Shimla Tuffman 80k

Difficult, tough, hard? The words used to describe the Shimla Tuffman Ultra just do not seem to be sufficient. Severe, relentless, unyielding… The Comrades and Run the Rann both seem tame compared to it.

My daughter and I went to the venue in Mashobra, just beyond Shimla, the day before the race and were assigned one of the camp’s permanent tents as lodging for the night. I suppose you could call it glamping since it had a bed and a terrace. Runners for the various distances were getting to know each other in relaxed anticipation or exploring the surroundings. It was a serene setting with mountains and pine woods all around. Nothing prepared me for the suffering that would follow.

About a month before, by chance, I overheard that there would be a promotional run for the event from Chandigarh to Shimla, which involved a climb from around 300m to 2300m altitude (or roughly 13700 stairs). About 12 crazies started around 6 in the evening from Sukhna lake to run in the relatively cooler weather. In the end, only one of us did the 120k to Mashobra. I did 111 that day but that is a story in itself.

A few days after this promo run, when I forgot about the struggle as we runners tend to do, I decided I have to run the main event. It couldn’t be any more difficult than the promo run.

The 80k competitors started before sunrise. The first two kilometres were steep uphill, and I walked it up as most everyone else did. But I felt good. As soon as we could run, I started overtaking people until only two people were ahead of me. I caught up with the second guy, and we talked for a while before I decided to leave him behind.

The road was steep downhill in the beginning, which felt so easy, but it can do a lot of muscle damage. I enjoyed the pristine beauty of the forest until about 25k, when the route turned uphill. It was steep and relentless.

My daughter, who did the 20k, described it like this: “You can essentially just sprint down because it’s so steep, and then you turn around in dismay and head back up, which feels surreal.”

This sudden uphill was indeed a shock for my legs but I pushed through and came back to the start to complete the first loop of 40k. While I was resting there, the next runner came in. Having now seen the entire route, I knew that I wasn’t going to keep up the pace.

Not long into the next round, I had to start taking short walking breaks. It started getting hot, and at every aid station, I drank water and sports drinks, but I remained thirsty. I forced myself to keep going. The guy behind overtook me, and I saw him disappear into the distance.

At around 67k, I wondered what I was doing there. Am I insane? Who would willingly do this to themselves? It was not only the fatigue and thirst, but also leg muscles that were screaming in anguish. But to give up never entered my mind. I trained for this. This was the test. I laboured up the long, long hills. I also kept on thinking of one of my favourite verses in the Bible:

Isaiah 41:10, 13,

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“For I am the Lord your God

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

I will help you.”

Five kilometres from the end, I knew that I made it. I sat down at the aid station, drank more sports drinks, filled up my water and got my courage up too. I knew that it was 3k level and then 2k steep down to the finish. Five kilometres is that magic number that many beginner runners dream about completing without having to stop. In our company, we recently did just that. We went from zero to five in 3 months and celebrated with a 5k race behind the lake.

Now, as I ran these last five kilometres, I placed myself in one of those first-time runners’ shoes. I remember being there myself. Every time there is a new challenge, there is doubt, but also hope and excitement. I will make it. Or will I?

And then there was that sweet moment when I crossed the finish line, and I could stop. My daughter was there to greet me, and I gave her a hug. She came first in the 20k at the age of 15. It took me 11 hours and 10 minutes and was third.

Keep running

Stephan