Garhwal run will put you through testing ascent throughout the distance, running through lush green forests and countryside of Himalayan foothills. Finishing point will be Dhanaulti TOP. The route will go through the villages of Kokriyal, Dubhra, Sakalana and Daulagiri.
Total elevation gain on the race route is 7300 feet.
Garhwal Runs has the 33 km & the 74 km categories that are the qualifying distances for the 55 km & 111 km LA ULTRA – THE HIGH. https://www.laultra.in/events/garhwal-runs/
Tale of my Run:-
The 6:30am start line was at Raipur busstop and the first 6 kms is like nobody’s business. The party begins at 7th km where the altitude gains with every km. There are a few easy descent that come to your rescue but dont fall prey for it till you hit the first peak at 33kms. You run down in your 34th and enjoy a easy descent till 47th km, this is when you hit the bridge and turn left towards Dhanaulti. You are well guided here by the volunteers.
and this is when you begin dreaming of the 69th km because its yet another peak till you hit the climax of the run. I took it slow here and covered distance majorly switching between walk jog and run whenever possible. The sun continued to salute you in your eyes but be prepared for temperature variations from hot to cold to hot to cold till you hit the 67th km mark. Post that you are welcomed by a neutral road of 1km and then the rundown begins till the 74km finish line. As you reach Dhanaulti, you tend to see snow and ice on the road, hence take it slow as the roads can be slippery. The temperature dipped quite variably and gloves were quite helpful enough to cover the finger tips. Keeping your ears , nose, finger tips covered works like a charm when it comes to running in cold weather.
This run also had me organize a self support system comprising of a crew member , car and a driver. My initial checkpoints were at every 5kms , this was then reduced to every 3rd km midway and further reduced to 1km to ensure my fatigue levels are well in control by the much required hydration and electrolyte consumption. Banana, Orange, Snickers, Peanut chikki, salted chips, carbonated drinks towards the end of the run kept me away from hunger. Remember not to eat but just to munch during your run else you will feel stuffed and heavy. Orange + salt was my favourite.
Crewing is a sport too and it indeed takes a toll on the team and the driver considering they are bound to not just match your pace and be available with refreshments at your checkpoints. A gesture as simple and basic as keeping a bottle of water and electrolyte open makes a huge difference and keeps you worry free. It is important to talk to your crew in advance and introduce just not you but also the runner inside you. A recce of the route helps give the insights of how much I may end up demanding for suppprt. Every day is different, every run can bring you challenges that you may not come across and hence the strategy to achieve your goal can undergo a change and the support system has to align accordingly. You will be in the prayers of your near and dear ones, but on that very day, crew is your only angel that you need the most to bring the best out of you. Immense respect to the crew and the driver, i owe them one. An overall a good test of endurance and a successful qualification to 111KMs LAULTRA event to be held in August and this was just the beginning.
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