I wanted to experience the trail and thus enrolled for this race. I’m primarily a road runner, thus the training was not focused on or for trails. Having said this I enjoyed the rustic, lush green, and treacherous terrain of the trail.
This race was focused on being “time on foot”. Thus there was no tapering before the race. I was clocking around ~70 km per week, 3 weeks before the race, and trying to do 2 to 3 days of strength training.
My training is very gradual and I have already run a couple of half marathons for this season. Thus my base fitness was good enough to run a 30 kms.
This season, the focus is on longish tempos during the midweek and a long run over the weekend.
We drove from Bangalore to Chikmagalur, a six-hour journey with scenic stops along the way. A hearty meal at Hoysala Village served as the perfect carb-loading session before we headed to the Estate Cafe for bib collection. Surrounded by lush greenery, the relaxed atmosphere was a refreshing change. Meeting fellow runners amidst the calm of the estate set a peaceful tone, trail running is a “vibe”.
After all the catching up we finally reached our hotel. We were staying in Chikmagalur town. I had an early dinner, checked on everyone’s nerves, we were all taking the race easy more like an experience in the woods, and called it an early night.
The next morning we reached the start point by 6:30 am. I had enough time to warm up, I had 2 bananas and a gel before the start of the race.
Let me break down the trail in 10-10-10
First 10 km
The trial wasted no time testing us. Starting with a downhill stretch covered in loose gravel, it demanded constant focus to avoid falls. By the 1.5 km mark, we entered the first of many coffee estates, navigating narrow jeep tracks through a mix of slushy paths and steep climbs.
Here I met a fellow runner and friend Shilpa. She had come to volunteer and was cheering the crowd.
Now before I get into the race details, one of the stark differences between road and trail runs is, that there is no loud cheering or crowd support in trails, you are your supporter and cheerleader.
The 50K runners had started at 7 am and thus we had some solace in identifying pathways.
Attentiveness, agility, and reflexes are the key to trail runs. I had my eyes on the path, the routes were marked with colorful ribbons on the way. The 50K and 30K had the same route till 26 km.
I crossed a few streams, and steep hills but the killer of a hill was crossing the 6th km. I had to use my hands to balance the climb. Our first aid station was at the 8th km. I refilled my water with lime and salt, had my gel, and continued.
The canopy of the coffee plantation shielded us from the sun, making the effort slightly more bearable to enjoy the calmness of the surroundings with the occasional fluttering of the leaves. The only noise is of your heartbeats rising.
There is almost no straight patch in the first 10 km.
The Next 10 km
By now, I had settled into a rhythm. The terrain remained unpredictable, alternating between slushy grasslands and uneven gravel paths. Brief moments of camaraderie with fellow runners lifted my spirits. On the steeper ascents, we often slowed to brisk walks, exchanging words of encouragement as we crossed paths with the 50 km runners.
The 16th and 17th kms challenged us with their steepness. Post this, the terrain got a bit forgiving. There were a few straight patches that allowed me to use my running skills and helped me relook at how a road runner runs.
This did not last for long as after the 2nd aid station there was a mother of a mountain awaiting us to crush our egos.
Last 10 km
Around the 16th km, I saw Debashree from Soles of Bangalore and I stuck around with her till the 22nd km, which is a km with one of the steepest hills.
From the 22nd km onwards I ran alongside Balaram, a fellow runner from Hyderabad. His words of encouragement and navigation tips were invaluable as we tackled the relentless undulations… The last 6 to 7 km were very tricky as there were few runners to be seen, fatigue was at a peak, and ensuring we dont miss any turns or get lost in the woods was the biggest challenge.
While the volunteers had put ribbons on the way as route markers, they are sparingly seen with sweaty eyes and tired legs.
The last 4 km were very beautiful but tough. Beautiful as it felt like we were part of a treasure hunt and tough because the route signs were sparing.
The last km was an uphill and then merging in the last 100 mts of final closure.
Crossing the finish line is always ecstatic. Especially when we do something for the first time. I wanted to meet my friends and fellow runners. I met Gautham from Hyderabad runners, who were already cooling down post-race. We checked on our races and started taking pictures, sharing experiences, and waiting for the rest of our friends to complete.
All my friends did well, were happy with how we performed, and quickly started focusing on our next goal. We had our post-race breakfast, hearty laughter, and took a lot of pictures.
Trail running is nowhere close to road running, it makes you slow down, try your patience, and makes you think. As it’s said - it’s not the result but the journey that counts. I enjoyed spending time with my friends and fellow runners, listening to their stories, and celebrating our hard work.
Talking about results, I placed 2nd if you haven’t noticed yet! These surprising results motivate me to train well and show up day after day.
See you soon, in the holding area!
Aditi Pandya is a life long athlete. She was born to run and play sports. Aditi is the co-founder of geeksonfeet.com.