Annapurna 50K

Sunrise over Annapurna IV and II from Pokhara

Thu, Jan 5, 2012. Last Sunday I ran the Annapurna 50K. Thanks to Runners High, Asha, and numerous supporters: friends, family, and strangers, I was able to complete the entire course, injury free, and in good spirits (well, except for one section). It took a little over 12 hours. According to published GPS data on the race website, this year’s 50K course involved over 8000ft of cumulative elevation gain on terrain that ranged from gentle asphalted road, to steep, rocky trails made slippery by an incessant unseasonal drizzle. Here's a brief account of the race and my experience, made special by my parents, who braving the cold, were waiting for us at the finish line.

Santhosh, our running mentor, Rajeev in the middle, and me, at 4:20 am, just before leaving our cosy hotel in Pokhara 

Pokhara – Hangje (12.5 km, arr. 7:25 am): The race start point was at the Hotel Barahi in the touristy “Lakeside” of Pokhara. Elevation 2600 ft. Since we started at 5:30 am, it was pitch dark, with cloud cover robbing us of moonlight. Also thanks to the overcast conditions, the cold was just moderate, no less than 5 deg C. I decided not to wear a hat or gloves, and packed them into my drop-off bag. Soon after the start, the 200 or so runners separated, and it was lonely but serene running as the darkness slowly turned into moist light on the ridges surrounding the Pokhara valley. The first 12.5 KM was along an undulating road that steadily gained elevation, heading North West out of Pokhara. When I reached the first aid station at Hanje, I was feeling warmed up and invigorated by the cold mountain air, ready to start the trail section.

Climbing out of the Pokhara Valley yields a sprawling landscape near Hyanje 

Hangje to Dhampus (11 km, arr. 10:00 am): Immediately, the trail climbed steeply away from the aid station into the mountains. Goodbye asphalt. Welcome dirt, rock, and heavy breathing. Climbing out of the Pokhara valley yielded spectacular views of the river and terraced slopes. The weather began to worsen and the drizzle became a constant companion. To make matters worse, thanks to an incorrect sign hanging from a tree, several of us (including an American who I christened Gandalf due to his white beard and poncho), wasted 30 minutes, first going down the wrong path, and then struggling to untie knots using numb, swollen fingers to reinstall the sign in its rightful place. Almost all of this stretch was moderately steep uphill (very steep by Bangalore standards), with only occasional relief. Rain, mist, and cheers awaited us at Dhampus, where I took a five minute sitting break, shaking hands with Roger, the race director, and wolfing down two bowls of very welcome hot noodle soup.

Dhampus. Nearly half the way in terms of distance. Only about a third of the way in terms of time.

Dhampus to Landruk (14 km, arr. 2:00 pm): At Dhampus, it was impossible to shake off a sense of confidence and elation, having covered about half the course. Euphorically, I estimated that I was on track for a 9-10 hour finish, 11 on the outside. However from Dhampus onwards, the difficulty level increased significantly, forcing me to take 5 minute sitting breaks every hour. These roughly coincided with the villages of Pothana, Deurali and Tsolka. Near Deurali, the course reached its highest point of 7200 ft, a good 4500 ft above the starting point in Pokhara. Of course, we would soon loose it all, gain almost all of it all back before losing it all a final time before the end of the course. The break at Landruk was much needed, coming nearly 4 hours after the previous aid station, but sadly, the food was nearly over. So Gandalf and I bought some black tea from an astoundingly beautiful woman who distracted us from complaining about the fact that it cost Rs 85 (each).

Terraced hills and the snow cliffs of Machhapuchhare are the main features of the Modi Khola valley

Landruk to Ghandruk (2.5km, arr. 3:30 pm): This was the part we were all dreading. Post break, the scamper down to the river was surprisingly easy, though my right quad and left hamstring had started to make their presence known. I crossed the bridge 15 min after the break, at 2:15 pm, and jogged through the Beehive Lodge, where we had stopped for tea 8 months ago. Soon after, the route turned right, and climbed straight up about 3000ft in about a mile, no kidding. Needless to say, this was the hardest part. The legs had begun to tire, and various muscles, especially the right quad, had started twitching. Every 100 steps, I took a “rest step”, something I recently learnt in a mountaineering course, and every 300 steps, a minute-long sitting break. The burning sensation in the quad only got worse over time, so I found a stick that helped keep the pain under control and give me some stability as I trudged upwards. The rain returned, and I was quite alone on the route. For the only time during the entire race, I briefly questioned my ability to complete the course. It was fleeting, and I willed myself to focus on the immediate target of reaching Ghandruk. I did that eventually, where I gobbled down a bowl of noodle soup, drank a cup of tea, and got cheered up by the giggling teenagers who had reached well before me. One of them tapped me with a stick and said “come on! Let’s go!”. Of course, they proceeded to stay put in Ghandruk and giggle away the rest of the evening.

It was a very steep climb from the river to Ghandruk

Friends at Ghandruk

Ghandruk to Birethanti (11 km, arr. 5:45 pm): Energized by the 10 minute break at Ghandruk, I got off to a good start at 3:45 pm. It felt good to be running again after several hours of strenuous hiking and I passed a few other runners on this stretch. The pleasure was short lived and lasted only until the infamous stone steps that lead steeply down from Ghandruk through to Kylu and Syauli Bazaar. However I maintained a good pace with no breaks, scampering from one rock to the next, feeling more and more energized by the prospect of the gentle jeep road leading to the finish. My hopes of completing under 12 hours before dark faded with the light. As the trail got increasingly muddy, the last 15 minutes required the headlamp. I jogged along the track, choosing to run, not walk the hilly stretches, ignoring the quad pain that was beginning to flare up again. I prepared myself for a last burst, one that I would deliver once I saw the lights of Birethanti. But almost sadly, there was little warning about the imminent arrival of this small town. Before I knew it, I heard cheers from the darkness, and immediately after turning a corner, saw the glow of lights from the Riverview Lodge. A bit dazed, but feeling good, I saw the ever-smiling Santhosh, camera in hand, taking footage of my arrival, and my parents, patiently suffering the cold weather, equally excited to see me arrive safe and sound. A while later, Rajeev arrived too, and the three TeamAsha runners celebrated by eating a traditional Nepali style dinner of daal, bhaat, and tarkari. At 5:00 am the next morning we started what was eventually a 19 hour journey back to Bangalore. 

Santhosh at the finish line

Me at the finish line

Rajeev at the finish line

Last view of the mountains, from Pokhara airport

Training notes: Long runs prior to the race were a 30K run in Mcloedganj in Himachal Pradesh, which included running up to Triund and back, a 40K run on Nandi Hills Bangalore, and a 45K run in south Bangalore hilly terrain off Kanakpura Road. None of these were remotely as hard as the Annapurna trail.

More pictures: Full set is here.