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Have you ever imagined running for 21 km or 42 km? Or let me add a little twist to my question. Have you ever imagined running through beaches, mountains and deep forests for 101 km? If you haven’t, then you must look for races categorized as the Ultra-marathons.
To an average person, the prospect of running such long distances may look like a crazy idea, but there are many people on this planet who are giving a whole new meaning to the word, 'long distances'.
Ultra-marathons is now a buzzword in the running community and there are several races organized across the globe in places like deserts, mountains, forests and valleys. People look for new challenges every year and thousands of adventure seekers gather to participate in such events.
Ultra-marathon is a race that stretches beyond 42 km, usually with a minimum distance of 50 km. We may trace back the origins to the late 1830s when a foot race was organized from London to Brighton in 1837. Since then there has been a phenomenal rise in Ultra-marathons across the globe. These races are organized on steep mountain ranges, deserts, jungles or even in the avenues of New York.
While running a full marathon is still a big taboo for most runners in India, the country seems to be in a grip of the craze of participating in Ultra-marathons. People are no longer interested in knowing if you have done marathons or half-marathons. The talk of the town is going beyond. People who have never run full marathons are registering directly for the tougher versions.
There are many races in India that can be categorized under the Ultra-marathon category. Let us have a look at a few of them, which have made their cut above the rest in India.
#4 Kargil International Marathon
With the aim of promoting sports in Kargil, Dras and Batalik regions, the second edition of Kargil Marathon was held on 2nd September in 2018. The race has categories starting from 5 km and goes up to 120 km. The 120 km long race goes across Tiger Hills, which is the highest peak in Kargil. One can expect to run amidst the snow-clad mountains, with a cool breeze and snow set on gravel like a piece of jewel.
Anything beyond 30 km will test the human spirit as the level of oxygen will not be as appropriate as it is on the plains. Kargil is located at a height of 2,676 meters above sea level and is very scarcely populated. The temperature in Kargil during September remains moderate with a maximum of 24 degrees in the day and approximately 12 degrees in the night.
#3 Malnad Ultra
Malnad Ultra is a UTMB qualifier event and is hosted in the picturesque site of the Western Ghats in Southern India. With a net ascent of over 12,000 feet, the track will take you through seven coffee estates. During the run, one is expected to witness beautiful views of Bhadra reservoir and Bhadra Wildlife reserve. The race promises the runners an amazing experience of running through the rough and hilly terrain marked by some majestic trees, including Teak, Rosewood, Silver Oak, Pepper, etc.
The race offers three categories, i.e. 50 km, 80 km and 110 km and they all are to be completed in a given timeframe of 9, 15 and 24 hours respectively. The organizers are very strict about the guidelines laid out for the participants, which ultimately help the runner to complete the race safely. The runners are required to carry mandatory hydration support, headlights or flashlights. The participants may encounter a variety of wildlife along the path, including but not limited to, snakes, leeches, spiders, etc.
#2 Run The Rann
An environment, completely opposite to what a runner would find in Malnad Ultra. Run The Rann takes place in Dholavira, Kutch region of Gujrat. Organised by Uphill EMG, the race offers three categories to the participants, 51 km, 101 km and 161 km. The race was first organized in 2014 and since then has successfully hosted 5 events. The sixth event that was to be held in January 2019, is now moved to 2020. The organisers are planning to revamp the event by adding new and tougher challenges.
The race promises the participants to witness cracked desert land, salt marshes and cacti along with other surprises on the track like mud, cobras and monitor lizard. During the race, the runners will cover the ruins of Dholavira, part of approximately 5000-year old Indus Valley Civilization. An encounter with huge but friendly gipsy buffaloes is also guaranteed, however, it will be in the best interest of the participants to move along the marked race track.
#1 La Ultra
La Ultra is a saga in itself. A 333 km long run that has to be completed under 72 hours and if that’s not enough, one has to go through rocky mountains at 50% less oxygen level than the plains. The race takes place in the beautiful valley of Ladakh, a Trans Himalayan region in northern India.
The race is usually organized in the month of August and if that looks like a respite, then wait for an anti-climax. The temperature in the region during August may fluctuate between 40 degrees Celsius to minus 12 degrees Celsius and that too in just 6 hours. The race has three categories, 333 km, 222 km and 111 km and in all these categories, one has to go past an altitude of 17,500 feet 3, 2 and 1 times respectively.
The race is so difficult, that in the past 8 years only 123 runners from 23 different countries have participated in the event and only 72 have managed to complete the race.
