Some races test your endurance. Some test your mindset.
And then there are races like the Silk Route Ultra Trail Run (SRUT), set along the historic Old Hindustan-Tibet Road, that test everything at once.
Race Date: 11 April 2026
The Build-Up: Work and Play
Much like our SRT Ultra Pune experience, this trip was a mix of work and racing as well as we were going to host an expo before the event as well.
We headed out on Wednesday night, breaking the journey with a halt at Ambala Cantt so we could arrive fresh the next day. By Thursday afternoon, we rolled into the quaint town of Narkanda, our base for both the race and the expo.
And that’s when things got interesting.
Within minutes of arriving, we were greeted by snowfall.
For city dwellers like myself, snowfall is always a stunning sight. But at the same time, it was slightly terrifying. Given we weren't expecting any in mid-April and that we were supposed to be running on nearby trails in two days.
What Was in My Pack
Here’s what I carried (and what I wish I had):
- Voir 5L Hydration Bag
- 2 × 500 ml Soft Flasks (for electrolytes)
- 1 X 2L Bladder (only water)
- 8 × Energy Gels + 1 Bar
- Layering for sudden weather shifts
- Gloves
- 2 × Trekking Poles
- Sun/Snow Glasses
- Extra Pair of Socks
Wishlist: Microspikes for traction (would have been a game-changer)
Expo Day: Energy, Conversations & Silent Nervousness
Friday was all about the expo. Setting up the Tripole stall always brings a different kind of energy in me as I get to interact with fellow participants from a different perspective.
We met:
- First-time trail runners (and seasoned road runners) figuring out hydration
- Experienced runners upgrading and testing gear for fit
- Last-minute panic buyers, especially for trekking poles, thanks to the forecast
But one thing dominated every conversation: The weather.
You’d turn your head 90 degrees and see snow-covered peaks.. and realize you’d be running on them the next morning.
Then came the race briefing which wasn’t sugar-coated.
“We want you to be prepared for the worst.”
And they meant it.
We were warned about:
- Slippery snow clad descents which had been roped by the team
- Rapid weather changes
- Lightning risks
- Wildlife (this is a bear belt, someone I spoke to personally had spotted a bear and cub; post-race chatter even included leopard sightings)
You could literally see people rethinking their race-day gear and make amends.
Race Day
Saturday morning started grey and overcast. No sunshine meant:
- Higher chances of rain
- Slightly warmer temperatures
- Softer snow which would melt quickly and make it tough to walk on
There were four categories — 100K, 55K, 30K, and 13K. I lined up for the 30K; staggered flag-offs started at 5:40 AM.
The Route
The 30k route featured:
- Two major climbs: to Hatu Temple and Kot Kali Temple peaks
- Two snow-laden descents
- Around 6 km of road section. Remaining section was all trail, some of it rarely touched by human
- It was A to B route so we had to be transported back to start line
First Climb to Hatu Peak
The first ascent felt controlled. I stuck to disciplined hiking, conserving energy. The snow, however, had already started turning into ice with so many runners passing through, making every step calculated. I saw multiple people slipping with even slight overconfidence on their gate on ice. So I kept it slow and steady. The view from Hatu top was a beautiful sight and I wish I could have stayed there for long.
The 13k category mostly had local kids participating and we saw them sprinting through snow in basic sports shoes, while we struggled in premium trail gear :) This sprinting additionally cost me 45 minutes on the course
I followed a couple of fast-moving kids into an area which was actually a wrong route but had markers and ribbons on it from last year and it took us a while to figure the correct way. That one mistake cost more than time, it broke rhythm, focus, and momentum.
Second Climb to Kot Kali temple
The climb to Kot Kali was even tougher as fatigue had built up and the snow was even softer and tricky here, yet I managed to slowly and consistently get to the top. By this time, I knew that the cutoff time was near and i wouldn't be able to complete the race.
The Killer Downhill
What came next was the most talked-about section of the race. A brutal downhill: melting snow and slush, roped sections, frequent falls converted into slides. I decided to take it as slow as possible and not break the body here and took around 45 minutes to finish a km of downhill which would idealy have been my fastest section.
DNF.
By the time I reached the road head (~25K), I had already crossed the cutoff.
Officially - DNF.
I still tried to continue, but race staff pulled me out and transported me to the finish point, where runners who had DNF’d gathered - eating, sharing stories, and processing the day. Around 38 people could not finish from the 62 who had participated in the 30k route. Few finished the 55k category and only one person finished the 100k category.
Overall, had a bloody good day in the mountains, came back with multiple lessons and the resolve to train harder and come back stronger.