A beautiful tough 50k at Malnad, 13 Oct 2018

Last year (2017) my JLBR friends and I trained for the Malnad ultra, planning to do the 50k. I had not formally joined the group though; Santhosh gave me a schedule to train to and I hammered the runs out. The race was on 07 Oct '17; just about a month before it, I don't know what exactly happened; I felt dispirited, demotivated; I dropped out of running the event.

When one looks back on these incidents after a while, its not such a big deal; life continues. But at the time, and for a while thereafter, it was like dragging a heavy ball and chain. I remember going on a training run with Chandra, Mani, Krishan, Srini, Vinay, Nanda and Sharath (Santhosh was elsewhere with many Ananya kids I think; this was on 19 Aug 2017; yes i keep the pics!). It was a good run, I felt strong, and yet... I recall Chandra saying "man, you were ready to go". Well.

Left and below: at Nandi Hills, 19 Aug 2017.

So, filmy-style, I said to myself that I must do Malnad this year; long short story: I did!

We have a pretty large JLBR group this year! Awesome, more fun. Santhosh, with his trademark Google-sheet-like-efficiencies slotted us into broad groups based on our targets - crazy runners (oh sorry, that's all of us, scratch that). Malnad runners (Sharath - 80k, Ravi G, Sudhir and myself, 50k), Bangalore Ultra 50k runners (Ambuj, Benji, Ramya, Ravish, Ritu, Sourav), inter-city crazies (Chandra, Mani, Krishan) and Srini P all by himself in Pune in his own slot (amazing!).

As always, the training of course is the key, the heart of it, indeed, the whole point. As we all know, running imitates Life quite accurately : you get what you put in.

Base phase, at Kanakapura 1, July '18

With many initial lingering doubts, my compatriots and I (the one with the doubts) jumped into the JLBR training season in June this year.

Shocking mileage - first run 3 hours, followed by 4 hr, followed by ... Hello, Chief? All okay? ... was the oft-recited-mind-thought (dare not actually ask him that huh ). Well what can I say; if you stick at it, the body adapts well; after the initial killer month we were "adjusted" to this kind of mileage and rigor. Chandra's ST sessions of course greatly helping us remain fit (when I could actually do it!). In the initial 'base phase' we peaked at a 5 hr long run (and 40 min hilly tempo). 

At Turhalli forest

The second training phase, from August onward, made even tougher demands; 5, 6 and even 7 hour runs at exotic (read 'killer') locations like Nandi Hills, Turahalli forest, K2, Pipeline Road.

A quick Ooty trip in Aug resulted in a 3 hour run in the hills there (love 'em!). One Sunday (26 Aug '18), Mani and I ran (5 hrs) in Turahalli forest; it was fantastic running with him! A 6 hr run in Nandi Hills on 01 Sept '18 was just superb, will remember it for a long time; great weather and company too! (Santhosh, though, was in Hyderabad supporting the kids).

Nandi Hills, 01 Sept '18

A trek, Switzerland

I joined Dilshad in Switzerland in the first week of Sept (she had just finished a conference there); was initially nervous about missing out on training but it was luckily a 'rest week' (no weekend runs but had to do the other runs!). We stayed in a lovely area, did some super treks too! She helped me complete some of the training runs; one memorable place was a beautiful forest!

A wooded area, Switzerland

We (the Malnad boys) hit our peak training run in mid Sept; how could we help but feel  confident with all those miles in our legs! Of course, one cannot expect no challenges; sure enough, just around eight days before the race, I got severe lower back pain and could hardly move. Man! Our physio Shobha helped me, taping my back 2 days before we left. I also got a good deep tissue massage - that too helped a lot; felt a lot better.

Turahalli again, 7 hr run (15 Sept '18)!
L-R: Ravi G, Sharath, Sudhir and myself

Then, the day before we were to leave for Malnad (11 Oct), I had an all-day conference (and ran a 3 hour tech workshop). Got home late that evening, very tired, back hurting, and feeling a bit down. Shadows from the previous year's ditched trip crawled back into my consciousness; I just told myself to take it one step at a time;  importantly, never take a decision when tired at night: sleep on it! That worked; the next morning I was fine, ready and raring to go!

Just before starting

So, on 12 Oct, us four boys set off in Ravi's trusty Maruti for Malnad! A nice drive and we were there (though we were all staying in different areas). The next morning (if you can call it that at 3.30 am), off in the bus to the start point.

On the bus

Sharath, the brave warrior doing 80k, set off half an hour before us at 6.30 am. The race director, Anand Adkoli, drolly told us how easy a course we were going to run; I have since learned, when at the Malnad Ultra, to take the word "run" quite lightly. We did have some prior warning; the website publishes the elevation profile. It does look scary indeed, but we were in for a treat: its even harder than it looks, with steep elevations, descents and rugged terrain under one's feet!

The Malnad Ultra is a pretty 'technical' trail; one would not advise novices who have a run a marathon and ne'er a trail to "lets just give it a go". (Consider this: among the 522 50k starters this year, only 313 finished). The other unfortunate thing: food, especially of the type most of us are used to having on the run, is not plentiful at the aid stops. Santhosh insisted we train with our hydration packs and carry along some food; turned out to be really key. Nevertheless, it was a great experience, an adventure! Once on the run, I really enjoyed it: the natural beauty of the Coffee Day estates, the surrounding Western Ghats, the flora and fauna of the region. I met a few folks, always a great feeling.

Almost at the summit

We made our way to the summit - the highest point in Karnataka, apparently. Beautiful views all around. This was still early in the race (17 km) and I was feeling good. I saw Sharath on the way down from the summit; that was cool! As usual, he looked fully composed, smiling and strong.

The way the course was (this year at least): initial 6 km (forest) road, then all trail all the way to 44 km, where we loop back on the same 6 km road to the start/finish point.

By around 20k itself, my legs started feeling a bit wobbly, what with the trail's ruggedness, uneven rocks and roots, just waiting to trip us up. It dawned on me that there's a reason folks say this is a tough event!

The Summit

The day got hot, really hot. Well, better than rains and slushy mud I think... I am simply in awe of how Mani and Srini P did a 110 km here last year in slushy conditions. Had to keep sipping water and nibbling at some food, though one doesn't really feel like eating much. But it makes a crucial difference! I did try and make up some time on the downhill sections, I ran quite fast! In retrospect, maybe too fast at too early a time... my legs felt absolutely hammered by around the 27 km mark. Santhosh had briefed us that it will be tough, to just keep moving forward, walking, crawling, whatever! So did that...

Lake

Around 33 km into the run, we arrive at the lowest point (elevation-wise): a beautiful natural lake surrounded by hills. It was about 1 pm by now and really hot. I hung around the lake for 5 minutes and then got going again, thinking, Ah, I'm now a lot closer to finishing.

True in theory; in practice, one of the toughest climbs is from the lake here up into the hills for a long while !
Getting to the aid station at around the 43k point was a huge relief. I felt the toughest part of the run was from maybe around 23k to 44k; unrelenting elevations and descents, hot weather and a technical trail to navigate on foggy legs and mind.

After the 44th km, it almost felt easy! We were back on the forest road. Well, almost easy, but not quite: the road itself winds uphill at quite a degree; reminded me keenly of the Nilgiris 50k I did in Nov '16. Nevertheless, I could run again; in short bursts at least - the 'gravitational tug' of the finish line was appealing! Ran the last kilometre or so to the top, finishing in just under 8 hours; I felt elated that I was done, and, more, had successfully enjoyed the whole experience.

I met Sharath again; he was going out for the remaining 30k; needless to say, he was and did just great! Sudhir came in soon after, followed by Ravi. We ate, made our way to the bus (guess what, we had to hike up a km to the bus, what fun). The next day I turn 50; quite appropriate, huh.

When training, I had often thought that Santhosh was putting us through crazy amounts of running; looking back, we couldn't have done it otherwise. Thanks, Chief.

My view is that running is one (tough love) way to "find yourself", overcoming challenges and perceived limitations that don't actually exist. Thanks, family - Dilshad, Sheroy, Danesh, Darius and my dear parents - for indulging me and allowing me to pursue my ultra running passion; I appreciate it! Honestly, the support from family and friends makes all the difference.