INTHANON20 | Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB: A Warm-Up That Warmed My Heart

Race day: November 30

Location: DOI Inthanon National Park

Weather Conditions: Pretty cold and freezing

INTHANON20 was meant to be a “shakeout race” before the big one next weekend, but it turned out to be so much more… a reminder of why I love toeing a start line, feeling the buzz of runners around me, and watching mountains come alive at every turn.

It had been a while since I last lined up for a race, and I didn’t realize how much I missed that nervous-excited flutter. Standing in Chiang Mai, surrounded by the lush beauty of Doi Inthanon, I felt that familiar spark return. Though it was just 7 weeks after dengue, I felt my legs were ready, my mind was curious, and my heart… well, my heart was already full though I knew I should take it as easy as possible.

The Course: Climbs, Descents & More Road Than Expected

The route offered everything: good long climbs that made my calves sing, descents that demanded focus, and annoyingly more road sections than I’d have liked. But managed stay focussed on the run part whenever I could. And, every time the course dipped into trail, it felt magical. Rolling fields, stretches of deep green, blue skies that looked almost unreal… Thailand really knows how to spoil trail runners.

And the locals! Every cheer, every smile, every little clap from the villagers felt like a tiny push forward. There’s something special about running past people who genuinely want you to succeed, even if they’ve never seen you before.

The 13.5K Confusion

Around the 13.5 km mark, things got… interesting.

A bunch of early starters were stopped, confused. The course ribbons didn’t match the GPX route. Some runners chose to follow the map; others, like me, trusted the ribbons. Thankfully, the ribbons were right; but even as I ran on, I couldn’t stop thinking about those who went the other way. They’re probably still fuming! Trail running: the sport where you race and solve mysteries.

A Day of Measured Running

Knowing I have a big race coming up, I held back. My body is still rebuilding, and I wasn’t ready for an all-out effort. Today was about being smart, enjoying the mountains, and testing the legs.

Even so…
2nd in my age category.
2nd among India finishers.
Not bad for an easy day out!

And yes, I’m very happy to have collected a couple of UTMB stones