28 October 2017, Saturday
I felt like I had barely fallen asleep when my phone alarm rang and it was time to wake up again. It was 2:45am and I only had about five hours of sleep. After washing up, I ate my apple strudel and cinnamon bun for breakfast and tried to calm my nerves as much as I could. After months of anticipation, this was the day when I would finally attempt my first ever overseas 50km trail race – the Annapurna 100 (click here).
At 3:45am, EW and I left The North Face Inn and we walked to the Trail Running Nepal office at Lakeside to catch our bus to Begnas, the starting point of the race. It was still pitch dark outside and a chilly 17 degrees Celsius. The bus was supposed to pick us up at 4am but it arrived only at 4:15am.
As I sat on the bus, I was still sleepy but I could feel a jolt of excitement in the air. All the other runners were decked out in their race gear and some of them looked really pro, with their 2XU compression tights/calf socks and expensive-looking running bags or water bottles. Some even brought trekking poles.
At 4:52am, we arrived at Begnas. Flag-off was supposed to be at 5am but it was clear it wouldn’t be on time. At Begnas, we labelled our plastic bags and deposited them with the crew, who would help transport them to the finish point at Sikles. If you wished, you could also pack another bag of supplies and have it transported to Checkpoint 7, where you can refuel 36km into the race. However, EW and I thought it wasn’t necessary so we only packed one bag for the finish point. It contained the things that we needed for the night – a set of clean clothes, wet wipes, phone charger etc.
After one last toilet break, we gathered at the start point and waited for the horn to blow. I was fully awake at this point and my nervousness had been replaced by anticipation. And just like that, at 5:22am, the race flagged off and we were on our way! Let’s do this!
At the beginning, it was still dark so we had to rely on our head torches to illuminate the way. After about half an hour of running in darkness, the sky gradually brightened and the fog started to lift. The route was mostly well marked with a mixture of red ribbons (for the 100km runners) and green ribbons (50km runners) at regular intervals.
We were told that there would be ribbons every 10m to 50m. If you don’t see any ribbons for more than 5 minutes, you should backtrack and look for the last ribbon to get back on track. However, I occasionally did get lost or I ventured in the wrong direction because I assumed and just kept going straight instead of turning or going up a side path. Luckily there were other runners who pointed me in the right direction.
The first part was quite cold and I wished I had brought my gloves along with me. I decided to take the gloves out of my running bag at the last minute in Pokhara because it didn’t feel that cold there so I thought I didn’t need them. Anyway, my hands felt really cold only for about 15 minutes so it was still bearable. Actually, I was expecting it to be much colder in the morning, but thankfully it wasn’t because I was only dressed in a thin running singlet and shorts.
The first 8km of the route was almost all flat so it was good and I could run at a comfortable pace. It was tempting to go faster but I had to control myself and remember that this is a 50km race in the Annapurna mountains, not a regular marathon in Singapore. The key was to be consistent but not over-exert myself at such an early stage.
I also had to watch out and be careful not to twist my ankle by stepping on a loose rock. Some of the rocks are deceptively shaky and it only takes a split second to ruin your race. I did step into cow dung once when I got a bit lost and I felt my right foot sink into a patch of squishy turd. Dung bombs are everywhere so watch out!
Exactly one hour after flag-off, I arrived at the first checkpoint, CP3, at Bob Marley (Rupa Tal). This is the 7.6km mark. It is CP3 because this is the third checkpoint for the 100km runners, and their 25.8km mark. Their race had flagged off even earlier than us. At the checkpoint, there were plenty of biscuits, bread, bananas and water. I quickly refilled my water bladder to the brim and carried on.
Shortly after CP3, I encountered the first real upslope. It didn’t look very steep but I could feel every elevation gain and it took a lot more energy to overcome the slope. I stopped running and simply walked briskly up the hill. My strategy was to capitalise on all the flats and downhills and conserve energy for the uphills.
After a steep climb, I emerged at a clearing where I had a nice view of the surrounding area. The scenery made it rewarding and was a welcome distraction. Along the way, I passed by fishing villages, farmland, terraced rice fields and local villages.
As there are not many participants, the runners are all spread out and you are actually running on your own most of the time. From the start, EW and I had agreed that we would run our own race and we would meet again at the finish point. It was difficult to keep pace with each other and I didn’t want to slow her down, so that was the best arrangement. She had taken part in other overseas trail races before so I wasn’t worried about her.
At 7:26am, I reached CP4 at Bhanjyang, the 14.7km mark. At each checkpoint, the crew will scan the race chip on your hand so that your timing is recorded and you are being accounted for. Some of the runners had loved ones tagging along for the race. They were being ferried ahead of time so that they would be there at the checkpoint before the runner shows up. So supportive!
After CP4, the much dreaded stone steps began. It seemed like they went on forever with no end in sight. My progress was very slow here. The total ascent from CP4 to CP5 was 645m and total descent was 317m.
At 8:53am, I reached CP5 at Tiwari Daanda, the 21km mark. So far, I had taken 3.5 hours to cover a half-marathon distance. All things considered, I thought it was not too bad and I felt confident of achieving my personal target to complete the 50km race in 12 hours.
At CP5, I did not fill my water bladder to the brim because I thought I had enough water to get me to the next checkpoint. I also wanted to reduce my load because I knew the steep sections were coming. I would find out later that it was a mistake.
After CP5, we were supposed to take a shortcut through vegetation. I was engrossed in following the jeep road and did not notice the green ribbon, and overshot the opening for the shortcut. There was another runner who was equally lost and he was searching for the shortcut. Luckily, we met a man on a motorbike and he directed us to the shortcut. It wasn’t very well marked out and I later found out that many other runners had also missed it, and ended up running a longer route.
About five hours into the race, it was another long stretch of never-ending stone steps. The steps really wore me out and I was beginning to feel exhausted. The sun was out and it was bearing down on me. I was hungry, hot and tired. I had also run out of water. The previous checkpoints were spaced 7km apart but from CP5 to CP6, it was 10km apart, so my water had run out earlier than expected. Furthermore, the total ascent for this section was 840m, the greatest between the checkpoints. If there was ever a time I contemplated dropping out of the race, this was it.
Running is an individual sport and it really takes strong willpower to complete a marathon. At that point, when I was alone, I forced myself to remain positive and keep thinking happy thoughts. I reminded myself that with every step forward, I was one step closer to reaching my goal. I had already covered more than half the distance and I was not about to give up, so I pressed on.
About an hour later, I met my fellow Singaporean, CP. After running alone for so long, it felt great to have a companion to talk to. Even though we may not be talking all the time, because we wanted to conserve energy, it still made a difference to have someone by your side when the going gets tough. CP also gave me some of her water, which was a real lifesaver. We conquered the stone steps one at a time, and I felt my morale increasing with each step.
At 11:43am, we reached the outskirts of Yangjakot village. We were greeted by a bunch of young kids and they gave us flowers. Seeing their cheery faces gave us such a boost. I also used the opportunity to quench my thirst as I refilled my water bladder from a tap.
Finally, at 12pm, we entered Yanjakot village and reached CP6 five minutes later. The distance marking at this point was supposed to be 31.2km but our GPS watches indicated that we had covered 35km. I suspect that we might have missed a few more shortcuts along the way. It was definitely demoralising but we were just so relieved to reach CP6. We were totally famished and were in need of some proper food.
Here at CP6, we each received a red tikka mark on our foreheads, as a blessing for the rest of the journey. Lunch was a simple bowl of soup noodles but it had never tasted so good. I drank every drop of the soup as my thighs were beginning to cramp and I needed to replenish my body salt. CP later also gave me salt tablets, which really worked and helped prevents the cramps. Otherwise, I may not have been able to complete the race. Big thanks to CP for that!
After lunch, we set off from CP6 at 12:27pm, feeling much more motivated and energetic than before. The lunch break did wonders and we moved at a fast pace. We had to hurry as well because there was a cutoff time of 3pm for CP7, so we had a target to meet.
The organisers had imposed a cutoff time at CP7 because the last 14km from there to the finish point will practically be uphill all the way, with a substantial ascent to CP8 followed by a short descent and then a steep uphill to the finish. The reasoning is that if runners are not able to reach CP7 by 3pm, it is unlikely they are fit enough to continue the rest of the journey as it will only get much tougher. From CP7, there is road access and the dropouts can be driven back to Pokhara in under two hours.
We reached CP7 at Chasu Pul at 1:43pm, well ahead of the cutoff time. This is officially the 36.3km mark but we had clocked about 40km on our watches. I asked the crew if EW had already checked in, because I did not see her at all during the race and I wanted to know if she was alright. They looked through the list of bib numbers but her number was not there, which meant that she was behind us. I tried not to worry about her, and prayed that she would make the cutoff time of 3pm.
At this point, I was still hopeful that I would be able to meet my personal target of completing the race under 12 hours. I had taken 8.5 hours to cover about 37km so far, which left me with another 3.5 hours to complete the last 13km. With that thought, I pressed on, more determined than ever.
At about 2:30pm, the heavens opened and it started to rain. It wasn’t freezing cold but it was quite chilly, especially when the wind blew. My jacket was only windproof and not waterproof. Luckily the rain lasted only for about 20 minutes.
By this time, I felt my energy sapping once again. It was quite gruelling because from CP7 to CP8, the total ascent was 803m and total descent was 165m. I was lagging quite far behind so I asked CP to go ahead without me, as I didn’t want to hamper her progress. I tried my best to catch up with her, but gradually, her figure became smaller and smaller until I couldn’t see her anymore. I was alone once again.
At 3:25pm, 10 hours into the race, I had my first glimpse of the Annapurna mountain range snow peaks in the distance. The mountains were really beautiful and majestic in real life and they literally took my breath away (having climbed several flights of steps to get there). I spent several minutes gaping at them and taking photos.
The sight of the mountains re-energised me as I knew that I was getting closer to the finish line. At 4:00pm, I reached the final checkpoint, CP8 at Tangting village, the 44.7km mark. I had less than 1.5 hours to complete the last 5km+ so I knew my chances of achieving my target was quite slim. So I re-calibrated my goal and aimed to reach the finish point by 6pm instead, before it got dark.
Moving on from CP8, I could see the finishing point, Sikles, on the opposite side of the valley. I had to go down the mountain to cross the river, then climb back up again. It looked so far away I could barely believe it was only 5km away. The last stretch would be a killer because the total ascent was 779m and total descent was 476m. My mind was wavering at the thought of the challenge ahead but I kept going, step by step.
I then found myself in the company of a female Filipino runner, who was taking part in the 100km race. Her finishing point was about 30km after mine so she had already covered about 65km so far. She was still in good spirits and full of energy. When I saw her, I felt even more motivated to put in more effort. I tried to run but my right knee felt a bit painful, so I couldn’t run that much and had to stop after just a few paces. I stuck with her for about 3-4km. I gave her my packet of Gu energy gel and half-packet of Gu Chews as I didn’t need them anymore since I was near the finish.
As we made our descent to the last suspension bridge across the river, I slipped and fell on the steps as the path down was very steep and slippery. Luckily, I only suffered minor scratches on my left glutes area and had some sting on my palms, but no major damage done. That section was quite dangerous and I was worried for EW if she had to navigate it in the darkness later.
After crossing the suspension bridge, it was a very steep ascent up to Sikles. At 5:30pm, it started to get dark very quickly. The Filipino lady and I tried to motivate each other but I ultimately fell behind so she went ahead. At 5:45pm, the last of the sun’s rays disappeared and I took out my head torch once again. I did not manage to complete the race before sunset. Nevertheless, I pushed forward steadily.
After the sun had gone down, the temperatures dipped and it became much colder, perhaps around 15 degrees Celsius. The last 3km was stone steps all the way. I had to pause to catch my breath after every 10 steps or so. I did not despair because I knew it was only a matter of time before I reached the finish point.
After what felt like an eternity, I started to see lights from the village houses and I knew I was definitely near the finish. I tried to quicken my pace as much as I could but my legs were so heavy at this point I could barely move. Finally, at 6:31pm, I saw the FINISH sign at CP9 and I hobbled past the finish line to sporadic applause from the crew. Even though it wasn’t the boisterous reception that I expected, I still felt euphoric at that moment as they scanned my race chip, placed the finisher’s medal around my neck and issued me with a certificate of completion. It was the first time I had started a race in darkness and ended the race in darkness too.
According to the final race results provided by Race Yaya (which supplied the timing chips), my race time was 13 hours 9 minutes and my overall position is 54th (out of 67 runners who finished the race). I did not manage to meet my personal target of 12 hours but that was ok, I had completed my first-ever 50km trail race in Nepal!
For the record, the men’s champion completed the 50km race in 6 hours 25 min 42 seconds, which is half the time I took and it is freaking amazing! And not surprisingly, Mira Rai came in first for the women’s side (and 4th overall), with a time of 7 hours 15 min. Crazy fast! You can view the race results here.
After receiving my medal, I went into the guesthouse, where I met my fellow runners who had completed the race – CP, my Chinese friend YM, a Spanish lady named Patricia whom I ran with briefly during the early part of the race and others who had completed the race hours earlier. They all congratulated me for finishing and I felt really happy.
Dinner was a simple bowl of hot noodle soup and I slurped it down hungrily. I then retrieved my bag of belongings and went to my assigned guesthouse to clean up. There was no hot water so I didn’t shower, and I used wet wipes to clean myself as much as I could. After that, I went to the dining area of my guesthouse to have a second round of dinner. Now that I have stopped running, climbing every step was painful and I could only move gingerly and very slowly.
I had dinner with two other runners, Adi from India and Emlyn from Scotland. Emlyn had come in second among the non-Nepali runners (7th overall), with a time of 7 hours 45 min. He shared with us his training regime, which consisted of running five times a week. On the other two days, he would do static exercises like lunges leg raises and leaning against the wall at a 90-degree angle. It really takes a lot of discipline to maintain such a training regime. He even came to Sikles a few days before the race to recce the terrain and find out about the conditions. Such dedication and preparation, no wonder he finished Top 10. Respect!
Later that night, I received an SMS message from EW informing me that she had finished the race and arrived safely in Sikles. Even though I wasn’t too worried about her, it felt assuring nonetheless to hear from her and to know that she had come back safely. My guesthouse was not near the finish line and my legs were hurting, so I did not go over to congratulate her. In the end, our race timings did not matter. What’s more important is that we all finished what we set out to do. So proud of ourselves for completing the gruelling 50km race! Achievement unlocked!