By the time we returned post recce, it had gone dark, the rain was back, we missed a couple of signs and lost our way back to the venue. But that’s a story for some other time.

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Weekend sees a lot of travelers coming in and the local shopkeepers and vendors start their day with the sunrise, so did the volunteers on the route.

National anthem to wake up the soul and a short session of Zumba to kick out the lazy muscles, the post morning snacks routines took place amidst little drizzle as the start time approached.

Jokes and fun were left at the start line, atleast till the end of the run. Everyone knew that the route was very tough, through word or mouth or personal recces. A lot of runners had decided not to see the route before they actually took it on. A 12.5 kilometer in and out route, through extremely rocky terrain, water pools, wet slippery mud, water swamps that were to be crossed running on a narrow stone bridge and the foggy mystique of the surroundings itself, the challenge that awaited the runners was serious.

In the first marathon of the series , everyone was lucky to escape the full force of the rain as the major rainfall that day preceded and succeeded the main run with little rains during the actual marathon timings. That wasn’t to be the case this time, 20 minutes past the flag off, the rain came and it came hard. Occasionally wearing off in between,it did stay for the complete race. Umbrellas, rain coats, hats, polythene, everything available was used, but it didn’t really matter, the downpour was relentless. Sooner or later everyone accepted it and realized that the only way to go was to embrace the rain and keep moving.

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4.5 kilometers into the route, the most scenic part of the marathon, Charlotte lake is also a favorite view point for the travelers willing to make it all the way into the forest, walking or on horseback. The marathon had an early start and hence most of the weekend human traffic was avoided, all that was present was covered in green, water or fog.

Horses are the only mode of transport inside the jungle area for the ones who don’t want to take the long walk. Scenes from the older Bollywood movies instantly cross the mind.

Over four hours of running in the conditions that kept making the remaining kilometers grow longer, the final return lap for everyone was a mix of extreme will power and physical strength combined. The last few steps were always going to be the hardest, but the achievement of finishing this monster of a marathon was something no one was ever going to take away from the runners.

From the 10 rupees local polythene made raincoats(which did come in very handy), to the plastic camera covers, to umbrellas, to tree covers, the photographers used whatever was available.

The wet mud patches, water pools and the overall rocky terrain were runners’ Waterloo, apart from the 50 kilometers distance. Quite a few soles came off and a lot of shoes were ditched,