I knew being in Ladakh this time around would be life-changing for me.

I was here for the tenth edition of La Ultra – The High, touted to be the world’s cruelest ultra-marathon, where runners have a choice of taking on distances of 55, 111, 222, 333 or 555 kilometres in the Himalayan mountains. This was no garden-variety race.

How did I get here?

What had started off as a casual conversation between my colleague Dr. Rajat Chauhan, also the race director of La Ultra and I, was actually turning into reality. I was interested in knowing the “why” behind those running ultra-marathons, and their stories and journey to come this far and there I was.

I had an inkling that talking to these individuals would teach me something beyond running, but I didn’t expect to learn so much about how extraordinary the human spirit is. I learnt how the mountains tested them in the most difficult situations, only to reveal their true potential, uncovering how they were able to push their limits. But it was not just the runners but the entire crew that left a deep impact on me. Behind the scenes, these unsung heroes played an inconspicuous but irreplaceable role to play in ensuring that the runners who went the distance stayed safe under extreme conditions and crossed the finish line.

But let me start at the beginning.

We landed on August 12th and I was introduced to the core crew of the La Ultra team based out of their headquarters in a place called ‘Adventures Infinite’ in the by-lanes of the market in Leh. What struck me instantly was the camaraderie they shared with such ease, where laughter and humor were interspersed with the many tasks they had at hand. Meals were shared together, whenever someone could afford a break, and it seemed like one large family that was constantly growing. Runners kept trickling in to collect their bibs, to get oriented to the race and the course, and to get their queries answered.

The excitement was palpable, to say the least.

I was taking it all in, as we were acclimatizing to the high altitude air at 11,000 feet, knowing that we would be ascending to 17,700 feet in a few days. So I sat around, gazed at the star studded skies, the mountains at the distance, and the gurgling stream by the hotel we were staying in. During the day Chetan, Rajat, and I worked in an “assembly line,” arranging the runners’ bags with the bibs, tees, tags, and buffs.

Soon, I had also figured out how to intersperse fun with the group work. I was calling out the names to Rajat to write on the drop bags. One of them was a slightly unusual name: Kalieswari. Since the runners had to climb to the top of a mountain pass called Wari-La, I jokingly suggested to Rajat to write her name as KaliesWari-La. Little did I know that he would actually write that. So Kali, if you are reading this, you know who to blame for that. Rajat. 😉

I had intense conversations with the ultra-runners to understand their motivation behind running and how such an endurance sport influenced their lives beyond running. I had summarized a few of the runners’ stories for Rajat when we spoke, about how this event was not just about running. I had always heard him tell me this, about how La Ultra is just a backdrop where people’s stories emerge. I was now witnessing this firsthand.

The participants were going to run long distances, through temperatures ranging from 40C to -10C, through mountain passes as high as 17,700 feet, breathing in rarefied air.

And until you do it, it’s hard to explain how humbling an experience it is. When the mountains bring you down on your knees, only your mental strength and grit can see you through the challenges, and get you to that finish line.

This daunting cocktail of arduous distances, bleak mountains, unpredictable weather and temperatures, and oxygen-deficit air make you feel a brokenness within that shatters all preconceived notions of invincibility you might have harbored once. But it is these same experiences that make you more "human."

My pre-run interviews revealed that some of these people had started extending that learning to relating better to themselves, with more authenticity and honesty, and with others too. 

"How far can I go?" "How much will the mountains let me do?" were questions that became great levellers. Perspectives change and when life doesn't go according to plan, you course correct if you have to. Suddenly, uncertainty and chaos seem worth looking forward to than something to fear or dread. Poets emerge in the runners.

It's about being in the moment, watching the stars and the moonlit sky as you maneuver the mountains in the still of the night, said one.

Look up instead of your feet to take in the beauty of the Himalayas and not just on how your feet are landing, said another.

Being one with nature brought a sense of stillness and calm which further helped with improving focus and mental stamina. 

Was success always seen as crossing that finish line? Yes, of course, initially. Participants put in months of effort training for this run, often creating climactic conditions artificially to simulate what they may experience in the Himalayas. But then when they get here, success begins right from being at that start line. And with every baby step they take, they tackle monumental challenges through physical and mental strength, reaffirming their belief in themselves.

Of course it’s not all just motivational talks in their heads. They come with a plan, they set their mind to the goal of reaching the pre-set cut-off points in the race and then on towards the finish line. What they’re doing is using optimism and pragmatism to move forward and beyond.

Some of them are known to be fiercely independent, inward reflecting, relying only on themselves when problems arise. But La Ultra reminds them that it takes a full support crew to conquer this challenge. Yes, they have to get to the finish line on their own feet, but they soon realize they could never do it without their crew and all the people on the ground and around the world cheering for them. They found themselves valuing social support more than before, not just during the race but extending beyond to their social, professional, and personal lives.

There were some for whom "self-transcendence," the ability to overcome physical limitations using mental focus and meditation, took precedence over mental strength. It's a spiritual connect at a different level altogether where every obstacle falls by the wayside, and you realize that even pain or fatigue become inconsequential. In the vastness of the mountains, the realization dawns that even we are insignificant. 

In the end, it's about moving those mountains within. Our lives are chequered with experiences, good and bad, loss and gain, suffering and joy. And it's about taking those in your stride and moving forward, relentlessly, boldly, courageously, embracing your vulnerability. The lesson that these runners learn—and in turn teach us—from the mountains is to value whatever life brings up for us. 

As I spoke some more to the runners, one of them said that when he ran the 111K two years ago, he saw the mountains on the La Ultra tee shirt as just that: Mountain passes that he would be running on. The next year when he ran 222 kms, he saw that same logo as the highs and lows of life that he takes in his stride. Some see it as a heartbeat, that they have a sense of purpose and meaning in life, which they wake up to everyday.

They had a focus, a fierce sense of discipline, sought newer challenges, gained patience along the way, learnt from failures, rose like phoenixes when they were broken and vulnerable, and became social change agents inspiring others to dig deep.

I was on an adrenaline high just listening to their stories. I thought nothing could beat this euphoria I was feeling, getting to see the awesomeness of the human spirit up close and personal. I was so wrong. The real action was waiting to unfold when the races started on August 17th.

More on that in Part 2, coming in two days!