MY TRYST WITH KHARDUNGLA CHALLENGE 2017

MY TRYST WITH KHARDUNGLA CHALLENGE 2017

I am Asif Ahmed and I am a runner. I have run 11 marathons so far and the Khardung La Challenge 2017 (72 km race) was my debut run as an ultra-marathon runner. My marathon PB is 3:24 hours (SCMM 2016). So far, I have never felt the need to document my running experiences. For the first time ever, I pen my story about this incredible journey that helped me understand myself better and changed me as a person. I write this for the future runners attempting this Challenge and for myself to revisit my experience since the faintest ink is stronger than the strongest memory. 

So here is my Khardung La story.

One of the moments during the Khardungla run.

Ever since I heard about the Khardung La Challenge ultra-marathon in Leh way back in 2013, it has fascinated me. Being born and brought up in the hilly landscapes of picturesque Shillong, climbing hills and running on trails while enjoying nature came easily to me. Thus, the Khardung La Challenge allured me.

I finally decided to participate in the ‘Khardung La 2017 edition’ in September 2016. I had one year to prepare myself, mentally and physically. Indeed, the mental aspect is very important in ultra-running and even more so in Khardung La Challenge. Mental preparation is the decisive factor between being a finisher or ending up as DNF (Did not finish).

This journey was not easy, be it the training or discussing it with fellow runners to gain valuable insights. I have runner friends like Dharmendra Kumar (himself a Khardung La finisher 5 times!) who has always inspired me to take up the challenge. On the other hand, I still remember this guy (who had cycled in Khardung La in the past) mocking me when he heard of my intention to run this ultra-marathon race. I was even asked whether I know what is a mountain? Although he unsettled my confidence briefly, this incident made me even more determined about my goal and focused me to reach the finish line of this race. I guess I should be thankful to him as well for that.

I started training right after my Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in January 2017, I ran two more marathons as practice runs (the Auroville Marathon and The Run Of Raramuri Tribe Marathon) without aiming for any timing. I also ran a couple of good long runs of (35k +) during my training.

The most significant practice run for me occurred on June 17, 2017, in Bengaluru, a 100 kilometer run from HSR to Hosur and back organized by Mr. Sushil Bhasin. I achieved my objective, with the help of fellow runners, of running the entire 100 km distance. I completed this over 15 hours. My sole intention was to be on my feet for more than fourteen hours and to remain injury-free while clocking high mileage training. The final cut-off timing in Khardung La Challenge is 14 hours, with 3 phases of cut-off timings during the race.

Acclimatization of altitude is imperative and important while training for the Khardung La Challenge. Without a proper acclimatization process, all the rigorous training at sea level will fall apart easily. While running at 5359 meters of altitude above sea level, with oxygen levels 50% lower compared to sea level, and a low air pressure environment, runners are susceptible to high altitude sickness. The more mountain runners understand about symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) during training the better. AMS symptoms are breathlessness, headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

I didn’t take this knowledge flippantly. For better acclimatization, I traveled from Delhi to Manali and from Manali to Leh by road on purpose. During the journey, not only did I acclimatize better, but I also met many wonderful people, who inspired me further for my tryst. I stayed two days at Manali (2050 m) and ran there both days in trails, before embarking on my 36-hour journey to Leh. The landscapes were breathtaking. Manali – Leh highway has 5 passes.

Rohtang - 13,050 ft.

Baralacha La- 16,500 ft.

Nakee La - 15,647 ft.

Lachunglang La- 16,663 ft.
Tanglang La- 17582 ft.

Running in the trails of Manali. 

Before beginning the journey on the highway towards Leh, it is advisable to stay at the starting point Manali, at least for one night and again one night at either Keylong or Jispa to cope with high altitude passes. Not taking these precautions during the ascent causes acute mountain sickness and even death! Owing to the rarefied atmosphere (low air pressure) at high altitude, less oxygen is breathed in and many travelers experience AMS. The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation bus conductor who knew this highway told us some horror stories along the way.

During the bus journey, we stopped for a lunch break just before 'Baralacha La pass'. I met two backpackers Sachin Chhachhia from Mumbai and Monja Wolf from Germany, they were sitting inside a makeshift tent for a lunch break. I found that they were walking daily in extremely harsh conditions from Nubra to Manali, which is approximately 600 km distance! They were very excited to know I am going to attempt Khardung La Challenge. Monja said that she was inspired to meet a “Khardung La Challenge Participant” since she had kept looking at the ultra-marathon poster in Leh and had wondered how this challenge would feel. They gifted me a book ‘The diary of a young girl - Anne Frank’. I was very happy, I felt enriched after meeting them and I hugged them. After they left, I pondered about them walking in this cold desert in such harsh conditions, where there is no civilization for hundreds of miles. Such superhuman effort. This was one of the many inspirations, I experienced during my journey towards my own Khardung La Challenge.

With Sunil and Monja

The journey took a toll on my body and I was welcomed to Leh by my first symptom of acute mountain sickness. I felt a throbbing headache and nausea. My brother, who serves in the Indian Army and posted in Leh, hosted me during my first day there. The main reason I went to my brother’s house was my craving for some home-cooked food and care. The next day I shifted to a guest house which I shared with runners Pawan and Gaurav, who were running the Ladakh marathon and half marathon respectively.

On September 6th, following two days of rest in Leh after some walking around town and climbing the Shanti Stupa, I decided to run a short 7 km run. My reality check happened on that very run. My heart was beating unusually faster and my lungs were crying for oxygen at this altitude of 11480 feet. I felt fatigued. Lack of oxygen made my body sore. I introspected that on the race day, I will be running at an average altitude of 14000 feet and climbing the highest motorable pass in the world. I glanced at Khardung La pass, which was clearly visible from my guest house. I got more and more jittery and anxious. I avoided eye contact with the pass. I ran another 5 km the next day and decided to rest for another two days before the race day. The more you respect the mountains, the easier they make way for you.

The 104 ultra participants were taken to Khardong village by bus before the race day, as per plan. Khardong village, which is 72 km from Leh and 14738 feet above sea level, is the start line of the Khardung La Challenge. The evening was spent enjoying the local Ladkahi cultural program and interacting with runners from different countries. 

The first practice run in Leh. 

In Bus, en route start line (Khardong village)

The night before the actual race four random runners were assigned a village house, where we would stay for a night. We were asked to follow an elderly person who took us to his house. We were complete strangers when I met other runners, the only thing which was common was that we were doing Khardung La Challenge the next morning at 3 am. One of the guys in my group was wearing an uncommon cap, his name is Mr. Praveen Teotia. On the cap was inscribed MARCOS. MARCOS is the Indian Navy’s Marine Commandos. I asked him if he was truly a commando and he answered in the affirmative. He was indeed an ex-MARCOS commando. I have no words to express my excitement about meeting a MARCOS commando in person. I was curious to know more about him. I prepared a questionnaire in my mind for asking this respectable soldier of my country.

This ex-commando told me that he was one of the commandos who participated in the military operations during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. I was shocked to know that he had only one lung, the other lung was punctured by a bullet shot during the anti-terrorist operation. I saluted him with deep respect. He had interesting stories to tell us about the operation and his life as a MARCOS commando. I felt fortunate to have met him. What I was attempting the next morning seemed minuscule compared to his accomplishments and selfless sacrifice for the nation. He inspired me and instilled a never-give-up attitude.

From Right - Praveen Teotia, Sish Pundir, and Satyajit.

 

THE RACE DAY -:

“Running has taught me to redefine success and failure because it is not about the outcome, it's not about the time, it’s not about the personal record - it's not even about making it to the finish line. It is about having the courage to show up.” - Kelly Roberts

The above lines best explain my feeling whilst standing at the start line at 3 am, 14378 feet above sea level, in a freezing minus 3 degrees. The multiple layers put on from head to toe did little to help from the cold. The participants hugged and wished each other at the start line. The race was flagged off at 3:00 AM. For the first time in my life, I was confused about whether to run, jog or walk at the start itself! It was a moonlit night and I was running towards a sunrise so I did not carry my headlamp.

The temperature variation from the Khardong village to the finish line at Leh was from -8 to +28 degrees celsius. The race starts at an altitude of 14378 feet, up to North Pullu which is at 16000 feet, then to the Khardung La Top at 18380 feet (5602 meters) above sea level, and then down to South Pullu (15300 feet) and finishes at Leh (11483 feet). The qualifying cut-off time till the Khardung La top is 8 hours (the total cut-off time for Khardung La Challenge being 14 hrs).

I started running at a very slow pace and met many runners and we introduced ourselves. Gradually I began feeling confident. The initial 18 km until North Pullu is a smooth, well-tarred road. From 18 km until 32 km at Khardungla La top, running is not easy, in fact, it is life-threatening. Maximum DNF (did not finish) happens in between North Pullu to Khardung La top, due to very low temperature, low air pressure, and bad roads full of ice sheets in patches. It is important to run wisely and negotiate the challenging conditions carefully.

After North Pullu (During the race)

After crossing the North Pullu, at 16000 feet, the roads rendered were actually un-runnable. The temperature dropped further drastically. I continued walking fast and slowly overtook many runners in this patch.

During the race, I took about ten pee breaks since I was hydrating a lot, which is key to survival at a high altitude. Around 20th km, as I took a pee break, a large piece of stone came crashing down the mountain and fell about 8 feet away from me. I looked up and feared for my life. I actually stopped peeing halfway somehow and started running again, since then I became paranoid and was frequently looking up. It is a landslide-prone area. A day before the race, it had snowed a lot and loose rocks from mountains are vulnerable to fall with high chances of landslides.

At the 28th km, just four kilometers before Khardung La top, I saw a runner lying on his face on an icy patch of road. Someone recognised him as the recent Uttarkashi ultra winner. He was badly affected by altitude sickness. I supported him and walked about 100 meters with him, I gave him water and some dates. Soon an ambulance arrived and he was boarded there, thus I witnessed the first DNF.  

When I was running up the Khardung La top which is at an altitude of 5,359 meters, the temperature was freezing minus 8 degrees. The high-altitude air pressure conditions and low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere make running distances even more arduous. Just two kilometers before the peak, I began swaying like a drunkard, due to low oxygen supply to the brain (mountain sickness). The altitude just shuts the brain. I lost self-control. I crossed the pass and immediately sat beside a rock for twenty minutes to calm myself down. This was the real test of my nerves and the actual Khardung La Challenge had just begun. Thoughts of giving up the race flooded my mind.

The moment when I reached Khardung La top.

At Khardungla Top (5359 m)

With Army Jawans who motivated me in Khardungla top

I burst into tears and became emotional multiple times during this race. I felt puny amidst the huge mountains and vast expanse of Mother nature. A tiny soul struggling for survival. The race just rips the mind and body apart and this made me feel vulnerable, that is when you realise how vain city life is.

As I sat on a rock helpless at Khardung La top, some army jawans came and encouraged me.  They informed me that I was amongst the first few non-Ladakhi runners to have reached the top. Meanwhile, a volunteer gave me some hot garlic soup. This worked like a magic potion and it gave me the much-required warmth. A volunteer then suggested I peel off some layers here as the temperature would rise while running downhill. I did the needful. I remember meeting a British runner named Christopher. He started talking about sprinting to the finish line and running downhill and started babbling something. He seemed to be under the effect of AMS already or perhaps my mind couldn’t grasp it since I was myself struggling.

Running downhill has never been as difficult as I experienced that day. My mind said ‘It is all downhill now, I can run but my legs just wanted to give up. The reason is the fatigue which sets in after a 32 km climb to the Khardung La top at low oxygen levels, squeezes out maximum energy from the body. My decision to apply the strategy of ‘run two kilometers and walk for a small distance’ worked well till the 60th km. Running downhill for 40 km, on my own, with nobody in the vicinity was daunting.

During the descent from Khardungla Top

During the descent from Khardungla Top

During the descent from Khardungla Top

During my last 12 kms, I gradually started pushing myself without many breaks. At the 67th kilometer mark,  with only 5 km to finish, I saw a bunch of volunteer cyclists. They were waiting to guide us through the town of Leh to the finishing point. The possibility of getting lost and running in the wrong direction is high in the last five kilometers. Hence a cyclist pacer is allocated as navigator to each runner until the finish line.

During downhill run before reaching Leh city. 

My cyclist navigator was a young guy named Rigzin, I handed him my hydration pack, and he started pacing me. I asked him to cycle ahead of me so that I could push myself a little. The last 5 kms of the race is in the town of Leh which is dotted with guest houses and hotels. People came out in overwhelming numbers to cheer us, they knew the effort we had put to reach there, and the sound of clapping and cheering still resonates in my ears.

In the last 5 kms, I did not feel alone at all. I became all emotional and tears started rolling. I had never felt such respect and crowd support in my lifetime. I had only seen it in the Ultra Trial Mont Blanc races telecasts. Meanwhile, my cycling navigator informed me that only 1.5 km was remaining to the finish line.

I saw a local Ladakhi runner just ahead of me. Now all I wanted to do was to overtake him in order to gain the additional sense of pride that I actually overtook a seasoned Ladakhi runner in this epic race in Ladakh. Finishing the race was important but overtaking him before the finish line seemed even more important at that time. As I pushed myself harder, my cycling navigator began to cheer me loudly and with the thunderous crowd encouragement, I overtook this Ladakhi runner just 500 meters before the finish line at Leh Bazar.

During the finishing of the race.

I began crying upon finishing. I had got a new lease of life and felt some fresh energy seep into me. I was running at a good pace just before, I reached the finish line. I deflated like a balloon and sat down. A guy came and wrapped a white shawl around my neck. I was taken to the medical camp for a routine health check-up. My oxygen levels and blood pressure were low. I started to cough, I realised I am in a bad shape. I looked around me and saw that the runners who had finished ahead of me were in a similar state. I heaved a sigh of relief. Such is the nature of this beast called the Khardung La Challenge. The doctor asked me to rest inside the medical tent for an hour until my vitals normalized. I felt better after an hour of rest but remained feverish the whole day, due to sheer exhaustion. Later the Ladakhi runner whom I overtook came to congratulate and hug me in the medical tent. I was visited by Gaurav who was my roommate in Leh. I met my friends from Shillong, Badon Tham, and Sai Singh, who congratulated me and took some memorable pictures. I was tearful and happy. I had little energy to go back alone to the guest house.

Right after finish

I crashed and sat, right after finish.. 

At the finish line.

At the medical tent. Clicked by Gaurav, who later shared this pic.

After recovering at the Medical tent.

The following day all Khardung La finishers were felicitated, with government officials as chief guests at the medal distribution ceremony.

The medal was given to each individual on stage.

It doesn't require any caption :)

I couldn’t have asked for more in my maiden Khardung La attempt. I did not run Khardung La, Khardung La let me run that day. I will never dust off what Khardung La and the mountains gave me, it is an experience of a lifetime and I will carry it with me forever.

I would like to thank my parents, friends, and well-wishers. Special thanks to Sapna Agarwal, who always supported me during my training and kept me in her prayers, Smita Deshpande, who was rooting for me throughout my race, Prashant Hegde, Shripad Kamat, and Keshav, for your special gesture, and to Dharmendra  Kumar for always believing and inspiring me.

I am now officially a finisher of the highest Ultra-marathon in the world and my timing was 10 hours 32 minutes 20 seconds
The results page.

An overview of my race in the mountains can be seen in this link.

https://www.relive.cc/view/g14132534907

The much-coveted medal.

 

Post-race lunch with fellow participants.