Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 125, December 2019 | Page 43

TRAIL RUNNING
The field lines up to start
Alfred ready to get going
The Race Begins
Day one starts with a bang... as in, with some serious climbing! (It isn’t advised to
make jokes like that – bang noises, that is – during this race, as the Indian Army
is visible all along the route. That said, both the Indian and Nepalese Army troops
were extremely friendly, and big supporters of the race.) The route of day one hugs
the Nepalese border all the way up to Sandakphu, where you spend two days. This
first section gets your heart rate up right from the start, with 1000m of climbing in
the first 10km! What surprised me initially is that there are water points every 5km,
and at every second water point you will find bananas, potatoes and other snacks
as well. As a trail runner, this came as a surprise to me, but it is a great way to
introduce roadies to trail.
With a total elevation of 2900m in about 38km, this is probably the most difficult
day. The toughest part of this is that you finish the day at 3500m above sea level,
and it feels like your lungs only manage to take in the same amount of oxygen as a
guy that has been smoking Texan Plain for the last 30 years. On the positive side,
when you arrive at Sandakphu, your race bag is waiting for you.
Nearly 3000m of climbing on day 1
This is what really made this whole running experience great, and completely
different to a fast-packing/self-organised run. The joy of a 50-litre bag at the end
of each day does add to one’s daily creature comforts. No heavy load to run with
every day, no reason to do any washing during the run, and there is enough space
if you want to pack a flask of whiskey (I wish I had) or some sweet treats. This bag
really is a luxury, in comparison with self-supported running races or holidays.
The accommodation at Sandakphu is basic and might come as a shock to some.
Just remember that you are up in the mountains and everything has to be shuttled
to the top. The staff were incredible and their service was top quality, which was
more than enough for me. As the temperature drops, however, so does your heart
rate, and a hot water bucket shower could not get any better. During another stage
race in the Kalahari, we used 250ml of water just to rinse ourselves, so this was
complete luxury in comparison!
And I have to mention the food, as well. I was excited to experience Indian food
when in Delhi, but the food all around India was fantastic, and up in the mountains
it exceeded all my expectations. They cater really well for Westerners – not too
spicy – and I might actually have gained weight during the run, as I was always
going for another portion of delicious Indian cuisine.
Great food at Sandakphu
Well-stocked water tables
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