Sunday, October 30, 2011

Preparing for the Annapurna 50K

Annapurna South from Ghandruk, part of the route for the Annapurna 100

Change of plans. For the Bangalore Ultra, I will stop at 25K. I am treating the Ultra as a stepping stone to  what will probably be the most physically and mentally demanding day of my life: Jan 1, 2012. If all goes well, I will attempt my first ultra marathon on that day. While I've chosen the lowest distance you can run that qualifies you as an ultra runner (50K), I ended up choosing a course that's in the Himalayas of Central Nepal at the Annapurna 100. I'm excited at the prospect of an incredible day in the mountains, but have little sense of how my body and mind will hold up when trail-running across varied elevations, trail & climatic conditions. I'm deriving inspiration from two other Asha runners (one of whom is running the 100), and the support, both financial and moral, from all of you.

This is the centerpiece of my fund raising effort as part of Team Asha for 2011. It's strange how the mind works when you're at the limit of exhaustion. The smallest things can turn into huge dollops of motivation. A smile from a stranger on the trail. A shout out. A $100 donation from an old friend. It all adds up. So please be generous in your support. Click on the orange "DONATE" button on the top right of this page.