looking for the North Star guide of all nomads and wanderers. I don't like only one thing about running. It is too focused on the finish line.

The difference in kilometer marks of water stations and my watch reading was increasing. The seventh water station arrived well after the 71st kilometer. I got irritated at the thought of the extra distance. Anyway, I was just two water stations away from the finish point. That was a reassuring thought. By that time, my legs were tired. So, the 200-meter walk increased to 300 or even 500 meters. It was like the law of inertia. When I was walking, I didn't want to run, and when I was running, I was afraid of walking. So, I changed the formula to a 3.50 km run and a 500-meter walk.

I was frustrated to run up to 93 km on my watch to reach the 9th water station, supposed to be at 90 km. If the finish point is 10 km away from here, my run will be 103 km but my mind was programmed for 100. I hoped that the race director was just pulling our legs, and the distance would be only 7 km. But that didn't seem possible. I lost all my enthusiasm. My pace dropped, and I started walking more frequently. I even lost count of how much I needed to go.

Suddenly, I saw some headlamps coming back running. I shouted, "What happened?" Some volunteer emerged from the dark. "These runners are doing 160, going to Laungewala."

"So what about 100 km?" I almost screamed.

"Congratulations! Your finish line is just 500 meters away near that light."

I was overjoyed. I sprinted with tired legs towards that light in the distance. One runner ran past me. I ran faster, but before I could overtake, there was a timing mat and the race director waiting there to greet finishers.

The real challenge came after that. While I was running, my body felt warm. This warmth, along with the layers of winter clothing, shielded me from the biting cold of the desert. After the excitement of completing the race, receiving the medal, and taking photos, I began to feel the chill. I located my drop bag containing dry clothes and a jacket, but I lacked the courage to strip off my sweaty garments in the cold. Putting on fresh clothes over the sweaty ones only made matters worse. I started shivering so intensely that I lost all the hot tea from my cup.

This was my most memorable race of my life. I lived every mile of it. I still remember every water station, every turn, arrow markings on the road. May be because this was I was not obsessed with finishing time. I have not kept any target. I was careful not to exceed certain level of efforts and preserve energy. When you don't focus on results but on efforts, you get more than your expectations. I was blank before the start, because of my undertraining.

I had decided that this will be my first and last 100 km Ultra Race. But now I am not sure.

 

My Berlin Wall

Until a few months ago, I was unaware of the world major marathons. My only desire was to participate in an international marathon in Europe. At first, I leaned towards Amsterdam, but after experiencing the Comrades Marathon bug last year, I knew I wanted something different.

I didn't want to repeat the Comrades Marathon, so I began searching for marathons in Europe. I was fortunate to know Gauri Jairam, who had organized a wonderful tour in South Africa after Comrades. She recommended running the Berlin Marathon over Athens and Amsterdam, so Berlin it was. My primary intention was to combine tourism with running.

The enormity of the Berlin Marathon hit me when I joined some international runners' discussion groups online. The record numbers of participants, the breaking of world records during the run, and the status of the World Majors Series by Abbott became apparent. The World Majors Series comprises six marathons across the globe: New York, Tokyo, Chicago, London, Berlin, and the notoriously challenging Boston. Runners from around the world dream of completing these six events and earning the prestigious six-star medal.

Eliud Kipchoge is a name synonymous with the Berlin Marathon. The Kenyan superstar secured his record-breaking 5th victory this year and even set a world record on this very track.

For any marathoner, running on the same track as Eliud Kipchoge on the same day is an incredibly special experience, and it was going to be my lucky day too. I admired Kipchoge not only as a runner but also as a motivator. I remember watching one of his YouTube videos in which he addressed fellow runners in Kenya. He used the metaphor of climbing a tall tree: "First, you look at the lowermost branch only, then you climb on it. When you finish in five hours, you look at 4:30." It's like improving your running or anything else in life, step by step. My aspiration was to run faster, just like every marathoner.

Last year, my personal best (PB) improved with every event, from 4:26 in Pune in June 2022 to 4:09 in Jaipur in February 2023. So, naturally, the idea of achieving a sub-4 marathon time was in the back of my mind. Kipchoge's words resonated with me: "Look at the branch above you," and the sub-4 branch was just above my head.

"My training was laser-focused on achieving a sub-4 finish, with my dedicated coach and running guru, Satish Gujaran, closely monitoring my progress. We endured grueling training sessions, including speed workouts, hill repeats, and long runs, all aimed at building not just physical endurance but also mental fortitude. Satish Sir instilled in me the belief that a marathon is a battle of both body and mind. As the race day approached, he fine-tuned my race strategy, emphasizing the importance of pacing, nutrition, and mental resilience.

 

While planning for a family vacation added some distractions, the sub-4 goal lingered. My coach and friends wouldn't let me forget it. It seemed like an impossible task, but their constant reminders made me believe in it.

Being too fixated on the destination can strip away the joy of the journey. The buzzing Facebook group of over 20,000 runners from around the world had already created excitement about the Berlin Marathon. I now understood why Berlin is a World Major. It's not just a one-weekend morning event; it's a week-long festival.

I began meeting fellow runners at Mumbai airport, and Berlin filled with runners as I arrived. The expo was impeccably managed; I obtained my bib in just 5 minutes, with all my booked add-ons. A South African lady noticed my Comrades cap and jacket, making her instantly friendly. She located my exact bib number among 50,000 runners within minutes.

The expo at the old Berlin airport became a festive gathering place for three days. Lucky runners could even listen to Kipchoge and other elites at the Hall of Fame event. On Saturday morning, there was a free 6 km breakfast run for anyone who wanted to join, turning into a significant event with thousands of runners, even those without bibs. On Saturday evening, there was an inline skating race on the marathon route.

Sunday morning marked the race day.  It starts with race of wheelchairs and hand carts  in the beginning .

Unlike Indian marathons that finish before 9:15 AM, the Western world seemed to embrace races as late-morning events, with the ability to divert traffic for the entire day.

The first wave was flagged of at 9:15 with elite runners in lead.

With 50,000 runners divided into four waves based on their best times, my race started at 10:05 AM. Despite the chilling weather, excitement filled the air. The host provided updates on Kipchoge and Assefa leading the race, and the iconic song "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project motivated the runners inching towards the start line. On a big screen, an Indian barefoot runner, Chandrashekhar, shared his running story. The race officially began at 10:05 AM, but it took me a few more minutes to reach the start line.

It felt as though everyone in a Mumbai local train suddenly started running; the crowd was tight, and you had to follow the pace of the crowd to avoid toeing or elbowing.

In any marathon, you end up running more than 42.195 km since the measured distance is the shortest possible on the route. Every runner aims to stick to the blue line. My plan was clear: maintain 11 km per hour for the first three hours. At kilometer 5/6, a bus for a 4-hour finish time was blocking my way. I managed to overtake the group at one bend but found another 4-hour pacer leading his group at the next bend.

The race remained congested, but I managed to achieve my first-hour target with a couple of minutes to spare. Despite the diversity among thousands of runners in terms of nationality and colors, there was minimal conversation. Instead, there was plenty of apologizing for elbowing and using "please" or "bitte" to request passage. The constant rhythmic sound of shoe thumping on the tarmac filled the air. At water stations, the shoe-thumping sound became dangerously different as runners trampled on plastic glasses thrown on the road. However, the sidelines were full of cheering spectators, shouting enthusiastically, and various groups like drummers, bands, and Swiss horn players added to the vibrant atmosphere.

Berlin boasts numerous architectural marvels, many of which were reconstructed after the Second World War. Even the Brandenburg Gate, an iconic symbol, had been reconstructed. Yet, my focus remained on my watch, not allowing me to appreciate these beauties.

As I achieved my third hour  goal as per plan, I remained on target, but the fear of the unknown lingered. I began calculating. "I'm still on track," I told myself, giving me the luxury of a restroom break. While the temperature wasn't scorching, the sun's strength was beginning to affect me.

I spotted a placard that read, "Run Kiki Run." It seemed that Kiki and Dirk were the most popular runners in the race, or perhaps there were just many Kikis and Dirks running that day. There were several such placards, and people cheered relentlessly for every runner.

My family was waiting to cheer me on at kilometer 39, in front of our hotel. However, I realized it would take me hours to reach them. My heart sank at the thought. I kept glancing at my watch, calculating, and reassuring myself, "I'm still on track." But exhaustion was setting in.

I started to doubt myself as a runner. "Why did you come here if you can't run?" I considered quitting not just the race but running altogether.

"Just have fun on Saturday evenings, Dilip. Why are you punishing yourself?"

"How did this happen? This is my 15th marathon, not to mention the ultras I've completed."

I recalled a message in our group, "Berlin is a fast track, but there are also many DNFs (Did Not Finish)."

Doubts kill you first. I can train my legs, but how can I simulate the state of my mind at Kilometer 35? Three four-hour Pacers (they call them Pacemakers in Germany) ran past me with their flags and busses between Kilometer 35 and Kilometer 38. The first one I tried to follow for a few meters. The other two did not provoke any thought in my mind. For a long time, I watched the growing distance between their flags and me. I slowly and indifferently watched my dreams slipping out of sight with those flags.

As my daughters and wife stood in front of the NH Collection hotel at kilometer 39 with a placard that read "BHAG DILIP BHAG" (Run, Dilip, Run), I greeted them with a tired, almost lost smile. They took photos and videos, which I would later view and consider deleting. With just two kilometers left, my energy was at its lowest point, and I was feeling the heat, even though the temperature wasn't particularly high.

I removed my arm compressions and knew I had energy gels and salt tablets in my pocket, but I had no desire to use them. I stopped looking at my watch; I had just one more turn to make, and the iconic Brandenburg Gate was only a few meters away. The finish line was just 300 meters past it. Summoning all my remaining strength, I managed to smile for a photograph and crossed the finish line.

My legs and hamstrings were aching, and I was in pain, but I collected my medal, took a selfie, and found a spot to sit down and close my eyes for a while. Nearby, another runner was doing the same. We exchanged smiles and started chatting. His name was Fahim, a British citizen of Pakistani origin. We talked for quite some time, helping each other stand up eventually.

It took me a while to figure out how to rejoin my family near the Brandenburg Gate, and in the meantime, I checked my race results online. Overall, I hadn't done badly; I finished in the top 35 percent among nearly 50,000 runners. However, I couldn't help but notice that thousands of runners had passed me in the last seven kilometers.

My watch revealed that I had run over 800 meters more than the official marathon distance due to the crowded route. It also told me that I had completed the marathon distance in 4:03, making it a personal best. However, the official time still displayed 4:10.

Despite not achieving my initial goals, I had gained a few friends along the way, both Indians and foreigners. That evening, it was time to celebrate. Every pub in Berlin was buzzing, and our tour operators, Active Sports, organized a fantastic party at a local pub. The Berliner beer was so good that it helped me forget about my race time and allowed me to connect with my newfound friends. Thanks to Gauri, Suraj, and the Active Sports team.

No one was talking about finishing times at the party; instead, discussions revolved around plans for the next major marathons. After a few beers, I even gave up my thoughts of giving up running.

In the end, the Berlin Marathon was more than just a race; it was a journey of self-discovery, camaraderie, and determination. Despite the challenges and missed goals, I had the opportunity to experience a world-class event and make lasting memories. It's a reminder that in the world of running, it's not just about the finish line but the journey that takes you there.

 

 

 

7th Heaven Day

 

Satara hill half  Marathon....

I did my first one in 2016. It is called Indian mini comrades because of huge elevation, scenic route, and wonderful crowd support..

Last year a bus full of our friends travelled to Satara and had fun. It was my 4^th Satara.

This time I was not very keen as group was going to Ladakh and  my other friends from all over India were also doing  world’s highest ultra Khardung La Challenge there .

 My Berlin was round the corner so Ladakh Ultra was not an option. Though I registered for Satara I was not very keen to travel all 6 hours for just an half marathon.

No travel, no hotel was booked. I almost decided to skip it till my coach Satish Gujaran sir insisted me to do it .

 Guru said go. And do sub 2 hour finish in that 415 meter elevation gain event .

 I resisted. But he insisted

“ It will increase your confidence for Berlin.”

 Entire Satara hotels were sold out  but buddy Dr Anant accommodated me in Fern.

Expo was great. Crowd was huge but they managed it well. Bumped into some friends there.  Excitement started to kick in.

Made a plan accordance with elevation gain and loss at every kilometre

Fern was good hotel., full of runners from across India. Tried to sleep early but as usual  night before marathon is always a sleepless one.

 In huge police ground around 5000 runners were doing warm up on music .It was exciting. I forget my reluctance. In line up I found friends from Palava runners .

 “What is plan? “I Asked Arijit .

” Nothing less than gold medal!”

“What is that?”

“If you finish sub 2 hour  you get gold ( coloured ) medal”. Manoj replied instead.

"I  also want Gold medal " I shouted loudly  .

 When you speak your loudly, it becomes commitment I read that somewhere.

Runners anthem a new idea by Satara people was followed by energetic Indian national anthem. And there was flag off.

Air was cool but I was feeling hot after  uphill 1st km .   Next 2 km were gentle rolling. Clocked sub-6. Wow. Plan was working. 4th was bit climb but I continued running . 5/6/7 I had planned walk . It was really tough to run.

It was too uphill. But  Why I am surprised?  I ran here four times before .Then  started segmenting this tough part in walks and runs . Managed to clock it below 8  minute per km .I was running as per plan but  I  started doubting  my  own plan. Because averages pace has reached above 6:30

Damn this pace thing. I am not seeing thousands of runners running along with me . Different colours . Some familiar names on T shirts. Some colours constantly running ahead of me like my pacers. The historic city in valley. Clapping of supporters all along route. Drums, music. I was indifferent to everything. Even I didn't heard shouts of water station volunteers .

I remembered last year's race. When I was pacing friends.  No goal finish was set .Many high fives   with crowd cheering from side lines  . Cracking one liners with them. Playing Tambourine while running. Mocking photographers with weird poses.

This year I was missing all of that and just focussed on damn pace.  Though this was my fifth Satara, it was  mountain didn’t become easier .Sub 2 was almost impossible task for me.

And now my chances looking dim. But I believed in my calculations. So I thought after 7^th  it is flat terrains. I will push and cover lost time. But it was not that flat, it was rolling . I was running sub 6 minutes  per kilometre . But I knew it was not enough. Now kilometres were feeling like miles. I had calculated to reach   turn around point  at 63 minutes , latest by 65 minutes .

But this halfway target  was also looking distant. All of sudden a huge incline welcomed me in 10th km . Was it there last time ?  I had to walk. I gulped a gel by walking glanced at watch .and I knew I will not finish in two hours .

     Turn around happened at 68 minutes.

   “10.50 km in 52 minutes.” not possible. Period .

  I felt free.  Relieved.

No pressure of expectations. It doesn’t matter now.

" Anyways this is your training run for Berlin only. This is not your race  .so no point pushing. for impossible.” I convinced myself.

Now I could clearly listen music,  slogans  hailing great king Shivaji , patriotic , motivating songs on loudspeakers ,Drums playing on sidelines .I could smile at girl at water station who was wishing good luck .

I could see known faces in runners running towards turn around point in opposite direction and wave and answer their waves.

I could reply greetings of runner friends. I stopped glancing frequently at watch .

By now I crossed 12 /13 km mark. My feet found downhill and responded in accordance with training  it got . Running was easy and fast. My watch vibrated at km 14 and told me that  you running at 4:31 min/km. I was surprised I don't run that fast even in my sprint practice . Legs were making merry encouraged by steep slope. I started targeting colourful T shirts ahead of me and overtaken hundreds of those. My watch vibrated violently and shouted “  Last Km was4:09”

 “Is it happening real or I am in dream?” I questioned in my mind. Slow down Dilip. Might be cramps are waiting round the corner.

An ambulance siren was becoming louder. “Give side to ambulance "

  A runner behind broke my train of thoughts.

I stepped aside. Ambulance zoomed past. I prayed for runner in it .Last year's incident crossed my mind. Some runner from Kolhapur lost his life in final  kilometres. Very sad incident.

I came back on tarmac and continued cruising downhill. “4:17” watch yelled .

Alright sir this is happening real .I was really enjoying slopes. At water stations road had become slippery I  rolled over it with  dangerous cadence .

"Slow down Dilip. Berlin is just three weeks away. You don't want to get injured for your first world major "

“4:25”   watch vibrated again.

. By the time hill was over and I entered into city .there was no more sharp downhill . but rolling. I got bored as Honeymoon  was over . I walked at a small uphill  glanced watch for time lapsed . Mind automatically calculated required pace for Sub 2 . Wow!!! It is easily doable. Immediately legs started running. I was running easy but interestingly pace was below 5. But I was afraid to push  .

"This is not your race " I reminded myself again ."This is just training run for you . Coach just wants sub 2 finish"

 And calculation told me sub 2 is very much possible now .no need to rush .  I eased and kept cruising easy on gentle slope at pace of 5 . Few runners ran  past me . I didn't care .

A white paint writing on road told 300 meter to go. Wow 150 steps of each foot .

I started counting. Red carpeted finish line was waiting for me with half a dozen photo graphers.

Drum was playing loud in police grounds. I wanted to dance on that tune.  may be Couple of hundreds  runners finished before me  ., So  this huge ground was kind of empty .

Selfie stands were all available. This was rare scene for me not to wait for my turn for photographs . I took the opportunity to take some selfies.

I was not still believing  my  dramatic  finish . I checked my watch app .  I ran last 10 km in just 47 minutes . My  four year old PR was 51 . And current was 53 . It was huge progress of 6 minutes.

 Later that day  when official result were out I found myself at 7th position in my age category.

 It is 7^th Heaven today!!!

Nomad cycling - A Humbling Experience

 

Life in day of nomad cyclist.

 Rider generally Wake   up by 4.30.

It is a new day, whatever happened yesterday.  You learnt from it . And it is a new day .

 If hot water is available rider will take quick bath,

Gathering everything, chargers, lights  pack in baggage . Put on gear. Stuff essentials in back pockets of jersey. Take some hydration for the way. Take his baggage to support vehicle.

Then check his cycle, fix light. It is still dark. Watchmen and truckers are taking warmth from makeshift fire place.  Leader gives you some dry snacks to eat. Coffee pouch and hot water in paper cup. Someone opens his bag and get something out for quick bite. if it is not too late riders do some warm up. Then out captain gather everyone for brief for   day ahead, probable breakfast and lunch time and place of stay that night.

 then everyone lines up for national anthem.

That gives us boost of energy. A sense of doing something great feel our heart. By the time  we start it is past 6 or later in expedition almost 7 because of Cold  weather

 

 

 As a habit you are craving for Tea, so you decide to have your tea on the way .

But air is cool. There is no traffic on road and you can as speed up as you wish. so, you don't stop even if you see a open Tea shop. You don't want to break momentum. Legs are fresh and peddling is incredibly easy. morning shadows are long. You can see shadow of your trailing riders. It gives you more boost. You think you can finish today's distance in daylight only.

Slowly shadows start shortening. You can't guess your trailing rider .and your leading rides looks half a km ahead. you get little tired and look for tea joint. Sometimes you are lucky. Sometimes you have to pedal few km more. In early days of ride there used to be a predetermined mileage or time for leaders to stop for  breakfast.

But as expedition progress it becomes very time consuming to wait for everyone. So people started to take breakfast whenever they feel hungry. But you need to have some descent mileage in your kitty.

 By the time you finish your Paratha or poha with some banter sun comes pretty up . 

you start good, but soon shadows are in your wheels.

You try to guess which direction you are going based on shadow.  Mostly it has to North, north east or East, because you know there is where Delhi is. But it confuses you more.

 After breakfast riders chat with other while pedalling. Soon distance between them   increase beyond earshot, so chat stops. Your buddy is either too ahead of you or behind you.  Fatigue comes fast. So, he waits for you at intervals. At the start of expedition, we used to tire very early and wait at every 5 km, 2nd day it be become every 10 k. It increased up to 15 /20 km as riders become more used to conditions as expedition progressed.

first day we took group breakfast at 95 km, 2nd day 82 then 55 depending upon energy and convenience.

 Then after between 50 and 60 become norms.

1st day people were riding like they are racing . So everyone was having own team. Riding mostly solo. Then depending upon speeds small buddy teams were defined automatically.  Leading teams were usually fast. They used to spot some food joint for breakfast and lunch and post Google location in the group, then small buddy teams joins them one by one. Whatever ordered by first team if tastes ok orders everyone. Chatting continue while eating and when you realise that you spent more time here than necessary, you wear your helmet , put on gloves , signal your buddy , refill the water bottles and move .

The next stop is Lunch. Generally, it is at 120 km. first few km after breakfast go really fast.  You stop for buddy every 15 /20 km. But then sun is nearly above your head. Shadows are short now. Running just ahead of your wheel. Then water breaks become bit more frequent. On couple of days route was not certain. So, checking messages, live location of leaders becomes part of hydration break.  Hydration packs consisting energy bars and energy drink become handy to keep energy level in hot sun. since every day you are getting just 5 hours sleep or less you feel sleepy while riding. so stopping for lunch become more urgent.

 Finding right spot for lunch was real challenge in Rajasthan leg of expedition.  mostly highway was catering to mostly trucks. So Dhaba’s were for catering to truck drivers only. Dust was everywhere. On the road, outside Dhaba and inside too . For safer side our lunch was mostly Dal rice, curd, and butter milk .

Generally, lunch time used to be catching up point. Teams come and join, have chat , eat , some take quick  nap . And leave in batches.

By the time it is mostly 4.00 PM. You have 80/90 odd kilometre to go.  You calculate and you know that it will again late in evening to reach.  Again our time breakfast and lunch breaks has overshoot its time allocation and you have to slog to reach .

But weather is pleasant now. You can ride at whatever speed you want. you even overtake a truck or too . You are racing with your partner. Shadows are getting longer. Desert wind is cool . You notice bahbul shrubs, flocks of sheep’s sometimes.

 Some team is stopped for hydration, you stop there with them for few minutes. Eat something from pack, sip water .then proceed . Shadows are even longer .you can guess direction where you are heading. You can sense presence of your buddies without glancing back. there is evening smell in air .

In North India December day is very short. Sun sets just after 5.00. You notice that you no longer have shadow

 You pause for a minute to switch on lights

 fun is over now It is time to slog . Still 60 km to go. Suddenly you feel hurry to reach destination. You are not Enjoying ride. Your buddy is tagging you within earshot . But you don't talk to each other. Now you can sense your buddy by headlight  of cycle in your tires . When you don’t see that for some time  you slow down for your buddy .

Sometimes in fading light you see a rider is struggling to repair a flat tire. You stop to help him. You offer your spare tube to him. Sometimes he needs support vehicle. You wait for help to come. Then proceed.

In night you pedal really fast, but every kilometre seems like taking eternity.

When you are not worried about distance, and not able to see much ahead because of dark, and there is nothing to talk to your buddy you notice something bigger accompanying you from the beginning.

The highway, it's continuous humming  or rather roar. That sound is with you from beginning but you are too occupied to notice it. Highway user , mostly truck drivers seldom bother you .They all are in their own world .That  loud highway humming  calms you down. You pedal fast but no longer feel in hurry .You exactly  don't go into meditation , but you go in some kind of trance thinking about life  events from different perspective.

  A random horn or shout from your partner awakes you.   You stop for few minutes rest.  You think about stay of the night . what leaders have found by pedalling fast without rest and sometimes without lunch .Check your mobile for location . Calculate, curse or thank the leaders and proceed.

 By the time you reach your hotel or sometimes truckers lodge it is cold, dark.

 Watchman and driver huddling around a fire to warm themselves.

You feel very happy. you high five your buddy and early riders.

You check who is left behind. Next challenge is checking if there is hot water for a  quick shower. Then it is time for calling home.  

Dinner is ordered . The team recalls a day's adventures . Laugh loudly about troubles, detours , breakdowns , nearly giving up .  Every trouble is forgotten . 

 Going to bed to dream about tomorrow ride . 

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

 

Kalimpong Ultra Marathon - The Expo

 

Kalimpong Ultra Part 4- Bib Collection

    Bib collection was at start point at Pedong Ground  5 km away from our Homestay  which was on route itself . Reaching thee by a jeep was a short recce itself . Huge descend to ground  made everyone silent . Next morning it is going to be huge uphill.

   Pedong ground was getting ready for race next day. Some volunteers were struggling with balloon start / Finish gate. Volunteers carrying BIBS and Kits were sitting behind few tables.   Runners from almost 15 Indian states collected their Bibs, trying their event t shirts, checking their blood pressure and clicking photos . It looks like Ultra runners knew each other as there was lot of shouting, hugging and clicking in small crowd.  I was new to ultra marathon circuit. So I knew very few people.

Roshni was busy with last minute arrangements. And great Coach Daniel himself was distributing bibs to runners.

This was first year of Kalimpong ultra-Marathon. The venue is situated in remote eastern Himalayan hills. Nearest airport and railway station is almost 4 hours away. In Mumbai marathon events happens almost every week may be half, or 10 k. Some event happens somewhere. But in these hills, this was happening first time .and that too ultra marathon.

My Guru my coach Satish Gujaran was busy giving photographs with runners . I think he is most photographed male runner in India. Wherever you go in India he is always surrounded by fans. Another race ambassador is also most popular woman runner of India. The beautiful, gorgeous, stylish Becky Pde from Meghalaya.

Both of these runners are not only ambassadors of this race but ambassadors of the game. Runners are always amused to find them down to earth,  humble human beings,  ready to listen , ready to talk , guide and  answer their queries.

   Surprisingly I couldn't clear mandatory blood pressure test like many other runners. May be because of anxiety, altitude or supposedly faulty machines. Couple of days back I had cleared my 2D echo Test so I was not much worried.

  Race Director Daniel and Roshni briefed the race, route, aid stations. Roshni is force behind this event . For her it not only marathon event she is holding. She is looking for integration of Indian Gorkha culture with main land India . Her statement seems Gorkha are as patriot Indians as anyone else. She wants to introduce and invite as many peoples from entire India and visit beautiful region of Kalimpong hills. At the same time, she wish to showcase Indian ultra runners to local aspirant runners. In the process she is helping valley's economy some way.

On Roshni's request race ambassador Satish Gujaran told few tricks about hill running to audience of runners. The veteran of 11 Comrades’ finishes is runner and coach now and helping many runners to qualify and finish comrade’s marathon. Runners got some easy by Satish sir guidance. It takes a pep talk from a legend to remember your strengths.

 All in all expo ( It was not exactly expo barring one Oakley sunglasses stall ) was a celebration, a memorable event with lot of laughter , photographs with new friends from far away states. But sky was getting darker with black clouds so homestay was much safer place . Sunil Mukhia is happy host . He manages place with his witty wife and three children  He welcomed  us back  with steaming Pakoda and black tea. People kept adding on and table turned into big circle .

Room was again anxious place again till early dinner. In Nepal 5 years back I heard a funny term "Dal Bhat power  24 hour."

I wished this Dalbhat will give  me same power .