JAMMU: Bringing laurels to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, ace runner Samvit Sharma from Jammu finished his first 100 km ‘The Malnad Ultra’ run on November 27 at Chikmagalur in Karnataka in a gruelling course with an elevation gain of 3430 m.
Samvit Sharma with his hard work, perseverance and sheer determination was able to complete the most challenging trail run of the country.
Sharma secured overall rank of 18 with a net timing of 18:07:31 to complete 100 km.
Talking about the race, ‘The Malnad Ultra’, India’s premier endurance run, is an annual festival for trail running enthusiasts.
The Malnad Ultra is a challenging trail run through some of the most enchanting and exciting terrain that one can imagine for a run.
The race, just in its sixth edition, is a qualifier for UTMB as well as the Western States Endurance Run. The course is laid out in the heartland of Indian coffee in the Malnad region of Karnataka at an altitude of 3000 to 4500 feet. Organised by GIREM and hosted by Coffee Day Global Limited, the course takes runners through seven coffee estates and provides magnificent views of the Bhadra Reservoir and Bhadra Wildlife Reserve in the Western Ghats of South India. These estates have a history of over 150 years and are home to over 100 plant species and 50 animal species. The Malnad Ultra combines the rigor of an ultra-marathon set in the western ghats of South India with an experience of running through the coffee estates.
The race originally offered distances of 50K, 80K, and 110K, except for the latest 2021 edition, where 110K was dropped citing safety in the backdrop of significant wildlife movements especially post-sunset. About 25% of the course is on lesser-used paved roads while the rest is through hilly trails, coffee estates, and grasslands. The 2022 edition of 100 KM offered maximum elevation of 1426 meters.
Evidently making it tougher for athletes coupled with a strict cut-off time of 20 hours.
The terrain, elevation gain, and cut-off time are rigorous enough to take a toll.It is the first event from India on the Asia Trail Master Championship Series that is accepted as a Qualifier for WSER,The Malnad Ultra aims to test the endurance of elite athletes.
Mountain trail running is the next level of sportsmanship and tests athletes to the extreme. Along with long-distance running, mountain trail running involves elevation as well.
Given the rugged terrains and the challenges involved, training for these runs requires dedication and special training.
“It’s the ultimate test of human endurance and only elite athletes can participate in these races.Given the obstacles involved the physical agility of the athlete has to be the best,” said Samvit Sharma.
On the global level, mountain trail running is a recognised sport with events like the UTMB in France being a well-known event in the circuits.
