Welcome! The permanent site is at http://www.bangalore-ultramarathon.com/.
(This was the temporary site used for advanced information but no longer maintained)
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What is this event?
It is an endurance event, the 1st of its kind for Bangalore. It is called an Ultra as compared to a regular marathon because some of the distances involved (50K and 80K) are greater than that of a marathon which is 42K.
When and where is this event being planned?
December 16th 2007, Sunday, 0630, Bangalore, India.
Currently the choice is area around what was Lake Heseragatta. Click on following link to view directions to this place from Bangalore on Google Earth http://blorerun.googlegroups.com/web/OurNativeVillage_TI.kml?gda=oElxnEoAAABbbrl3Xt4S_I8Q-4Pqr_ueG9mg4RdVZC1Bune7jF4P3aEfD8gizBqda3A8nb_OSkeB5hZJE018p2t5eJYDY_GanIi1syVLgFXllRLk-d1u5Q . We have arranged with a resort http://www.ournativevillage.com/ to cater to the event as well to facilitate staying there the nights before and after the run for enjoyment and convenience of runners. ONV will be the hub for the event.
What is the plan for the course?
We are holding the event on the outskirts of Bangalore away from the traffic and pollution yet within an hours drive from Bangalore. We have found a Hotel which will serve as the Race start and Finish and a mostly flat trail around the place ~12.5K distance. The 50K will compose of 4x12.5K, the 80K as 6x10K (plus some change) and the 25K as 2x12.5K. The resort will offer rooms for runners and their families who may want to stay there before and or after race for convenience and relaxation. We realize that the best course for an ultra is an out and back and running loops is difficult-However, this being our first and so to make it easy to organize, and second, the near impossibility of finding a long enough and clean trail close to Bangalore, we chose the loop approach. We have chosen a very scenic place for your running enjoyment and maximized the loop length. Click here for the Google Earth file for the course.
Click here for the elevation vs distance of the course.
How many aid stations and what will they carry?
We are planning on a total of 4 aid stations: One at the start/finish and rest spaced roughly 3K apart. The aid stations are planned to carry: Water, electrolyte/energy drink, de-fizzed coke, ice, fruits (banana, orange, melons), Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches, boiled potatoes (with salt), chips, Idly pieces (definitely a first in any ultra), pain killer and electrolyte (endurolyte) tablets, jujubes, peanuts, etc. We will not provide energy gels and bars-these need to supplied by individuals if needed.
Awards?
The categories will be male and female. Within each there will be divisions based on age. It is planned to give awards to the top 3 within each division.
All finishers will get an award within their distance categories (yet to be decided, could be a nice T-shirt with race logo, etc.)
What kind of people would participate in this event?
There are 3 kinds of people we would like to see participate (This includes all :-)
- Serious champion runners who usually place at the top of their divisions.
- Serious runners not necessarily champions but nevertheless intent on improving their time.
- Beginners or 1st timers who want to venture into endurance events. Of course beginners does not mean that proper training has not been undertaken to complete the distance.
- This is not a race on paved roads. The intent is to get away from pavement and from noise, traffic, and pollution typical of Indian races.
- We are volunteers who want to show the Indian sports people how much fun such events can be.
- Well organized: The date is fixed 1y in advance for your planning. The aid stations will be thoughtfully and plentifully stocked.
- The course will be open for a full 11 hours (0630 to 1730 dictated by available daylight)! This means cut-off times even for 25K and 50K will be a full 11h! Athletes desiring longer time can start earlier provided they carry sufficient illumination.
- Walkers are most welcome! Assuming a slow walker does 5K/hour she can do even a 50K well under the cut-off time of 11h.
- We will have friendly and noisy volunteers in charge of aid stations to administer to your needs and provide encouragement. (We are looking for such volunteers actually, if interested please contact the race director)
- Family and friends can relax at the aid stations and cheer the racers and or pace the racers. This is very big! There will be music (taped or live TBD) to help the mood.
- There is planned a post race meal open between 1100 to 1700. Content and style is TBD.
21 comments:
Very good to know about this race. I read about this in ultrarunning magazine.
If I am bangalore will definately would love to do this.
Thanks Madhu.
Anil
Madhu,
Great idea! Good luck. I know the race will be a huge success.
Rajeev
Post race dance party is a cool idea!
Great to know this is happening!Its about time:)
Would love to walk,run it if in town,
Roma
Madhu,
It is good to know that you are planning an ultra in Bangalore. If I am in Blore, I would love to do it. I shall try to spread the message.
Goodluck!
Goutham
When I read about a Ultra marathon being organised in India, I was very sceptical. Plus the fact that it was being promoted out of a blog got me even more worried.
But after I read your blog I realised that you understand your limitations (in terms of resources & experience), having a 10K course outside the city takes care of most of the things.
I am sure you will be able to manage the event, but to really bring some excitement and improve the level of competition (and not have everyone walking) and also have people take up the 80K planned run, YOu need to find a way to attract some serious marathons in India (esp. the services people) to improve the level of competition (just like the Procam guys pay money to elite runner to be a part of the Mumbai marathon), by sponsoring their entire trip.
The gap between your ultra marathon and MUmbai marathon is just one month, had it been atleast 2 months I would have loved to have participated in it.
Best wishes.
Girish, Thanks for visiting and your comment. This event is not meant to address serious marathoners although such are most welcome like everybody is. Ultra marathoners especially the trail variety don't run marathons in general. I plan my run independent of all marathon events and am not really concerned about date clashes. I plan my run more than 1y in advance and don't change the date at the whim of the sponsors or the city organizers, especially given the wonderful way that marathons in India keep changing their dates and courses with short or no notice. I am solely interested in attracting people who wish to run my event for its own merit however small such a turnout. By the way walking 80K is quite a feat!It's only after running one of these will Indians understand how much more fun these small cozy off road events are compared to the mass marathons that are especially in India so poorly planned and executed amidst bad polluted traffic and noisy and dirty cities.
I hope you will chose to run with us. By the way a marathon 1m before an ultra is great preparation.
Dear Madhu,
Feeling very good to see that such type of endurance or say super endurance marathon is to take place in India also. I have never heard of a more than 42.195 km race in India. Wonderful idea! Thanks for taking the initiative.
I have some questions please:
Is there separate categories for Indian and foreigner winners.
Is the entry fees is same for all (Indians and foreigners).
Is there any prize money also.
And most important, are you getting affiliation from any sporting body i.e. Karnataka Athletics Association or IAF.
Regards.
- Arun, New Delhi
Some questions please:
(1) Is the entry fees same for Indian runners and others.
(2) Is the categories for Indian and other winners are different.
(3) Prize Money, yes / no.
(4) Event is affiliated i.e. by AFI or KAA .
Regards,
- Arun
Dear Arun,
Appreciate your kind words. The entry fee is same for all. The categories are also same for all except due to age and gender. No, there are token (but hopefully tasteful and meaningful) awards but no prize money. We did not seek nor did we get any backing from any government body. We are working with the Runners for Life organization in bangalore and also the Bangalore Hash to put together this event. Hope you will join us for the run. regards, Madhu
Dear Madhu,
I think that KAA or AFI will not support the event, but that does not matter. (their atitude can be seen from their decision about Bangalore's Midnight Marathon; please see http://bcdaaa.org/ (and also my entry at discussion forum in it). After this event (BUFE2007), I think, serious efforts should be made to organise a 24 hr race. I am happy to offer my maximum possible support in this direction.
Regards,
-Arun
Madhu:
I am really really sorry but I will not be able to run this event this year. I plan to run the singapore marathon instead as it has always been a dream. However, I will be there in Bangalore on December 14 to help you out with everything that you need. I will also get a few runners from chennai to participate.
Thanks,
Shumit
I would really like to participate. I am relocating to Mumbai in September. Where/How do I sign up?
I plan to run the Blore 80K run and like what you guys have done (had a rethink and am now confident of doing the Bombay one after this). But do not appreciate what you have written about the Bombay marathon.
I am a Bombayite and plan to run both. So instead of trying to compare yourself, try and pitch your event on its merits. I would suggest that you edit your post and rewrite it in a balanced manner. You don't want to miss out on a 80k runner from Bombay (right!!), which will have single digit participants.
I would also suggest that you extend the closing time for 80K to 12hrs, it would be of great help. Most first time 80K runners would be doing 11-12hr times.
Best wishes.
Can't wait to sign up!
Hi,
Came here from the mail u sent to RFL. I just joined RFL.
It sounds an amazing thing to do an ultra outside the city in hessarghatta. And i forsee this to be a grand success, looking at the care u r taking in plannin all details of the race. It may not attract as many as the regular bangalore marathon, but i think it will definitely loads more fun than the regular.
I have a few queries:
I am an amateur ( I have run a coupla half marathons with timings close to 2hrs). I wish to do the 80k. But can i still do it? (I checked the marathon scheduler u had suggested. It sure did scare me). I am a research student, and i dont think i'll have enough time to follow the schedule given there. Considering all these, can i still run the 80k?
Around wat will be the entry fees? (At leasat a ball-park value). As u seem to say that there most likely wont be sponsors, wont the price go really high?
Anyway, i'll definitely participate in atleast the 25k or 50k run.
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Sudhir
Dear Sudhir,
This is Madhu.
Your longest runs have been ~22K in~2h and you want to run an 80K as your 1st Ultra? I would say that this is needlessly aggressive unless of course you are an above average marathon runner. White it is certainly possible and you barely have enough time for training I would advice to take your time and work into it. There will be plenty of Ultra's around the country fairly soon if this one is successful.
Time, good long and interesting running venues are what will limit you in training for long Ultra's.
We will have full information about the event in about 2w (hopefully). Stay tuned.
Regards
ok. thanks for the advice.
I'll train as hard as i can, and decide whether i'll be game enough for the 80k. Its just a kinda wild dream to do it, on its debut here. :)
If it isnt possible, i'll stick to the 25 or 50 depending on how fit i am.
Thanks,
Sudhir
Hey. Write a post giving a link to the original site, cos some ppl land up here first, especially the ones who come from planet ultramarathon. who google: www.bangaloreultra.com
Hey Madhu
Joined RFL and came to know about the Ultra Marathon concept, started the practice but haven't decided till now what distance I would like to target, maybe depends a lot on my practice.
Shantanu
It was extremely interesting for me to read this article. Thanx for it. I like such topics and everything connected to them. I definitely want to read more soon.
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