24 Sept 2016
6.40 pm
6.40 pm
It was evening. I stepped out of the club house at Oxford Golf Resort and saw a congregation of runners, gearing up for a race.
I enquired about the event from the club staff.
12 hour Night Run
7 pm to 7 am
Starting in 20 mins.
“12 hour night run ! That's quite a challenge ” I said, more in awe than enthusiasm.
The venue Oxford Golf Resort - situated on the outskirts of the Sahyadhris, had a scenic setting of valley and hills amid lush greenery.
“From the look on your face, you seem eager to participate” saying this the staff excitedly dragged me like a zombie to the registration table. How conveniently they had misread my facial expression, just as does my husband.
“But I need to change into running gear" I said feebly, “what about water and food through the 12 hours?”
“No worries, Food tables are set up all through the route mam”.
Hurriedly I slipped into my sports gear and sprinted to the starting line just as the runners were being flagged off.
One of the veterans asked me, done the 12 hour run before ?
“No worries, Food tables are set up all through the route mam”.
Hurriedly I slipped into my sports gear and sprinted to the starting line just as the runners were being flagged off.
One of the veterans asked me, done the 12 hour run before ?
"Never" I said.
"Are you in training ?"
“Not at all” I replied.
“Not at all” I replied.
“Then Just Walk” he advised.
And so, 48 of us started our 12 Hour Night Run.
The first few kilometers, it was difficult to contain myself to a walk.
And so, 48 of us started our 12 Hour Night Run.
The first few kilometers, it was difficult to contain myself to a walk.
Energy was high and my feet could not help but get into a run, especially when all others were running.
The route was tough. Bloody tough. Steep climbs and equally steep down hill gradients.
First lap (8.2 kms lap ) I jogged.
2nd lap - I walked a little thru the jog.
3rd lap - I was exhausted.
The route was tough. Bloody tough. Steep climbs and equally steep down hill gradients.
First lap (8.2 kms lap ) I jogged.
2nd lap - I walked a little thru the jog.
3rd lap - I was exhausted.
We were barely 2 hours into the run and I could jog no more. Not even down hill.
Thankfully, the over all pace of the race had slowed. Many were walking and talking, some jogging and a handful of the ultra marathon specialists continued running.
10 pm.
10 pm is my time for moth therapy. A passion to capture the beautiful creatures of the insect world through day and night on my phone camera.
Thankfully, the over all pace of the race had slowed. Many were walking and talking, some jogging and a handful of the ultra marathon specialists continued running.
10 pm.
10 pm is my time for moth therapy. A passion to capture the beautiful creatures of the insect world through day and night on my phone camera.
 |
| Butterfly asleep |
As we walked / jogged on the dark silent road thru the night,
there were hundreds of toads road crossing,
moths fluttering,
hard shelled beetles buzzing,
praying mantis with its folded hands praying,
and other small creatures flirting
around in the dark.
I tried to click some beauties, but heavy breathing and unsteady hands compromised the image clarity of these creatures.
So insect photography had to be shelved for the night.
Thru the walk,I met runners of various ages, sizes, interests, many of them in their late 40’s.
Some groups had come from Bombay, Bangalore. Many were professionals from the corporate world, well known for being mentally stressed, stretched and deprived of physical activity.
We exchanged notes, stories, history, geography, philosophy, psychology….
The night wore on as my shoes got worn.
The going was tough, but it was hard to stop
The night wore on as my shoes got worn.
The going was tough, but it was hard to stop
the weather was cool and the dark night sky donned a groovy midnight blue
participants were friendly, the volunteers cheerful
and the route
Green, Serene and Beautiful.
 |
| The damn gradient ! |
 |
| pune city - not far away |
 |
| Utraii - Chadhai ! |
Route pics taken next day.
As we crossed (I was getting over lapped) through the 8 kms lap, each runner egged the other to go on. And none failed to comment on the severity of the climbs.
Enroute we munched through a continuous supply of bananas, parle glucose biscuits, monaco biscuits, peanuts, water, enerzal (energy drink) from the food pit stops.
By midnight, I felt a lull in mind and body. Even the flurry of insects had subsided. They had disappeared.
"A lull you will feel between midnight and 1am, and then again between 3 to 4 am" the veterans said, "after which you will revive and keep going".
I dragged on, determined to complete 12 hours. This was the first and the last of its kind for a non runner like me.
Through the walk, I calculated the cost of the event, management, volunteers, physiotherapists, gourmet food, 2 dri-fit t-shirts to all participants, certificates, trophy (for all finishers) ..... all this for a pittance entry fee of Rs.1000 /-
It could hardly be called a non profit race, it was a race of great losses.
The organisers of this race (Pune Running - Amateur Sports Team · Pune, India)
were "loss driven - over passioned runners", I concluded.
5am : Suddenly the 12 hour night was coming to an end.
"You can stop now. You've walked 10 hours , this being your first, you done well".
No, I will feel terribly incomplete if I stop before 12 hours.
From a jog, to a walk, to a limp, to a drag, to a crawl, I was finally at the end of the 12 hour run. As sunrise lightened the sky, I felt a mixed of pain and achievement, and a surprising sense of sadness that the awesome night was coming to an end.
Enroute we munched through a continuous supply of bananas, parle glucose biscuits, monaco biscuits, peanuts, water, enerzal (energy drink) from the food pit stops.
By midnight, I felt a lull in mind and body. Even the flurry of insects had subsided. They had disappeared.
"A lull you will feel between midnight and 1am, and then again between 3 to 4 am" the veterans said, "after which you will revive and keep going".
I dragged on, determined to complete 12 hours. This was the first and the last of its kind for a non runner like me.
Like a mindless fool living in the years of my sporting past, i got carried away with the adrenaline to participate.
Never again I promised myself.
The fun part of the torturous 12 hours was that every lap at the home pavilion (starting point of the lap), we were served sumptuous food, which was gobbled in 5 mins and we were back to the grind on the steep climbs.
1st lap: fruits, biscuits, boiled eggs
2nd lap: delicious curd rice
3rd lap : superlicious khichri
4th lap : was celebrated with a lip-smacking cake as it was one of the volunteers birthday.
5th : halwa and masala chai
6th lap : Raju Sandwich (Bombay's famous vegetable sandwich). Each sandwich was individually foil wrapped as a convenient takeaway.
A veteran philosophically stated that the taste of the food was directly connected to the severity of the route.
As I limped towards the home pavillion on the 4th lap, I learned that there was a team of physiotherapists to help us go thru the 12 hours.
Never again I promised myself.
The fun part of the torturous 12 hours was that every lap at the home pavilion (starting point of the lap), we were served sumptuous food, which was gobbled in 5 mins and we were back to the grind on the steep climbs.
1st lap: fruits, biscuits, boiled eggs
2nd lap: delicious curd rice
3rd lap : superlicious khichri
4th lap : was celebrated with a lip-smacking cake as it was one of the volunteers birthday.
5th : halwa and masala chai
6th lap : Raju Sandwich (Bombay's famous vegetable sandwich). Each sandwich was individually foil wrapped as a convenient takeaway.
A veteran philosophically stated that the taste of the food was directly connected to the severity of the route.
As I limped towards the home pavillion on the 4th lap, I learned that there was a team of physiotherapists to help us go thru the 12 hours.
It was merciful news for my sole-less feet !
After a few of minutes of some painful "Aahhhs and Oooohs" through the assisted stretches by physiotherapist, I revived enough to vanish once again in the dark serene route of steep climbs and cool breeze thorough a determined struggle. I limped on, pepped up with the thought of another physiotherapy session on the next lap.
Occasionally some volunteers joined in as our running buddies for a few laps, as they were bored through the dead of the night, and felt a restlessness to join in our fun.
I dragged on.
After a few of minutes of some painful "Aahhhs and Oooohs" through the assisted stretches by physiotherapist, I revived enough to vanish once again in the dark serene route of steep climbs and cool breeze thorough a determined struggle. I limped on, pepped up with the thought of another physiotherapy session on the next lap.
Occasionally some volunteers joined in as our running buddies for a few laps, as they were bored through the dead of the night, and felt a restlessness to join in our fun.
I dragged on.
This was going to be the first and last of its kind for a non-runner like me. Just this one time. Never again I promised.
Through the walk, I calculated the cost of the event, management, volunteers, physiotherapists, gourmet food, 2 dri-fit t-shirts to all participants, certificates, trophy (for all finishers) ..... all this for a pittance entry fee of Rs.1000 /-
It could hardly be called a non profit race, it was a race of great losses.
The organisers of this race (Pune Running - Amateur Sports Team · Pune, India)
were "loss driven - over passioned runners", I concluded.
5am : Suddenly the 12 hour night was coming to an end.
"You can stop now. You've walked 10 hours , this being your first, you done well".
No, I will feel terribly incomplete if I stop before 12 hours.
From a jog, to a walk, to a limp, to a drag, to a crawl, I was finally at the end of the 12 hour run. As sunrise lightened the sky, I felt a mixed of pain and achievement, and a surprising sense of sadness that the awesome night was coming to an end.
I completed the Ultra Marathon with a distance of 50 kms.
The most I have ever done on foot in one go.
But it was a hell of a difficult route that prevented me from covering more distance.... so the veterans said.
The most I have ever done on foot in one go.
But it was a hell of a difficult route that prevented me from covering more distance.... so the veterans said.
The super fast ultra marathoners ran over 80-90 kms in 12 hours.
After the prize ceremony (all finishers took home a cute trophy of a running man) we were offered a lavish breakfast sponsored by Oxford Gold Resort for the worn-out runners and sleepless volunteers.
As we hogged and chatted through breakfast, I asked a co runner about "Breeze" a seemingly revered name that kept coming up on the lips of all runners through the 12 hours.
And it turned out....
After the prize ceremony (all finishers took home a cute trophy of a running man) we were offered a lavish breakfast sponsored by Oxford Gold Resort for the worn-out runners and sleepless volunteers.
As we hogged and chatted through breakfast, I asked a co runner about "Breeze" a seemingly revered name that kept coming up on the lips of all runners through the 12 hours.
And it turned out....
Brijmohan 'Breeze' Sharma, a mumbai resident, created World Record and became the First Indian to complete Himalayan Crossing Race. He ran 338km in Himalayan Crossing Ultra in 8000 to 14500ft and finished First.
Breeze Sharma had also done the Badwater Race !
Badwater Ultra marathon is the world's toughest foot race. It is a 135-mile (217 km) course of non stop run, starting at 279 feet (85 m) below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, (covers 3 mountainous ranges) and ends at an elevation of 8360 feet (2548 m) at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney.
Breeze Sharma had also done the Badwater Race !
Badwater Ultra marathon is the world's toughest foot race. It is a 135-mile (217 km) course of non stop run, starting at 279 feet (85 m) below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, (covers 3 mountainous ranges) and ends at an elevation of 8360 feet (2548 m) at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney.
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| Breeze - A befitting name for one with such fame ! |
25th Sept 2016
Back at home, I dipped my feet in hot salt water, swallowed an analgesic and slept through the day and dreamed of the pervious night. It had been a wonderful night.
26th Sept 2016
Just a slight trace of fatigue. Overall I felt fit and fine.
A friend asked "Would you dare to do the 12 hour run again ?
"Well...er, Only if it is a night run" I said.
*****************
Jasmin Arethna
National & International Cyclist 1981-1991
34 National Titles
3 Asian Medals at Asian Cycling Championships in 1985 & 1989
6th place at Asian Games 1986,1990
Best Sports Woman - National Games 1985
Awarded Shiv Chatrapatti (highest state award for excellence in sport)
www.facebook.com/PuneRunning
http://www.punerunning.com
Beyond Myself 12 Hour Night Run
- TIME Sat Sep 24 2016 at 06:00 pm to Sun Sep 25 2016 at 07:00 am
- VENUE Oxford Golf Resort, Village LAVALE ,off Mumbai-Bangalore Highway, Next to Crystal Honda Showroom, Bavdhan, Pune – 411 045, Pune, India
- CREATED BY Pune Running
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