Ooty Ultra 30kms - Turning the shorter format in to favourite sprints.

Featuring this message on the Ooty Ultra website.. Guess this could have been the only way to get myself registered for yet another edition of Ooty Ultra and be free spirited 😊. Knowing the summers in Bangalore are going to get on your nerves, a quick drive to and from Ooty wouldn't hurt and to top it up with a humble 30km category run at Ooty Ultra make it all fall well in place. Running the shorter formats have been a good social experiment for me to gel well with the new generation of runners and the interaction at such meet ups help me keep up with the know how's of the sport - running.

With Coach Kay calling me and taken aback with my 30km registration while the 90km category invites kept pouring in, It was a nice gesture to call and understand the thought process behind the same. And yes coach, featuring as a poster boy are the small joys that count.

Okay, so why the 30km and not the ultra category? The month has been busy with birthday travel and run and with Dehradun Ultra a couple of weeks before Ooty says it all. Much needed recovery from long distance running was on the plate and a 30k run could be well used as a recovery run too with some happy elevation.

A quick insight on the route map does give you some comfort knowing you have been there and run that not just once but thrice during the previous editions.

A 5 hour drive from Bangalore a day before the BIB collection and having a laid back time before the D day has been the usual so far. However, this time rain played a spoil sport at the BIB collection and ofcourse had every raise their eyebrows wondering if it's going to rain on the race day which was again a prediction as per the weather report. The rains usually pour down in the second half from experience of previous editions but the cold can just kick in like no one's business. I planned to be a dare devil this time :) and not have any warmers on me for the race day. This after knowing how it's like during the shake out run a day before.

And meeting this cutie pie post run had all the stress flush down the drain🤗..

On a relaxed Saturday, the only chore left was to collect the BIB not so far from the stay and as always the venue was at the Hotel Tamilnadu but food first. Lunch got done right at the famous Junior Kuppanna.

Btw, Congratulations Anirudh and Abhishek on the 75km milestones.

Mind you, you may have to wait in the queue for atleast 15mins to get a table. The food was amazing and hence the wait was worth. Just when we were done and exited the restaurant, the dark clouds made an appearance and a little drizzle here and there began. Nothing to worry as yet, since it wasn't race day but it was most likely to rain the next day too. Knowing that I probably need to last for first 3 hours of the run, I thought I could pull this off. That calculates the first 15-20 mins in cold getting warmer up at the start line and then off you to, there is no stopping now if I had to keep the cold off me. The BIB collection went well till had a downpour and wasn't looking right as the cold got on to my nerves and I just held myself out till the rains stopped and ensure I got back to the hotel dry. With no umbrella or jacket on me, this could have been a bummer since I already was suffering from cold for a few days.

Got some role reversal done with flashbulbz. Anju was kind enough to lend me her lens to shoot her instead. This was fun for sure 😃.

6:05am was the start time for 30km category after the ultra category start time i.e at 6am. Also, like I said earlier, I chose to not wear a warmer or put a wind cheater ON this time, I had to keep at the pace to generate the much needed steam to avoid the cold shivers. 10-15mins in the run and I was all good. It wasn't cold anymore for me and as I reached the 4th kilometre, I realised a bummer, I forgot to start my Garmin watch and 4th km is when I started it just before the climb. The missed the gentle button push on the watch at the start line and guess the cold finger or the numbenes lead to it.

So everytime I reached the shorter milestones, I had to top it up with 4kms and help me strategize ahead. Sub 3 was definitely a target knowing the elevation and ofcourse the downhills that could help me throw my weight in best possible manner to gain some pace and had to exploit as much as I could, this again knowing the climbs are going to be a killer on the calves and the hamstrings and that too under the harsh sun. Also, I thought twice on whether I should hold on to my hydration backpack as always or could survive with a 260ml bottle in my right hand, but knowing the format of races that choose to run in future, I wanted to keep it business as usual and still gun down the targetted time without any injuries or a roadblock when it comes to hydration and nutrition in runs like these. It ofcourse demands a lot of a runner and is of utmost important to consider every aspect of mileage and strength training you need to put in for happy ending 😀. Let's try to not fall prey to our own passion, instead we groom it in such a way that the perks are well cherished and doesn't loose its charm in ages ahead.

So here's what the elevation map looks like amd you could dvelve in to the same on the website too and is very well articulated for a runner to plan the run strides.

https://ootyultra.kfita.in/ootyultra-30k/

The climb to dobabetta peak begins at around 4kms and the elevation increases gradually and could get steep withing a kilometre or two and yes, the roads are winding and hence lookout for traffic if any which I felt was well controlled by the police force and didnt harm much and had all the freedom to maneuver and was still watchful to avoid any mishaps.

It's always a sign of relief when reach the shorter milestones ahead of you and turns on the route like this one that takes you to the peak was one of it. The target starts getting smaller and smaller and one step at a time is all that counts.

And the happiness in your feet can be judged from the pace you generate on the downhill and so was it as you see the pace chart below, I just kept at it and could have felt it in my knee here and there, hence was careful of how much I could push.

+ 4kms for every milestone above..

12-22th km was mayhem and you could plan on catching up the times you target in this stretch. Those sips of electrolyte really helped in not having to stop at the aid stations and I only halted post the 22nd kilometre or so for some refills and water intake. I was fortunate enough have a runner along side me from 8th km and all we could hear were of thumping feets against the ground and I loved every bit of it and felt like actually being a zone that made you fall in love with pace strides again. The 10km long stretch gives you all the harmony till you hit the base of the next daunting climb. The sun was out already and like always, it was making its presence felt. The body heat tends to grow with the surroundings and all you care about using some shade every now and then to cool off but honestly, you will be left asking for more.

It was just the grind that I am aware of in the closing miles of this category. Having done 60kms thrice here, all I could do is keep my head at it and just wait to reach the peak with evidently managed pace. The aid stations are there to help but mind you that you have enough reserves on the climb to keep yourself stronger in the heat. There is a ample shade as you start reaching the top and just when you do, all that you are left with last couple of kilometres to the park.

The sense of relief in shorter runs hits different. There is ofcourse a line of stress one can develop because of still being the chase of finishing in shortest time possible and this agressive progression was one such reason for me to take up ultra distances instead. The endurance that could last longer did justice to running but at the same time everything has its pros and cons. Point is how well balanced are you in your approach to achieve your goals. And like I always say, set goals upfront to know what needs to be planned ahead of time to target the category A events you may be running or may be just finishing it in a healthy manner is something you are looking for. Let it always be a win-win situation.