Post cards from Malnad (Chikmagaluru)

 Hi, 

         As we reach the end of another year, I thought I will write 2 blogs related to travel, but Iam writing ✍️ only one, as the other travel is postponed.

                    Last weekend ( November 21st) we, the group of runners, went to Malnadu(Malanaadu) in Chikmagaluru for a trail 👣 running event. For the running world in South, Malnad is becoming a popular place to test the endurance in trail running distances of 30 kms, 50 kms, 100 kms. It is now certified as Only Western States ( WSER) qualifier from India. What started with just a handful of participants in 2016, this year saw more than 1500 participants with some coming from different countries.

              Malnad is full of coffee ☕️ estates and running through those Trails is a spiritual experience and also connecting with  nature. The never ending elevations, downhills,  the dense forests, the loose mud, stones all make us feel humbled and make us forget ourselves. 

              Now I will come to my story. The 30 kms edition was introduced in year 2022 to draw more runners. The whole course was more than 1000 metres elevation gain and that much elevation loss. The time limit was 6 hours. So if anyone crossed that time limit or if not able to finish that distance, the medal would not be awarded. That time, maximum distance I ran was 21 kms. My right knee was paining for a long time and I did not do enough strength training. The never ending  and continuous elevations proved too much for me to conquer. Still , I went ahead and completed the distance, though it was out of time and I became a DNF(did not finish). I had mixed feelings that time. Happy that my husband became 100 km finisher, sad that I did not get medal though I saw the finish line.

                  I was determined to come back and conquer that path and hold the 'buckle ' medal. So with more strength training by hitting gyms, training for full marathons, trekking to valley of flowers which was done with ladies group some months back, I prepared as if for a re-examination 😅😆😂. The finish time was extended to 6. 5 hours by the organizers. But I went ahead with lots of self doubts and apprehensions. Once I ran/walked/climbed up and down through the scenic course and finished under 6 hours my happiness knew no bounds and that moment was caught in camera by my friends. All my running buddies earned finisher medals for 30 kms and some for 50 kms. 

         

   

      The event renewed my confidence which was waning after a series of unfinished events and disappointments that followed.  I felt thankful to myself and people around me that I could go back there again and finish the unfinished event. We came back with pleasant memories and lot of energy.

Deepa.