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First Ever Ultra Running Event in Surat - MoonRun Ultra (12 Hours Run) 2018:
Surti Runners’ tryst for hosting running events with modernity has again proved to be an icebreaker. This time hosting the first ever Ultra on their homeland, Surat city. With the advent of Ultra Running in Surat, modern race facilities and fantastic running venues, Surat has witnessed great progress. All credit to Surti Runners. The event had a great vibe and I believe the objective of this endeavour was to bring the runners in sync with health and fitness.
No matter how tough you train, or how confident you are, you become a slave to what the race day will give you. Even when I run on the road I always look for opportunities to enjoy the beauty and camaraderie that I experience on trails. In the most worrisome way, I feel ultra running is my soul mate. The love for ultra running, support groups & organizers gives me the courage to keep running persistent long distances. They buoy up my spirit.
Here’s what happened on the weekend excursion (May 5-6 7 pm to 7 am):
I had finished running 220kms a few weeks back and was on the last phase of training for my 480Kms Adventure Project (The Hell Ultra). The taper plan was to run 60k and then to chill the nerves. The route was flat and simple. 5k loops. The roads were very well lit up with street lights so headlamps weren’t required. The volunteers did a fantastic job in controlling the traffic at various crossing points. I zipped the first loop like crazy only to realize that I needed to slow down or else the humidity was waiting to wipe me out. I mean what was I thinking? I had like 11 plus hours to get to my target. So I got down to my planned race pace for the Adventure Project and took it easy and comfortable. I was stoked to meet friends from the Summit team I had met at Saputara.
Each Aid station was manned by responsible members who would wholeheartedly help the runners when they arrive. The aid stations were always stacked with runner-friendly food and hydration. There was unlimited food served at Dinner and Breakfast. Overall the arrangements were excellent and the organizers did not leave any stone unturned.
After sometime, Amish Hitesh & I teamed up. The humidity was a challenge but then there is no fun running without obstacles. I tried something new. Walk up to 1 streetlight pole and then to run up to the next 3 streetlight poles. This method was fun and helped to recover. We chatted and caught up with every running topic under the sky. It was a blast. The medical tent was flooded with new age ubercool physios and I enjoyed my recovery sessions with them at regular intervals. After every 5 loops, the medical checkup was mandatory. The distance was noted by a responsible person at the start/finish point Kratos Club with utmost care. I wanted to stop at 60k keeping in mind the taper zone but we were having a great time & eventually ended up clocking 15 loops with a smiling face.
The event gave an opportunity to the runners in the city to run longer distances. The fitness mantra has hit the running community of Surat. Runners really enjoyed the format of running in the dark. The organisation and facilities were in a good drift and very well executed by the volunteers.
Running with Surti runners has always made me cheerful and I feel like I’m running with family. My personal view is that Surat has amazing clean roads to run and over a decent span of time I have noticed that the count of runners in this city has dramatically gone high. In years to come, I am confident that Surat has the potential not only to have the largest running community but also to churn out the best runners in our country. To conclude, I would say that I thoroughly enjoyed and savoured the experience of the run! Cheers to running! #surtirunners #moonrunultra PS: I have put on weight for a reason so do not worry!
