Kathmandu Valley Shivapuri Trail-Run
The map of the 27 km run.
After having diarrhea for about a week I didn't felt very strong. But with a good dinner and breakfast in the stomach I started very hopeful. There was pa pick-up bus close to tamel to drive to the north part of Kathmandu. Here hè Shivapuri National Park started. The trail would crime al the wat up to the Shivapuri mountain (2732 meter). Close to the startingpoint you could collectie your nummer and leave your backpack.
A little further were the gate to the National Park was all the runners feathered for the takeoff. The countdown was given and I started my first official trail run. we took off. The trail started going up steep on stairways. I was quit close to the front of all the people and tried to find my own pace.
Running wasn't possible on the steep steps. The Nepalis took off really fast. I had to let go some of them but found one nepali and 2 western competitions who almost had the same pass and stayed close to them. My hard rate went up quit fast but I realized that I wasn't out of breath at all. After a minute or 10 everyone around me started to slow down a bit.
My legs started to response from the steep start as well so I just kept pace. We climbed steeply on to the ridge what would lead to the top. On the way I felt my breakfast coming up and a bit later I started vomiting in a few separate bits. I hoped it would fade and kept going.
When I arrived on the ridge there was an exit to take for 27 km and one to leave for 17 km. a little further I felt my stomach getting mixed up and with a lot of pressure. A quick stop and again diarrhea. I recovered and for a long time I could walk quit fast.
The trail now got from stairs to a beautiful small trail going gently up the ridge to the top. I run on with a guy from France that looked very professional but tried to not get distracted about it. I aspected to find a check point at he top with some drinks and energy food but didn't found a place like this. So decided to go down and keep some speed following a young Nepali guy.
e told me he also joined a trail run for the first time. But to my opinion he didn't walked like this. Especially down the Nepalis are very fast and hard to follow. After descending for about one hour I was very happy to find a food and drink place, because I was running out of energy.
There was energy drink, Mars and some cake what day advised me to eat. I tasted it and it was almost pure sugar. I still wasn't feeling well and this sugar kick made me feel even worse. At the check point I was really surprised. They told me I was the 3de not Nepali in the race for 27 km.
I started running again with a mouth full of this cake. While running I decided to better not finish it and to spit it out because all I drunk and eat was already coming up.
The decent went on over a jeep trail and there were some places with shortcuts on a smaller trail. With again some vomiting I tried to get my pace again but felt really weak. Halfway the decent a Italian female runner came aside and for half an hour I was capable to keep following her. I had to give in because my returning injury, a runners knee, came up really bad. Later another not Nepali runner would chase me in.
The last hour I couldn't run anymore and just walk down as fast as I could. Is was a nice jeep trail surrounded by forest and fields. After 4 hours and 22 minutes I came across the finish. Still a great time and 5 place of the not Nepalis. Even with the difficulties I was really glad to have done this trail run in Kathmandu, Nepal.
