Life is short. 2026 has been particularly difficult, with the loss of two uncles in the last couple of months—one a patriarchal centenarian, and another whose life was tragically taken in a road accident. Death poses these deep questions, forcing us to understand the fragility of life and try to make sense of it all. It makes you wonder: what is the legacy you want to leave behind? What are your footsteps in the sands of time?
Amidst all of this, an opportunity arose for me to run a 50 km ultra this week. It was paying homage to someone who selflessly, almost mindlessly, contributed to the betterment of her community and the locality where she grew up. Her name is Padmashree Saalumarada Thimmakka.
It is truly interesting; she did not endeavor to do anything magnanimous or grand to start with. All she did was take things one step at a time. In her case, it was one tree at a time. She planted and tended to 385 Banyan trees along 5km of highway, unable to see how barren the land had become following the urbanization happening in her town. With no major help from any corporation or local body, she started her own way of giving back, which was essentially planting banyan trees.
This tree lined stretch was the inspiration for “The Intentionality Ultra 50K”, and pays homage to Saalumarada Thimmakka. It is a run conceptualized by a bunch of runners who operate out of the Glampies Resort, about 80 km from Bangalore in the district of Tumakuru. I was invited for the inaugural run last year. Due to family commitments, I was unable to participate. However, I visited the resort with my family and extended family, and we spent time walking and taking a short jog around the area. It was spectacular.
I always had it in mind to experience the region more fully. Things finally fell into place, and I got a little "free pass" from my family. Being able to spare some time this weekend, almost at the last minute, JP, one of the organizers, was able to accommodate me.
He provided me not just with a bib, but also tent accommodation to stay overnight. A beautiful plan fell in place. I had been building up reasonably good mileage and seemed to be peaking after a solid training block. After many months, I also found a mechanic for my Bullet Thunderbird, which fixed a long-standing issue with the carburetor. I was really looking forward to a nice long ride and a nice long run. The tent accommodation at the Glampies campsite was a bonus.
I left on Saturday evening. The bike responded beautifully. As I made my way off the highway and onto the country roads, I could already start feeling the positive vibes from the upcoming run.
Pre-Race
I reached the resort and settled into my tent. Dinner was arranged for all the participants, and I loaded up on some good carbs. As the runners gathered for dinner, many stories went around the table. It is amazing how for a sport that is so personal, people tend to carry around a significant amount of emotional baggage and ego - some are already leaving deep footsteps in the sand!!
Every runner is amazing, but you are only as good as what you did that morning, the past is irrelevant.
Still, we tend to value our bragging rights, and there was plenty of that going around.
I settled down after dinner in my tent, which was quite well-made. Despite being basic, it was comfortable and felt like a luxurious little escape. The only issue was its proximity to the start area; there was some disturbance as I tried to sleep, but nothing major.
The alarm was set for 4:00 AM for a 5:00 AM start. But lo and behold, most of us woke up to "mic testing 1, 2, 3" at 3:30 AM. After using the restrooms, we started getting ready. The announcements confirmed the 50 km race would start at 5:00 AM sharp. Fresh fruits and nutrition were available. I chose to keep it simple, holding onto gels and salt tablets while looking for solid food at the water stops.
The plan was to maintain a steady pace of 5 minutes and 20 seconds per kilometer.
This would get me to the marathon distance in about 3 hours and 45 minutes, allowing me to finish the full 50 km in approximately 4.5hours. I knew the course was rolling, but there wasn't too much elevation to worry about; most slopes seemed runnable. The entire 50 km was on countryside tar roads—no trail sections—which gave me confidence in keeping a steady pace.
The course:
The course was beautifully planned, shaped like a "Y." - 10k each on the 2 arms and 5k on the stem. We started through the first one to the center of the "Y," went out to the second leg and back, and then finished with the third arm and back to start. There were very few turns; most were just long, straight sections on countryside roads. While traffic wasn't completely blocked, it was minimal on village roads in the early morning. The elevation gains were steady, so everything was set.
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The start:
The race started at 5:00 AM on the dot with a motley bunch of about 50 of us. I moved to the front of the pack after the first kilometer, a few paces ahead of the second runner, Pankaj. I thought he might catch up so we could converse, especially since we were running with headlamps.
However, I decided to stick to my own pace. Unlike other runs where it takes me 4 km to warm up, my legs felt well-rested because of a low-mileage week due to work travel.
In the twilight, running to the small lit circle of the LED torch, with the lead vehicle - a classic 350cc Bullet in front, hearing the chirping birds over the thud of the bike - I chanted some loud prayers. Vivek was tasked with being the lead vehicle and stayed with me for the rest of the 50 km, guiding me through turns and ensuring local dogs didn't get over-excited. He stayed about 100 meters ahead,
keeping me on track while ensuring the exhaust fumes didn't affect my breathing and that he didn't provide an unfair wind-breaking advantage. It was great to have him there.
The middle:
The race went off beautifully. Feeling strong, I hit the 10K mark in exactly 50 minutes and 43 seconds.
The water stops every 2 km were well-stocked with electrolytes, water, and bananas. I had my first gel at 12K and then took a salt tablet every 5K. I was running alone, having brief chats with Vivek. It was beautiful to see the sun come up. I've realized recently that viewing expansive, vast landscapes really improves your mood and provides mental benefits.
The visuals were simply amazing, running in the countryside alongside fields and tree-lined roads, thanks to Thimmakka. By 20K, I was at 1 hour and 41 minutes, slightly faster than plan. I felt strong and enjoyed the cool morning freshness, but I knew I would have to slow down eventually. By this time, I had finished one leg of the "Y."
At about 16 km U-turn, I did a bit of "sensing the competition." I was about 500 meters ahead of Pankaj, who looked strong on the downhills. I knew it was a long race and I had to maintain my pace for the next 20 km to have a chance at the podium.
The next stretch (the other arm of the “Y”) after 20 km was exclusively for 50K runners. These roads were even narrower—beautiful countryside lanes with no traffic. The view of Shivagange Hill provided the motivation to keep going. It was spectacular to see the clouds forming a crown on top of the hill in the early hours. As I got closer, the "crown" disappeared, leaving the rocky, exposed mountain.
Running through the villages, I exchanged hi-hellos with curious kids and onlookers. Some villagers wanted to know what we were doing, so I spoke with them briefly in Kannada. I used every opportunity to pour water on my head to stay cool. The U-turn point was about 9 km away, and it was great to see fully stocked water stops even on these isolated stretches. The volunteers from a dental college did a great job handing out electrolytes as runners passed.
At the U-turn, I noticed I was about half a kilometer ahead of the next runner. By this time, the second-place position had changed; a Ashwath (from FreeRunners) had taken over. Pankaj was starting to slow down, struggling with stomach bloating. The section also had some long, steady climbs. I was glad to complete them, hoping that after the 30K mark, there would be more downhills than uphills to the finish. I passed the timing mat at the U-turn in 2 hours and 38 minutes—exactly where I wanted to be.
There was a special breakfast point for 50K runners at 25K and 35K. I stopped briefly to pick up some "shira" (a sweet made of semolina / rava) in a cup, as I didn't want to stop for long. I even declined a drone videography offer at one stop, being blunt that I didn't want to waste time.
The Best:
The last 20 km is where the real race begins. In this stretch, I passed Venki, Gopi, Nandini, and Shakeela - all FreeRunners, who all looked strong. As I entered the final 10K, the mental games began. I broke the distance down into smaller milestones. My right thigh started to cramp (a wee bit) on the uphills, so I had to be careful not to let it escalate. I still managed a good pace, averaging 5:25 for the 30-35km split.
My average pace for the 5km splits for the later stages were 5:41, 6:31, and 6:19 per 5km. Despite stops for water and walking the steeper slopes, my running sections were strong.
I constantly looked back to ensure no one would surprise me to the finish. I felt confident of taking first place when I turned into the final stretch. At about 47 km, I treated myself to an ice-cold sponge for my head, passed by a mobile support truck! That felt out of this world. It was these small gestures that made this event so runner-friendly. I finished in 4 hours and 39 minutes, securing first place.
As I entered the red carpet for the last 200 meters at Glampies Resort, the Nadaswaram was playing, reminding me of the movie Kantara. I did a bit of a show with some screaming and a "Daiva Kunitha" dance at the end!
The Legacy
It was a well-organized event. As other runners trickled in, everyone had positive things to say. Everyone had their own mini-story of support, whether it was from the bike volunteers, the water stops, or the treats like laddoos. Small touches like personalized medals with your name and an option to engrave your time made it special. I hung around the finish area, enjoying two rounds of breakfast and one of lunch, before heading back on my Bullet.
It was a very memorable weekend. Thanks to Saalumarada Thimmakka for showing us how small steps can leave behind a long-lasting legacy and for the entire crew of Intentionality to celebrate this!!
