Back in July 2022, 6 weeks into my 15 weeks of training for the Berlin Marathon 2022 I signed up for The Border 100km run. Though it was not an instant decision I have planned it back in Dec 2021, The moment I completed my first-ever 12 hrs stadium run. Though I was able to run 97km in 12 hours, I fell just shy of the 100km mark. Completing a century has always been on my bucket list
I will share the preparation details and the mindset necessary to complete a 100km run. I will also share my experience during the race.
Preparing for the challenge:
Though officially I started training for this around the last week of Oct, before that I completed the Berlin marathon in Sept last week and the Delhi Half marathon in mid Oct with My personal best timing for both marathon (3:36:21) and half marathon (1:39:45). So the base training was pretty good, just need training to spent more time on foot and also need to get ready for the heat that I was going to face in Jaisalmer. So I have continued my previous training with little change to remove the speed and interval run from training and tried to log more miles at an easy pace week by week. In mid-November,
I decided to run a 50km training race in the afternoon to get accustomed to the race day environment, but I managed to complete only 42 km, due to a lack of hydration support. The training block went pretty well for me, and I was all set for race day.
Race Day:
The Border 100km ultramarathon was set to start at noon, and as the day began, I was filled with excitement and nerves. I had been training hard for months, and I was ready to give it my all. I reached starting point an hour ago at 11:00 am.
This "The border" run event is a tribute to our brave soldier who fought very bravely in the Battle of Longewala. As the race began, I settled into a steady pace and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The plan was to get through the daytime and to keep the hydration game up. The roads are beautiful, winding their way through the desert landscape, Proper hydration support was there in every 10km by Hell race. I have planned to fill my hydration bag every 20km. At around 3-4 pm, the temperature was at its peak, training run really help me to get through this strongly, where I have seen many runners struggle, and I manage to run continuously till 50-60 km and was able to complete the first 50km in 5:40 hours. Around the 55km mark, I met Sudipto (a fellow runner), He was running 160 km, And it was around dawn time so we decided to stick together for the nighttime as running in the dark can be difficult.
At the 60km mark, We took a break for dinner and I changed my t-shirt before setting off again. As the night wore on, We continued to push ourselves, determined to reach the finish line. I was grateful for Sudipto's company, and his encouragement helped me to keep going. after 95km I was very tired, It was around 11hrs into the run. I have decided to complete it by walking to the finish point. Around that time 2-3 runners overtook me. Around 97 km I got a call from a fellow runner friend asking about the remaining distance into the finish. He told me that only 2 runners in 100kms have reached the finish line, and had a chance to get a decent overall position. Though I was very tired, I started to run and increase the pace, after 300-400 m I was running at a pace of 5:30-5:50 min/km. My mindset has totally changed after realizing that I can get a decent position if I will push a little. At around 98.5 km, I overtook 1 guy, and then around 99.5 km I overtook the other 2 guys as well, I was literally flying. Now I was not feeling any tiredness. In the end, I managed to complete The Border 100km ultramarathon in a time of 12:50:26, crossing the finish line just around 12:55 am. I was thrilled to have achieved my goal, and even more thrilled to have placed fourth in the race.
My first 100km ultramarathon was an incredible experience and one that I will never forget. It tested my limits and showed me just how strong I am. I am already looking forward to my next running events, and I can't wait to see what challenges and triumphs lie ahead.
Want to thank Sudipto for sticking around at night time, Rahul Beakta for keep pushing me throughout the race and last but not least, the race organizer Hell race for giving us this opportunity to run this beautiful and challenging race, The hydration, race support, and dinner, All the things were up to the mark. Thanks, Vishwas sir 🙏🙏
Key takeaways:
Training block is very important to prepare mindset for the race day. Try to replicate the race environment (In terms of weather, hydration, and race day gears.) in 1-2 training runs. Trust the training.
Running 100 km is not an easy thing. After a certain distance, it is all about mindset less of a physical effort. If you think you can then you will.
Next race: New Delhi Marathon 2023 (26th Feb)
Cheers 🍻, Keep running and keep dreaming 😊 and Peace ✌️
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