A Marathon In Forest - Durshet Forest Marathon

It's not just a run -Its an experience.

You sign up for much more than a run in Durshet Forest marathon, you’re invited for a 'run'dezvous with nature. Lush green dense forest cover and a steady flowing river alongside, the stunning scenery of mountains, machine and technology free village life, fresh air in abundance and a beautiful challenging trail to run on.

Start/Finish Point of Durshet Forest Marathon -2018 is the resort set against the stunning Sahyadri range. The river Amba ambles adjacent to the property. The lodge includes an excellent 35-acre natural forest with extensive teak trails, Flame of the forest trees and an occasional silver oak thus making it a trekker's, bird watchers paradise. The Natural Waterfall that appears magically in the monsoons is a gift for all to enjoy.

Explaining the beauty of the place in selected few words here is so unfair. The place is magic and it leaves you spell bound.

The start line opens up into a vast green stretch. River Amba, runs parallel to the route. It’s quiet, just the sounds of flowing river, early morning bird chirping and runners footsteps with the early morning mist on your face. You run along the large spread paddy fields. You run over the river bridges. The forest leads you into a village, untouched from modern civilization and waking up to the sunrise and slowly but hustling into the morning chores. You run into the grazing cattle for a small stretch.

The uphill trail through the village lead to open grasslands and the beauty of the Shayadri mountain ranges around the valley with waterfall formed at almost every face, touching your soul softly. All this while you have finished 21 km.

‘Pain is sweet. Challenge is good. I am tough.’ – Yes please! Repeat this to yourself multiple times while you run to the finish line. This route had everything, most of it was on the road, with rough slushy patches here and there, gradient throughout was good enough not to be underestimated, rocky terrain with lose gravels and muddy uphill to test your grit but a relaxed descend down to the finish line. Although it was the monsoon time, weather gods decided to not rain on the race day – Is that good or bad? We leave it to the runners to decide.