Is Life Good on the Other Side of the Start Line: Reflections from Bhatti Mines Ultra

Is life good on the other side of the start line?
Yes… and maybe no.

Yes – when you see the smiles on runners’ faces after they’ve crushed the course, finished their first race, or simply enjoyed a great outing with friends.

No – when you see the opposite of all of that.

This year, Bhatti Mines Ultra came with some serious challenges; the weather being a big one. It was only March 8, and the temperature shot up to 37°C… That’s something we never expected in the NCR at this time of the year.

As a race director, I never get excited seeing many DNFs. Personally, I dream of a 100% finish rate – hoping runners come prepared for the course. (Preparedness is a whole different topic I’ll talk about some other time.)

And as a runner myself – someone who has stood on many start lines and paid a fair share of registration fees – it breaks my heart to see a runner go home without a finish…

But that’s life.

We can’t win them all.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported us and trusted our race. On a day when there were a gazillion races happening in the city, you chose to be out in the wilderness – in a less fancy setting, with no celebrities.

That’s trail running…

Just humble humans… running free.