How farming and a friendly racer helped this ultrarunner come first

But first, let’s rewind to 2017, when Rao, an engineer by qualification, decided to move to Solang near Manali from Bengaluru. Just so he could chase his dream of running full-time. At the time, ultrarunning was still a nascent sport in India with a handful of races to choose from. Owing to lack of support, Rao would often have to dip into his savings to fund the national and international races he was competing in. But he didn’t let his circumstances get in the way of pursuing his passion. And so, the last few years have seen Rao taking part in challenging races in Europe such as the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc that covers France, Switzerland and Italy, and the Tor des Geants in Aosta Valley in north Italy. This year, he ran the mammoth 450 km Tor des Glaciers that’s also held in Aosta Valley. 

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“Money and assistance to compete at the world level is still a challenge. I wish to see a day when there is a committee of athletes who plan and implement changes for the sport in the country," he says. Earlier this year, Rao moved base to Keylong in Lahaul where the inclines are steeper and the weather is more conducive to training. After wrapping up a race in July, he started training for the Solang Sky Ultra. 

Training for the race in terraced fields 

“I trained based on elevation rather than distance. For instance, I logged an elevation gain of 60,213 metres in August, and the next month, hit 54,555 metres including the Tor 450. I also threw in some strength training sessions. The weekly hours logged during training gave me a fair idea of where I stood," he says. Besides the miles, Rao also worked on the terraced fields around his home alongside farmers, helping them with everything from harvesting cabbage, peas and potatoes, to loading the produce on trucks. He also went up and down slopes to deliver milk at various homes. As race day approached, he did low impact activities like cycling, striding and freehand strength training. For recovery, he simply dipped into the ice-cold streams running down the hillside.  

Outside of training, Rao broke down the entire course into segments, making note of the fastest times recorded on each section based on data available on Strava. The route of the Solang Sky Ultra – Solang, Vashist, Bhrigu Lake, Beas Kund, Lady Leg – features stones, boulders, grass, shrubs, slush, water crossings, scree and a few road sections, with a total elevation gain of 7,350 metres. It helped him arrive at a competitive target of 18 hours that would demand both efficiency and strength. “What I didn’t factor in was the weather condition and of course, tired legs towards the end of the race," he says. 

Running with a worthy opponent

Back to race day. Rao knew that he faced a formidable challenge from rookie runner Vishal Shankar Valvi. At the Sinhagad Trail Epic in June, Valvi had given a good account of his abilities by winning the 42km race, Rao had finished third. The same month, Valvi won the Great Mawla Ghaati Ultra Trail Run in the Sahyadri, a gruelling 100-mile course that featured an elevation gain of 9,070 metres. While those are incredible feats, Rao wasn’t too worried as Solang Sky Ultra was happening on his home ground, in a terrain he knew like the back of his hand.  

For the first six hours, Valvi led the race as Rao tailed him. Valvi maintained a furious pace while taking on the uphill to Bhrigu Lake. Rao was well aware that the approach wasn’t sustainable, but he had also seen Valvi do it before and decided to stay with him. At the top of the lake, he finally caught up with him. “I could see him panting and told him, ‘Looks like you really want to hurt today’. In hindsight, this was the moment I knew the race was in my bag," Rao recalls. But he had also noticed Valvi was ill-equipped to tackle a race of this difficulty.

“No gels, electrolytes or poles for the uphills. He was cramping and exuding overall negativity. I felt like I had an unfair advantage over him, how I often feel when I race abroad with the elites. My heart melted," Rao says.

On what Rao calls one of the trickiest downhill sections of the race, Valvi requested him to lead the away, well aware of his familiarity with the terrain. Then, on the climb to Kothi, Rao offered him gels and salts and egged him on until Solang. An unsaid understanding developed between the two as Valvi took up the offer to follow Rao in what was unfamiliar Himalayan terrain for him. Once darkness set in, the duo took on two loops of the Lady Leg section, with one final downhill to tackle. “Less than one km from the finish, I tripped and smashed my tibia due to a momentary lapse of concentration," Rao says. With the injury, Rao resigned himself to taking the second spot. But in that moment emerged a camaraderie that is rarely seen on the sporting field today.

“Valvi could have had me eating dust. Yet, he dropped his pace when he realised what had happened. We shared an unspoken bond and finished together," Rao says. And to express his gratitude on a final parting note, Valvi let Rao touch the tape first to make it a memorable fifth win. 

Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer.

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